Neighbourhood cats?

Question

My family recently got a cat. It lives outside in the garage, but all of the cats that we live around keep coming and sleeping in it's bed, eating it's food etc. I was wondering if there is any way so to keep those cats away without it resulting in our cat becoming discouraged to be around our house.

Okay, I get it. You all think that it's cruel to have the cat living outside, but it's really not damaging to her (There, I said 'her', not 'it'. Happy?) in any way; she is well-looked after, and according to the vet is of great health, plus my mother has an alergy towards cats, and I didn't tell you this because then all of you would be thinking 'then why do they have a cat?' and I would have to explain our entire situation, and there is no reason for you to know that information to answer my original question. So, unless you have any suitable and helpful answer for my original question (which I only asked so as to make the cat's life even nicer) then please, I beg you, don't post anything. Thank you, and I apologise for upstting a number of you by asking this question.

I do appreciate that you are afraid for Willow (the cat), but there truly is no need to be. We have researched looking after cats in numerous books and on various sites, along with recieving tips from the vet and other pet owners that we know, we have given her everything she would ever need, we care about and love her immensely, we take her on regular trips to the vet, she had recieved all of the injections etc. she would be expected to have, and we would never cause her harm of any fashion. I'm sorry that it may of sounded differently originally, but we really do care for her, and we do worry about what she is doing when she had wandered off somewhere out of our protection, but we have given her a collar and respect that cats are rather free creatures naturally, and that it would be unfair to keep her from going farther than the garden.

Answer 1

I have had problems with nieighbourhood cats as well, but these ones were coming into my house, sleeping on MY bed and doing all sorts of other things that my own cats would never have dreamt of!!! They were poorly treated by their own owners and became a problem for the entire neighbourhood as a result.

The way I dealt with these two neighbouring cats was to install a cat flap that had a lock on it that was only triggered by the release mechanism that was built into a tag on my cats' collars. As soon as my own cat approached the cat flap, the tag would react with the lock on the cat flap and my cat could get in, but any other cat trying to get in would be faced with a locked cat flap. Having a collar on your cat is a good idea for ANY CAT - even any indoor one, as it helps to tell your neighbours and others in your area that the cat is cared for and not a stray as well as making it easier to get back if the animal is lost/stolen. Having your cat(s) microchipped would also be a very good idea in case the collar comes off - one of my own cats has never managed to keep a collar for more than 28 seconds!

A good pet-store should be able to help you out with the system that is right for you. Just make sure that you are getting the features that work best for your needs as there are a lot of different products on the market. You MAY even be able to get the cat flap to respond to the microchip....

You can also use a similar system to keep your cat on your own property and/or other cats off it with a variation on an electric fence which responds to the cats' collars around your property's perimeter. I used to use something similar to create a portable paddock for my horses...

Don't let people's criticisms of your situation get you down. The important thing is that your cat(s) is healthy and happy. Just because it lives outdoors, does not mean it is not well cared for. I had several cats living at the barn with my horses and they were as social and happy and well-cared for as the cats I now have who are indoor cats with outdoor priviledges. One of those cats is MUCH happier staying outdoors and only coming inside when he wants some food, a bit of a cuddle or a place to sleep on a cold and/or wet night. Micah is one of the friendliest, softest and cuddliest cats that I have but he just LOVES to be outdoors. As long as he is healthy, happy and well-fed, I know that I am doing the best that I can for him.

Finally, if your cat(s) will be living outdoors, it is very important that you keep the vaccinations up-todate and make sure to have them fixed - otherwise you could be faced with a lot more cats, high vet bills or even health problems in the home that are worse than your mother's asthma!

I hope that this information helps you with your situation....

Answer 2

Hi,

Is your cat a female or male? Either way, a cat is not an 'it'.....

If your cat is living in the garage, of course other cats are going to come around - they have easy access to all of his/her things!

I really don't think it's fair to keep your cat outside in the garage - cats aren't just robots to be used for catching mice and insects. If your family bought the cat for this reason, it's a real shame for the cat. If your family bought him or her as a pet, the cat should definitely be kept inside, with the rest of the family, where she belongs.

There is a chance that if other cats keep invading his/her territory in this way, your cat WILL leave the garage and your house and most likely try to find a new place to live.

If there's really a good reason for keeping her in the garage (I hope there's heating and lighting in that garage), then you can install a special cat flap that is activated by a magnet on her collar so that only she can go in and out: http://www.petcompany.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Cat_Flaps_9.html

I really don't understand why he/she is being kept in the garage and not in your home. It seems a shame for the cat.

If your family is hell bent on making him/her live outside, they had better make sure all his/her vaccinations are up to date; that he is neutered or she is spayed; and that there are no toxic fumes or substances in that garage.

Answer 3

Short of putting down enough food to feed everyone and offering sleeping boxes for the locals looking for safe shelter, I can't see how to fix your 'problem' other than to encourage you to either build an outdoor safe run/kennel, or to bring her indoors.

3/4 of the cat allergen in their fur can be eliminated by soaking the cat's fur with distilled water then toweling her dry, also wiping down the walls and baseboard with distilled water from knee level on down. This was discovered about 10 years ago and made all the pet magazines because it was such a help to allergy prone owners. Dark cats produce more allergen than light colored ones, but ALL the allergy prone people saw huge improvement with just using the distilled water thing.

You'd need to soak the cat down once a month, and make sure that the bedroom is a no-cat area, and this should give you the option of having the cat indoors.

Answer 4

Well, we had a similar problem when we installed a cat flap originally. We found the neighbouring cats were using it to come into the house and terrorise my baby (who is actually a large cat). Eventually, we got a cat flap that functions with a magnetic key that the cat wears on a collar round its neck. This did the trick and made our cat feel a lot more relaxed. However, if a cat flap cannot be fitted to your garage door you will have a problem. There isn't any other way to deter neighbouring cats from invading a space - it's what they do being territorial animals. I keep telling my cat to stand up for himself but do you think he pays any attention. He is the largest wossiest cat ever! I think your mum is brave to take on a cat with her allergy. I have a friend who keeps her two cats in the garage and they are both healthy and happy cats.

Answer 5

Is there a reason why your cat is living in the garage and not the house? It sounds like you don't love this cat enough to make it be part of your family. If this is the case, give it to a cat adoption like the Cats Protection http://www.cats.org.uk/ where a home that will love him/her can be found. Do your cat a favour and start loving him/her.

Answer 6

Hi,
Could you maybe get a cat flap fitted to the garage door. I know you can get ones which just let your cat in and out with collar she would where. Our old cat used to have a basket in the garage and we made a porch for him over the hole he went in and out of. He was very happy in there. Luckily we did not have your problem of other cats visiting. Hope this is helpful to you.
Madcat74

Answer 7

I have to agree with everyone else, bring the poor baby in the house where he/she can live a safe, and happy long life. your cat being outside is not a good thing and leaves them unprotected prom diseases, cars etc. and in the garage there are usually many toxic substances they can get into.

Answer 8

Get your cat fixed, bring it inside to be with you (there is no need for the cat to ever go outside) and get rid of anything in the garage that will encourage the feral cats to hang around. You and your cat will be happier.

Answer 9

It is not cruel to keep Cats outside- Animals were intended for outside- its only us soppy so and so's who insisted on bringing them in and domesticating them.

You could try putting Jeyes fluid to the edges of the garden, follow the instructions and water down properly - or you could try growing lemony plants and herbs - cats tend to steer clear of it. When your cat starts marking its territory by spraying that should help.

Answer 10

yeah take your cat in the house where it belongs....problems solved!!! why would you get a new cat and automatically put it outside in a garage???