Is it OK to throw shoes at cats?

[Chree]

OK, don't get me wrong - I like cats. The problem is we live in a fairly built up area and next door have two cats. Next door only have a small garden which they do not maintain at all and is very overgrown - hence their cats can't "chill" in their garden. As a result, these two cats have taken a keen interest in our garden which is nicely maintained and has lovely plants etc.

When I say keen interest I mean they crap all over the place, dig up any newly planted shrubs/seeds and replace them with a soggy stinky turd, knock over the bird table and kill birds and leave them. I understand that this is completely natural for a cat but clearly I don't want it to happen; they are costing us money by ruining plants and costing us time when we have to clear up their turds.

I have tried plently of tactics which have incurred expense and affected how we use our garden, namely:

1) Installed 3 sonic deterrents in tactical positions (said cats most prolific dumping ground) at a cost of �35 each - these are harmless and emit a high pitched tone when a beam is crossed. These rather expensive items seem to have been rather ineffective; rather than scaring them, they seem to have some laxative power and induce the cats into curling one out right by the deterrents.

2) Applied a cat repellent in soiled areas. At �4 a bottle this stuff should work and to be fair was slightly more successful than above mentioned deterrents. However after following the instructions on the reverse, a few days after the course has been completed the cats strike back. To use the repllent continuously would cost �8 a week so isn't an option.

3) Applied a pint of water to cats when opportuniy arises. This is certainly the most effective treatment to date it would appear; upon application, the cats do a Usain Bolt back to their gaff, and economically it is the best option so far. The problem is, I can't spend my entire life waiting

[Bbbananas]

well, I hate the damn things. I think it's okay to throw shoes, pressure cooker weights, machetes, bricks, cast iron plants pots - anything at them.

My most effective treatments to date (because I'm not quite so cruel as the above would imply ((although I would throw shoes)) - is
absolutely harmless: i have one of those disco balls / mirror balls hung from my washing line. When it catches the sun the dappled moving lights seem to scare the cats away.
quite harmful but not too bad: carpet grippers on the top of fences, gates etc. That puts the ******* off...

[Chree]

triggerhappy, dianew

Thanks for the advise, I'll try that. But what about when they crap on our steps - should I scatter citrus peeling on my steps - won't that go mouldy?

[dianew]

carpet grippers: are you for real?

[B00]

Fear not! I've found the answer to your problem....lion poo! And i kid you not either.......

http://www.earth-systems.co.uk/catalog/index.p hp?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id= 1&gclid=COHous_w8ZUCFRuD1QodICdyew

[Chree]

Sallabananas

Disco Ball....hhmmmm.....not conviced on that one.

Carpet Grippers.......now you're talking. I did think about concealing mousetraps in the dumping grounds. Would that be worse than a shoe?

[dianew]

just squirt some lemon juice on your steps the smell will linger there

[Bbbananas]

Yes - carpet grippers. They work brilliantly.

Deters burglars too - but you can bet your bottom dollar if any burglar got hurt (or someones's precious pussy for that matter) - I would be the one that would get sued.

What is the world coming to?! ;-)

[Chree]

Henry VIII

They have multiple access points. The main one is where the shoe incident took place - they only have a 2ft plastic mesh fence to get over. But if i put a bigger fence in it still wouldn't stop them getting in. They also go into the garden on the other side over a big fence, then back into our garden over a wall. There's no way of keeping them out.

[Chree]

Triggerhappy - I will be happy to test your prototypes - but can I suggest that blasting them one garden away would only be a short term solution - you should contemplate increasng the distance so when they land they are lost.

[rabbitygirl]

sallabananas...you'd 'hit it off' very well with Mr R. He threw one of your mentioned items at a cat.. the cat requiring a vets attention.

But the cat was making off with our Sunday roast at the time...

[B00]

I can see you've not given serious thought to my lion poo suggestion :-(

[Chree]

HenryVIII

I do like cats - I don't like them crapping in my garden and have done all I can to remedy in a peaceful way.

But the catmines are a great idea no?

[dianew]

i don't mind the idea of burglar getting cut to bits but not an animal