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Cats are going to roam . . . I don't mind having them come around and kill mice and moles . . . the problems come in when they scratch up my car (wh/ they definitely do - i see their paw prints and have caught them sleeping on my car!).
Cats also chase away (and sometimes catch) snakes and that is something positive to think about before getting too upset about the occasional visit from a neighbor's cat. A cat hanging out IN YOUR YARD (especially around your car) can be a real problem, especially if they are into "sneak attacks" on ankles or with your dog (this has happened to me, too!)
I had the "sneak attack" problem for only a short while . . . there was a neighbor's cat who would hide in the bushes near my front door steps and attack us . . . so I started carrying a spray bottle (with just water in it) and sprayed him a few times right in the face. That totally stopped the problem.
Make sure there is nothing in your yard that is especially attractive to cats (herbs and flowers, for ex - butterfly bushes, mint, lemon grass - all of which I have. SIGH). That would be the first place I would start. And if you have bird feeders, that attracts birds and cats will stalk the birdfeeders. So if you have a bird bath/feeders, I would just remove those or put them somewhere that would be difficult for the cat to reach.
Other than the spray bottle filled with water . . . I don't have a lot of suggestions. Cat owners can't do much about their cats roaming around the neighborhood and most cats want to be outside at least for a little while every day. In a former neighborhood, several of us had cats and we all put bells on them, as this alerts birds, squirrels and dogs that a cat is hanging around. That eliminated some of the problems with birds being killed . . . but that doesn't sound like the biggest problem you are experiencing, OP!!!
Of course the collar doesn't prevent rabies, but it indicates it has an owner, so the protocol is different, and they do place it under observation. If it is a feral cat, there is no observation period required, as there is a higher chance of them carrying the disease, and the observation period is 10 days, and symptoms can develop in humans in as little as less than a week. Of course the statistics are very, very, low on that happening, but when it is MY toddler.....animal captured myself after animal control gave up, call to cdc made, decapitated head fed ex'd that day.
I think you're suppose to call the health department but I'm too lazy to scroll up and click on my own link.
Fans I couldn't help but notice my expertise was being asked for here and I do have a comment or 2. When the wife got a new car several years ago it wasnt long before I noticed scratch marks on the hood and trunk lid which were made by a cat. Of course the cat was gone and this really pissed me off. So the next night I put out a capture cage and sure enough the next morning the big yellow cat hanging around the car was caught. I didn't know who owned him and for sure wouldn't hurt him but I did want the owner to know his cat was going places and doing things he shouldn't. So I took some bright blue spray paint and painted him with blue poka dots and then released him.. I never saw him again and the owner was most likely very pissed off but he didnt have a messed up paint job so I didnt care.
OMGoodness! That is hysterical!
I like cats but I agree people should not let their cat roam around the neighborhood. I would have loved to see the owners faces when they saw that cat!
Cat owners can't do much about their cats roaming around the neighborhood and most cats want to be outside at least for a little while every day.
Yes they can, they can keep them indoors where they'll stay safe. A domesticated animal has no reason to be outside roaming around where it can be killed by wildlife, hit by a car, or injured by people with bad intentions. Not to mention the various illnesses they can pick up, including feline leukemia.
If I was the OP, I would first talk to the cats' owners, and if that didn't work I would trap the cats and take them down to the animal shelter. After paying the fines a few times, the owners hopefully will start taking better care of their pets.
Perhaps put the cat in the back of a truck with the cage mounted so everyone can see it and parade back and forth in front of the neighbors house making sure he sees it with a big sign on the cage saying "dead man walking" . When the cops arrive (and they will) explain the issue to them. I wonder if the cops can make you give it back?I say they cant but they may call animal control and you will then have to give it to them. I bet the cat owner would be screaming while all of this takes place. He will be a learnin him a lesson.
Perhaps put the cat in the back of a truck with the cage mounted so everyone can see it and parade back and forth in front of the neighbors house making sure he sees it with a big sign on the cage saying "dead man walking" . When the cops arrive (and they will) explain the issue to them. I wonder if the cops can make you give it back?I say they cant but they may call animal control and you will then have to give it to them. I bet the cat owner would be screaming while all of this takes place. He will be a learnin him a lesson.
Your last post was funny.
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