My neighbor's cat gets on my property and causes extreme havoc is there anything I can do to prevent this?

Question

Any chemical I can lay down? I don't want to kill it, my husband says we should call animal control to have to removed (since it wanders around freely without a collar), but I'm afraid they'll euthanize it. It rips open trash bags, gets in our trash cans, it rips open the bags for when I rake up leaves. It's awful!

The thing is, it's actually figured out how to get the lid off the trash can. We have trash cans given to the city, every neighbor has the same one. I've seen it perched up there hooking it's little claws into the garbage bags inside. It's not just our can, there are always baby diapers and random trash strewn everywhere whenever it decides it wants to destroy something. It is well fed, it must weigh at least 15 lbs.

Answer 1

I would catch it and keep it over night. Release it in the morning when the neighbors would start to worry about their pet- maybe they would keep a better eye on it.
You can also go and talk to your neighbors about the problem- they may not be aware of it.

If the cat comes over, you can just spray it with a pressure setting on the hose- that will help the cat learn very quickly to stay out of your yard, because cats hate getting wet.

There are no chemicals to keep them away that actually work.

Answer 2

I just had a similar situation like this where my neighbor shot and killed a stray cat with a pellet rifle because it was tearing into trash and no one in the neighborhood was very happy about this turn of events. So as a cat lover, I can sympathize with your not wanting to call animal control or pursue other avenues.

While this cat is an annoyance for sure, chances are if you get this cat under control, if you continue to leave your trash outside, unprotected by a trash can or other varmint-resistant enclosure, this will probably happen again, maybe next time with a dog, a raccoon, or even a possum.

Some municipalities (though seemingly not in rural areas where there is no trash pick up) require that trash be kept in pest-resistant containers (trash cans, etc.).

As for the leaves there are better ways to dispose of them, such as composting or at a minimum, leaving them in a pile until you are ready to deal with them (have them picked up, take them to the dump, compost, etc.)

Answer 3

If you're seeing it do this, then yes it's the cat. But if you're not seeing it then SQUIRRELS are ripping your leaf bags apart, I can pretty much GUARANTEE that! They do it here. Raccoons too. Cats have no reason to get into a leaf bag unless you're bagging up 5 pounds of catnip inside with the leaves.

Get a lid that fits on strongly, or a bungie cord to keep it on tight. That stops most animals (except for raccoons).

Meat items/food smells in the garbage are often the target of raccoons, a cat can't get into a fastened metal garbage can, a city plastic garbage bin or most garbage bins I've seen designs of. They don't have the paw capability to lift or pull them open and they're not heavy enough to tip a can over. Dogs do that. So do raccoons.

If it is the cat, use the bungie cord. They can't get those off.

Answer 4

We don't have any leash laws for cats here in western NY State. The laws require nothing much but rabies vaccines, and that is to protect people, not the cats....
There are some motion detecter spray nozzles that stick in the ground on a spike, that might work, if you are somewhere that it won't freeze. I have friends who used one to startle the deer out of their garden.
I wonder, though, are you actually seeing the cat open trash bags and leaf bags? Sounds more the behavior of a raccoon or even something bigger, that might be coming round at night when you're not looking. I wouldn't think a fed cat would be motivated to do all that ripping, especially leaf bags. Dog would, though.

Answer 5

Yeah I'd be careful about the chemicals. Not only could they hurt the cat but could kill your lawn!!

Try keeping the lids tightly on the trash cans so she/he can't get in the bags. I have cats, one is outdoors (I wish he wasn't) but he doesn't wreak havoc on the neighbor properties but I know that some do. I don't really have any solutions. If it really gets bad I'd first approach your neighbor about it and if that doesn't work tell them your going to catch it and take it to the shelter bc it's ruining your property. Good luck.

Answer 6

You have not indicated where you live, but if it is not too cold for sprinklers, there are motion sensor sprinklers that will set off a blast of water upon an animal entering into it's field.

There are chemical deterrents, but the main approach is to find the owner and have a polite discussion. If it is truly feral, that is another issue all together.

I have posted a link to the type of sprinkler deterrents available. Some chemical deterrents are toxic, so caution must be used if that approach is considered.

Answer 7

Talk to your neighbor about the problem. Cats are usually subject to the same leash laws as dogs - you can call animal control before you talk to your neighbor so you know the law. Let them know that this is a problem for you. If this doesn't work, then you may have to resort to animal control. But at least you have tried to work with your neighbor first.

Answer 8

Don't lay a chemical down. If the neighbors find out about it, it could get really awkward living near them.

Both of you guys are adults and i don't see why you can't just talk to them about it. Be polite but get your point across.

If that doesn't work. . . . Maybe you shoud lay a chemical down. =]

Hope everything works out.

Answer 9

Cats generally dislike the smell of citrus, so you could put citrus spray on and around your trash cans. Or if you like to garden, you can plant things like lemon verbena... it's very fragrant like lemon.

I also agree with the motion-sensor sprinklers, I have heard that they work quite well.

Answer 10

lucky you that its only one cat. my neighbor has 20+ black cats(all without tags and collars) who have figured out how to get in our garbage, shed, and our house!! we called animal control in our area and they told us theres no law against it. we live very close to our neighbors and in the summer we can't even open our windows! so we resorted to a pellet gun. ( i know we're SO cruel) but it doesn;t kill them, it doesn;t exactly stop them either though.