How the heck do I repel this cat?

[TravelingGal]

OK, not to offend the cat lovers here, but our neighbor's cat is camping out on my front doorstep. I have nearly stepped on it several times when I leave the house (it doesn't seem to be afraid of us). It's also a fleabag...we have had three flea infestations since the neighbor moved in 3 years ago (I've lived here 12 years and NEVER had a problem before this). We threw out our welcome mat because its fleas were breeding on it. They still may come in through the walls or something.

It's tried to come into my house when I open the door. It sits in all my plants (although I don't think it hurts the plants or anything). The only thing I am allergic to in this world are cats, and it's a pretty bad reaction!

I don't want to hurt the cat, but is there anything I can put near my door that the cat won't like and may stay away? I don't believe in hurting animals (well duh, not many people do). I've done a quick google and it said things like "cat powder"...is that something like "shake away"? IHopefully something like that will be safe? I live in an apartment, so it's not like I can set sprinklers or anything to turn on. I tried mothballs awhile back (I think I read somewhere that was OK) but it obviously hasn't worked.

 

[iheartscience]

Well my cats used to get near the door and try to sneak out when I left so I would shake my keys at them, which they hated, so they quickly learned not to try to run out! So I would try shaking your keys loudly when you leave your house and the unwelcome friend is laying there. If you do it enough he/she will most likely get the hint that laying at your door is not comfortable. The only cat I know who doesn''t mind loud noises is my sister''s deaf kitty!

I also know that my cats HATE the smell of vinegar...I don''t know if there''s a way for you to put a little container of vinegar with maybe some little holes in the top so the kitty can smell it but not drink it somehow? Maybe use a salt shaker or something?

 

[monarch64]

Oooo, good question. Kitties are very persistent creatures, and I don''t know of anyone who''s ever successfully repelled one.

However, with your allergies and the impending birth of your Ttot, it is obviously imperative that you rid yourself of said kitty. Hopefully FG and all the other cat goddesses here will be able to provide assistance. I wish your neighbor would learn to keep his/her pets to himself!

 

[TravelingGal]

Thanks thing2of2...I will try the vinegar as soon as I can find something safe and effective to put it in.

monarch, that''s the thing. According to the lease here, all cats must be kept indoors. Most do a good job of that, but not my neighbor. The manager tried doing something about it when she first moved in, but tenants complained to the owner and she was told to lay off.

 

[Aloros]

Citrus usually works pretty well. If I hold an orange peel to my cat''s nose, he''ll run to get away from it.

 

[iheartscience]

Date: 3/26/2008 9:36:11 PM
Author: Aloros
Citrus usually works pretty well. If I hold an orange peel to my cat''s nose, he''ll run to get away from it.

Oooh, good one! Can you put out some sort of citrusy potpourri?

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 3/26/2008 9:38:34 PM
Author: thing2of2

Date: 3/26/2008 9:36:11 PM
Author: Aloros
Citrus usually works pretty well. If I hold an orange peel to my cat''s nose, he''ll run to get away from it.

Oooh, good one! Can you put out some sort of citrusy potpourri?

Damn, I just went through an entire box of tangerines too...could have saved the peels.

Keep the ideas coming ladies, thanks. I will try all of them!

 

[sumbride]

as far as sitting on the plants goes, you can put plastic forks in the pots... hide the tines under the leaves and if the cat sits on it, it''s uncomfortable and the kitty will hop up. Bamboo stakes are a bit more elegant of a solution. I looked into this because we have strays that like to sleep in my flower pots, but it was the catmint they were sleeping on, so I decided not to do it because it would be like the wicked witch saying "doesn''t it smell good? don''t sit there!" but that wouldn''t apply to normal plants!

Citrus does help, so eat some more tangerines! You can put out sevin dust (well, not you! You don''t TOUCH IT!!!) for the fleas. Put it all around your door. My dad always used it in the yard to kill the fleas.

 

[brazen_irish_hussy]

I know some cats actually LIKE citrus smells.
You can try sprinkling cayene (sp) pepper around, it worked for my parents when a neighbor cat kept trying to get in.
I will say my parents had no luck with the specially formulated spray to keep cats away from things, but it might just be thier cats.

 

[VegasAngel]

You can try keeping a water bottle or squirtgun by the the door, give it a little squirt when you see it. You can also shake keys, a can filled with pennies or something. If you have a small entryway you can put down some foil cats dont usually like walking on it.

