neighborhood cats and how to deal

[studiovette]

so now I have an entire posey that visits the pond. caught one even under the net.
what should I do? are they most likely just drinking from it? or going after my babies?

 

[JohnHuff]

Get a motion detector sprinkler system. Works wonders for me (I mean whenever I walk to the pond without thinking, I get sprayed so it should work for cats as well.)

 

[adavisus]

A good water source will attract all sorts of critters, frogs, lizards, birds, mice... cats would be the 'apex' predator

Fish would be spectators, usually... They might like to peak at the comings and goings from the relative safety of lilypads, shallow and floating plants

Regards, andy
http://swglist.wordpress.com/
http://www.pinterest.com/adavisus/pondering/

 

[Mmathis]

Sorry, no suggestions. We have 5 cats, all indoor. I'm an advocate for keeping your pet kitties inside, primarily for their own health & safety. But, yeah, I don't want stray cats in my yard!

Do you know if they're feral or someone's pets? Maybe you could trap them [sometimes hard to do with cats, but maybe not in cold weather] and re-locate them.....

 

[Dave 54]

Being an avid cat keeper if non of these mthods hurt the cat tthen give it a try , the best way I've found is to get to know them then they wont bother you ?

Dave

 

[pecan]

We have two kittehs, they don't go outside.

But there are a handful of outside cats who enjoy our yard. There is an irrigation ditch that runs the back of our property and it is cat highway. Lots of snakes, mice and birds out there to keep them busy. I have seen the cats climb the falls hunting birds and drinking out of the pond. They have not caused any damage or trouble so I let them be.

Only thing I worry about is letting the dogs out back and having them get attacked by one of the cats LOL. I don't think our little pampered pups would have a chance against some of those cats. LOL

 

[Mmathis]

I think there was a recent thread regarding cats as potential fish predators. My feeling is that your visitors are most likely looking for a water source. As to whether they are a danger to your fish..... Who knows! But I would be worried if, as you say, one got stuck under the netting. Maybe if you can't keep the cats away, at least make the pond safer for them -- or for any visitors -- and secure the netting so they can't get underneath [good luck with that, though].

We have a few neighborhood cats that visit our yard. On the one hand, they keep the rat population down, but on the other hand they upset our indoor kitties by hissing and growling at the windows! We're always chasing this one big orange tabby out of the yard. I don't think our visitors are feral, just owned by ********* people!

 

[studiovette]

I happen to love cats and dogs also. I usually see a white one that is definitely someone's pet judging by how clean and cute he is. The other ones are deff strays. So I put another 10 stakes down and secured the net down a little better. My wife caught them this morning and scared one off and it actually struggled to get out of the netting. The last thing I want is for one to fall in. what a disaster that would be. Lol
Thanks for all the ideas. I like the motion detector sprinkler but won't that would mean having to leave the water on and that's not an option in freezing cold weather.

 

[j.w]

I have 2 cats that aren't able to get out of our property and they drink from the pond but have never bothered the fish. I did have my new net low to the ground and one got it's head and collar all caught up in the net so raised the net off the ground and all is fine now. Cats don't like the smell of orange or lemon peel so maybe if you grind some up and sprinkle around where the cat hangs out it will leave and also you could supply another area for the cat to drink from while doing the lemon/oj deterrent.

 

[DOUBBLE TAP]

I have had a cat prob for a while my neighbor feeds them and they kept having litter after litter. I had been trapping them and giving them the neighbor as she gets them spayed. Never really had a prob with the fish but recently the latest litter of kittens have gotten brave and unfortunetly one of my rottweilers got a hold of it. I figuered one cat down and that would serve as a message to the rest to stay away. It hasent worked out that way though a fiew more have fallen since then and it seems like it wont stop. I dont like them but feel bad when I see one dead or hurt bad enough that I have to put it down myself. And the last thing I want is one of my dogs to get scrached in the eye so I have waged my own personal war on them, there is some stuff that I get from agway you sprinkle it around your property line and they hate it and dont come by anymore the fiew that I have seen get a good and through soaking with the hose and are usually not seen again. Good luck It seems like this battle wont end anytime soon

 

[addy1]

the great horned owls and other critters here take care of the cats around here.

 

[Dave 54]

If you own cats your pond is entirely safe because they simply look at the pond as part of their on turf and will even sleep on its edge as ours do .
Its the semi feral or neighbouring cats that need to be kept an eye on unless you have your own bruiser of a male cat to keep them out .


Dave

 

[brandonsdad02]

We have a pure breed beagle. Every cat around here knows to stay away from our house or they better be fast at running. Mr. Gunner has treed several cats.

 

[DrCase]

I noticed cat presents around my fenced in filters today
I trimmed my thorny rose bush and spread them around to make the deed uncomfortable

 

[addy1]

carpet tack strips work great, just don't forget they are there