How can I get rid of a skunk, without causing harm to my outdoor cats?

Question

I live in a small incorporated city and have several outdoor cats to keep the mice away. Recently I began having a midnight visitor leaving an odor. I have seen the skunk on 2 seperated occasions.

Answer 1

I've trapped a lot of the little stinkers over the years, sometimes on purpose for the bounty or the pelts, more often just for friends in town. Each bait attracts it's a specific critter. Peanut butter works, but you may find a possum, raccoon, bird, squirrel, ground hog or even a bunny in your trap. Cheap cat and dog food work great, but you will catch possum, raccoon, fox and every cat in the neighborhood. Your cats will get caught as well, but will seldom do it again, seems all the commotion of the trap is a little embarrassing for them. The trick with the towel works, so my dedicated skunk trap has A plywood box around it with hinged ends and latches. RScott

Answer 2

The local organic gardening guy answered this today by suggesting spreading dry molassas around. Where you get that in your area is up to you.
I bought at live trap after waiting weeks to borrow one from city animal control and baited it with peanut butter and over several month caught over a dozen skunks in my urban yard in the middle of Dallas. Catching them live means that if your cats or a racoon, armadillo, blue jay or squirrel gets caught (all of which I have caught) you can let them go. When you get a skunk, in Dallas animal control comes and puts it to sleep (kills it).

Answer 3

hav-a-heart trap. Wrap it in an old towel or piece of tarp so that the sides, top and bottom are covered. A skunk won't spray in that enclosed space, so when you catch it you can just pick up the trap and transport it to a different location to set the little stinker free.

Answer 4

You can put a beer can out with little beer in it. The slugs will crawl in it and they won't come out. Put the can close to the ground and it won't harm any other animal. You can make a bait trap for them too. You cut a 1 litter bottle close to the top, turn the top going back into the bottle and staple it closed. Put some slug bait in it and the slugs will crawl in the hole and can't get out.

Answer 5

if you are going to catch it keep it in the dark and you will not get sprayed try sprinkling blood meal around this should make them go elsewhere

Answer 6

Synthetic Tiger pee -- most animals avoid such barriers.