 

[Kaleigh]

I''d just tell your neighbor you have enough on your plate expecting any day now. That you are allergic.

A spray bottle of water should do the trick too.

 

[monarch64]

Sooo...you could replace your flea-ridden doormat (the one you had to throw out) with a brand new mat made of tin foil!!!

I guess now I''m wondering why this cat feels more at home by your apt. entrance than by its own. I love cats, but they''re so WEIRD! TGal, how long has this cat been making a nuisance of itself? By any chance, did it start when you got pregnant?

 

[VegasAngel]

Date: 3/26/2008 10:55:15 PM
Author: monarch64
Sooo...you could replace your flea-ridden doormat (the one you had to throw out) with a brand new mat made of tin foil!!!

I guess now I''m wondering why this cat feels more at home by your apt. entrance than by its own. I love cats, but they''re so WEIRD! TGal, how long has this cat been making a nuisance of itself? By any chance, did it start when you got pregnant?

ha, it''s true!

 

[TravelingGal]

Actually Kaleigh, that is on my agenda to do...but I rarely see the guy. I don''t want to leave a note...I''d rather say something in person. He''s a nice guy so I''m trying to be diplomatic about it.

Monarch, the cat has always been next door...I think. But it''s only within the last month or so that I have noticed that it is outside.

 

[monarch64]

Well, I say "F--- diplomacy" TGal, let this neighbor guy know that his cat is freaking you out and you''re not willing to deal with its behavior and fleas, and I vote that this is a prime time to play the pregnancy card. And at the risk of sounding totally creepy, is there some correlation between cats and lactating humans??? I ask out of morbid curiosity, sorry.

 

[Miranda]

Now, there isn''t more of a cat person than me, but, a flea infested kitty smashing my plants and giving me allergies would not make me happy. My cat hates anything with a strong fragrance such as scented lotion, nail polish, etc. He really hates it when I sprinkle carpet freshener on the carpet to vacuum up. Some are baking soda based maybe you could sprinkle some of that around. Fleas totally gross me out. I''d keep some spray handy and treat the exterior perimeter of your house. You could try leaving cat food out for it...In front of your NEIGHBORS door. Maybe he''ll get the hint!

 

[TravelingGal]

Ha Monnie, I''ll do that. I actually try to be diplomatic as a rule in real life...hard to believe from my PS personality I know...

Miranda, you''re funny. No fleas in the house yet (I notice that as spring/summer arrive it''s harder to keep them out). I''m in a bind...don''t want to use sprays right now because I am pregnant...and then of course when TTot is born, I have to be careful then too. So I''ll try these remedies and see if I can''t catch my neighbor to ask him about the cat. I wonder if they have fleas, but I figure they have to....

Thank you all for your help!

 

[chiefneil]

How about calling animal control or the SPCA to come pick it up? If it has tags they''ll call the neighbor to come pay a fee and collect it from the pound. After that happens a few times the neighbor will learn to keep the cat indoors. And animal control will probably give it a flea bath too.

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 3/27/2008 1:06:59 AM
Author: chiefneil
How about calling animal control or the SPCA to come pick it up? If it has tags they''ll call the neighbor to come pay a fee and collect it from the pound. After that happens a few times the neighbor will learn to keep the cat indoors. And animal control will probably give it a flea bath too.

Aw, I couldn''t do that...the cat just wants some fresh air...not to mention the neighbor would be worried...and PISSED!

 

[Gypsy]

Date: 3/27/2008 1:22:00 AM
Author: TravelingGal

Date: 3/27/2008 1:06:59 AM
Author: chiefneil
How about calling animal control or the SPCA to come pick it up? If it has tags they''ll call the neighbor to come pay a fee and collect it from the pound. After that happens a few times the neighbor will learn to keep the cat indoors. And animal control will probably give it a flea bath too.

Aw, I couldn''t do that...the cat just wants some fresh air...not to mention the neighbor would be worried...and PISSED!

Most cats hate citus. I''d try that first. But it''s outdoors, so it dilutes the odor. Cats are creatures are habit, if you''re part of it''s daily habit... it takes quite a bit to break their habits. Without you know... trauma.

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 3/27/2008 1:53:48 AM
Author: Gypsy

Date: 3/27/2008 1:22:00 AM
Author: TravelingGal

Date: 3/27/2008 1:06:59 AM
Author: chiefneil
How about calling animal control or the SPCA to come pick it up? If it has tags they''ll call the neighbor to come pay a fee and collect it from the pound. After that happens a few times the neighbor will learn to keep the cat indoors. And animal control will probably give it a flea bath too.

