Wanted Please - Harrogate / York / Leeds area

[LuckyChickenLover-]

I caught the local cat skulking round the garden today. He seemed to take a lot of intrest in the eglu, luckily there were no chickens in it, presumably he could still smell them from when I put them out yesterday.

 

I was wondering how you can repel cats... in a nice way, if you get what I mean. Thing is, although the cat doesn't belong to me, I've known him for about eight years now and he often comes round to my house for a stroke ( and maybe if he's lucky, a treat or two ). I've known the cat for longer than I've had pets, and when I got hamsters and rabbits, the cat was never a problem and would leave them alone.

 

I don't want to put the cat off of me forever, I still love him, I just wish he'd behave himself like the does with my other pets. I know he's just being a cat, and hunting is what cats do, and I've often seen him carrying a mouse in his jaws (he's twice left me a mouse at my doorstep as a 'pressent' ), so I know that there are plenty of other things in my garden for him to hunt other than my chickens ; mice, frogs and birds being an example. I know that he's not hungry. He's quite a fat cat, I know his proper owners feed him, and I feed him too sometimes, and if he's hungry I won't mind if he has one of the frogs in my garden.

 

I want to repel him in a 'nice' way. I don't want to hurt him or anything. Ultrasonic whistles that give off high pitched noises are not an option, as I have to take into account all the other animals in the area; next door's dog and my rabbits being only a few of them. I've placed chicken wire in the nooks and crannies that he sometimes gets in by, but he just jumps over the fence, even though the fence has got spikes running along the top of it. I know that apparently water repels cats, but not this one, he sits by the pond a lot and even goes fishing for frogs there. He doesn't mind getting wet. Poison is NOT an option. Full stop.

 

Apparently pepper repels cats, and so far this is looking like the most likely solution for me, but I'd like to know a bit more about how it works ect before I use it. Also, will using pepper effect other animals in the area?

 

EDIT: Someone asked what breed they were, they're Gingernut Rangers, so not too small.

 

Sorry for the long post

 

Thanks

~ Lucky Chicken Lover

Edited April 17, 2010 by Guest

[coco]

You might find that the cat becomes more scared of the chickens than they of him. One of my cats used to stalk my chooks when I first got them and would lie in wait for them to come out of the house then jump at the run netting.

He got into the run one day and I found him cowering in a corner with three chickens glaring at him. We had to rescue him through the side door on the house. He's had a healthy respect for them ever since. All the other local cats leave them alone as well.

[Mollie333]

I agree..

i have 3 big cats, at first they wanted to attack the birds, but then they just started running after them they'll have respect for them soon, no need for a repellent, a peck on the nose from a chicken- maybe!

goodluck

[Sue and the Spice Girls]

I would agree about the cat being more scared of the chickens after a while, our cat goes into the eglu when no one's at home but he's terrified if the girls come near! A water pistol can be a good to discourgae cats, they don't seem to know where the water comes from!

[jellykelly]

Lion/tiger poo!

Seriously. If you live near a zoo, ask them for some - they'll happily bag some up. Just dig some into the ground and cats will not come near. It's the 'bigger, scary' predator thing that keeps them at bay.

[debbie26pet]

hi to be honest if you start tryin to discourage the cat from the girls it may not return for them extra cuddles, and treats, we have 6 cats, and a couple from neighbours as well, and to be honest they would rather walk round the block to get the place want to if it means not going near the chickens, a quick peck from them is painful enough and as husband says, what will the neighbour cats think of them living with birds and they are scared of them, its something like out of tom and jerry with out the mouse sometimes, my cats balancing on fences posts etc to avoid the girls.

[LuckyChickenLover-]

Lion/tiger poo!

Seriously. If you live near a zoo, ask them for some - they'll happily bag some up. Just dig some into the ground and cats will not come near. It's the 'bigger, scary' predator thing that keeps them at bay.

 

I had heard of that, but unfortunately there aren't any zoos near me.

 

Thanks anyway

[Egluntyne]

Try **SIlent Roar**

[WildeWoman]

You don't say what breed you have but even my little RIR was boss of my cats and dogs! Providing they aren't Silkies or something else particularly little, I personally would be more worried about the cat! If you deter this cat from your house, you just leave 'vacant territory' that may well be taken over by another cat that isn't quite as pleasant.

[scarlettohara]

My male cat is terrified of the chickens and goes to great lengths to avoid them - skirts around the edge of the garden but does like to get in the eglu for a sleep which they don't seem to mind