Aw, I couldn''t do that...the cat just wants some fresh air...not to mention the neighbor would be worried...and PISSED!

Most cats hate citus. I''d try that first. But it''s outdoors, so it dilutes the odor. Cats are creatures are habit, if you''re part of it''s daily habit... it takes quite a bit to break their habits. Without you know... trauma.

Thanks...that seems like the first thing I need to try. Cats definitely seem to be creatures of habit, but I''m willing to give it a go to break this habit. I wish I was a cat person, but I am not. I''m a total dog lover. Of course, TGuy doesn''t like dogs and loves cats. How did we end up married again?

 

[FrekeChild]

BF suggested that Bitter Apple stuff. Uck!

My suggestion is: get a dog! I know, I know with TTot almost here (how many days?!) you''ll have enough on your hands, plus I don''t think it''s really fair to have any dog thats bigger than 20 pounds in an apartment unless you can walk it a lot. But that would probably do it.

So lets see, vinegar, citrus, forks/bamboo sticks in plants, spray bottles of water, tin foil, cayenne pepper, keys/jar of pennies, baking soda, leaving food by your neighbors door and animal control. If any PSers walk down your street, they are going to recognize your place immediately!

I wonder what would happen if you added the vinegar, citrus peels, cayenne pepper together and sprayed him with that a couple of times if it''d do anything? I almost said baking soda too, but then I had this image in my head of a certain science experiment with vinegar and baking soda...

 

[Deelight]

They should sell some kind of cat repellent at your local pet store I would spray some of that around your mat and see if that works

 

[bee*]

definitely agree with the citrus. Get a citrus spray or put lemon juice in a spray bottle of water and use it around the entrance to your home. It should do the trick.

 

[Mrs Mitchell]

Well, I have a cat, so I''ve never tried this myself, but my cat phobic mother swears it is the only thing that works.

Lion dung.

Nope, not kidding. You can buy it in garden centres. It is just tiny little pellets of dried lion dung (really) but the smell of a much bigger, way more aggressive feline keeps little ones away for good, apparently. Scatter it in the plant pots. I can''t detect any smell from it, but apparently cats can.

I live in the UK and you can buy it here, but otherwise, try a google search?

Good luck!

Jen

 

[kellyfish]

How about squirtin'' some flea med like Frontline on the cat. Yea, I know it''s not your cat. At least you would not have the fleas.

 

[scarleta]

He loves you TG that''s good news.I have not read everything that was said ( I am in a terrible hurry) but I can share you with something my old neighbor told me to do years ago as his cat did the same to me.
Just spray him / her with water have a bottle handy.It took a very long time ,but it worked at least when we were home.He visited when we left ,because I always had his hair on my patio furniture.
I can tell you what worked for sure its when we got our dog the cat miraculously disappeared from our yard.That worked for sure.I will get back to read it all this evening...

 

[TravelingGal]

Hehe, you ladies are funny. I have the water bottle by the door, but it''s a great idea to infuse it with citrus! Darn, I wish I had asked the question 3 days ago...we had so much citrus in the house and now we have none and I am too lazy to waddle to the market.

And wouldn''t ya know it...I haven''t seen the cat at all since yesterday. Even peeked out looking for it. Maybe it knows I am up to something...

 

[Keepingthefaith21]

Bitter Apple can work but it’s been my experience it works better with dogs than cats. Otherwise when I want to keep my cats away from specific areas, I swab the area with anything that has a strong alcohol or bleach smell. With my kitten the most effective scent I have found to keep him out of “no no spots” is that antibacterial hand cleaner stuff. Ohhh he wrinkles his nose as soon as he smells it and can’t get away fast enough. The only problem is that alcohol tends to evaporate very quickly. I’d give a quick call to a local animal shelter or hospital and see if they can offer any suggestions.

 

[omieluv]

If you go forward with the squirt bottle method, what I would do is pair it with the sound of your keys. Shake your keys first (nothing is likely to happen),after, squirt the cat (hopefully the cat goes away). So, each time you see the cat, shake your keys and then spray him. Eventually, the cat will associate the sound of your keys with getting sprayed and run whenever it hears the keys (so over time, you will not have to spray it). Do this for a month and then try just shaking your keys...