What to do about stray cats urinating on my porch?

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Seems like I have got a problem.

I have two or more stray cats urinating on my front porch. At first, they began urinating on my door mat. I removed the door mat, figuring that would solve my problem. Now the cats are urinating on the lower six inches of the storm door and on the porch in front of the door. I have never been fond of cats, especially the smell, and have never owned a cat.

What is going on here? How can I stop this? Someone please help!!! The odor is killing me!

-- clovis (clovis97@Yahoo.com), January 09, 2002

Answers

Try putting some ammonia in a spray bottle and spraying it around your porch. We tryed this with cats that were getting into our trash and also sprayed it on some rocks inmy flower bed and it stopped them from using it as a litter box.I hope this might work for you. Michelle

-- Michelle, Tn (mlbeebe2000@yahoo.com), January 09, 2002.

I once knew a business man that had problems with stray dogs piddling on his white stucco'd planter in front of his shop. He rigged a steel plate on rubber insulation against the planter and hooked it to the hot wire of an outlet. Almost wiped out the loose dog problem. Rig a wire across the front of the door and hook it to an electric fence supply. They will get the message first time.

-- nocats (nc@hotmail.com), January 09, 2002.

Vinegar----should work also------spray everything with vinegar---less toxic ----& it will also kill all germs---& the cats hate it---also can put a small bowl of vinegar out there also----should do the trick- -if not I shoot at stray cats!!

-- Sonda (sgbruce@birch.net), January 10, 2002.

a connibear #220 , placed in the opening of a 5 gal bucket,,lated on its side,,with chicken bones inside works great for me. Just have to notch the bucket ,so the connibear fits just inside the opening

-- Stan (sopal@net-port.com), January 10, 2002.

try mouse traps???

-- js (schlicker54@aol.com), January 10, 2002.


22cal c.b.'s work good. they are not much louder than a b.b. gun but a bit more punch Don't bitch people, I like cats

-- grant (organicgrange@yahoo.com), January 10, 2002.

A big dog will work.

-- Gary (gws@columbus.rr.com), January 10, 2002.

How about calling animal control? If that doesn't work set some traps the one's that doesn't kill of course. That's what we did and it took care of the problem.

Rita

-- Rita (Rlynchjarss@aol.com), January 10, 2002.


First, you have to remove the cat urine smell from your porch as that draws them to "mark" that area. There are products available for that as it is hard to remove the small with anything else. I'm thinking that awful smelling stuff named "Fabreeze". Also, in pet stores they have products made just to remove urine smell. Then, you have to make the porch uninviting for them. If it is a small porch, try moth balls. Again, there are products on the market that repells animals. I'm sure you will get more ideas here on this forum as it is a wealth of information. Also, check the archives.

-- Ardie /WI (ardie54965@hotmail.com), January 10, 2002.

Shotgun

-- Cal (calvin@dwave.net), January 10, 2002.


Clovis, here's an easy and quick way to discourage cats, and any other critter from visiting ANYWHERE, inside or outside, and it's cheap! Go to a hardware store or big discount store and purchase a roll of clear plastic carpet protector, the kind for high plie carpets that has the longish pokey, sharp plastic "grippers" on the back. Cut to fit the area required to "protect" and lay it upside down so the pokey things point up. Very effective, and the critters hate it and don't come back!!! Weigh corners down with a rock or brick if you live in a windy area.

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), January 10, 2002.

Great answers from Stan, Grant, and Cal.

Sometimes a little logic can go a long way. I would suggest a "humane" live animal trap. Once the animal is caught in the trap then place the trap in a full rain barrel for a couple of hours. When the spraying cat is fully and irreversably dead then compost it. This will be good for the environment.

-- Ed Copp (OH) (edcopp@yahoo.com), January 10, 2002.


If you REALLY don't want to kill stray cats, use the humane trap, then don't quite kill the cat. Spray a hose on it. Bang the cage with a stick. Poke the cat with the stick. Spray it again. Go away. Come back in five minutes and repeat the dose. Maintain the pace for half an hour. Rest an hour. Repeat for half an hour. Rest an hour. Repeat for half an hour. Use a stick to wipe strong mustard or horse-radish or hot chili sauce or all of them on the cat's coat. Let it go. Next night do the other cat. Then (provided there are no children who might mistake them for sweets) scatter moth-balls.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), January 10, 2002.

now Ed, why would you waste perfectly good meat like that?

Like Ardie said, wash the area and then put out mothballs. The cats will find somewhere else to spray. Mothballs work ok for rabbits and deer also.

-- Dave (something@somewhere.com), January 10, 2002.


they make great stir fry

-- Pops (pops762@hotmail.com), January 10, 2002.


I LOVE the answers! Some are quite comical!

Since I live in town, with close, close neighbors, the shotgun method is kinda out of the question.

I will try the vinegar first. Ammonia second. A nice long talk with the manic/depressive woman next door, who's cat maybe the culprit will be third. (I feel real sorry for her and I just want to keep the peace). I will resort to other actions if I have to.

Thanks again!!!! I love this page!!!!

-- clovis (clovis97@Yahoo.com), January 10, 2002.


Don't forget to report back & let us know what worked!!!!

-- Sonda (sgbruce@birch.net), January 11, 2002.

Maybe dog spray (the hot pepper stuff)?

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), January 11, 2002.

My daddy used to have trouble with dogs and cats getting into his garbage, I remember he used a car battery and wired it to the trash can, worked wonders.

-- Vanessa (tvhayes@aeneas.net), January 11, 2002.

Cheaper than the clear plastic mat is a piece of board with nails - pointy side up like the plastic mat. Orange peels are another thing cats dislike. Any kind of trip-wire device that can scare the you- know-what out of them couldn't hurt either. For flower beds that cats like to dig, use oyster shell as a mulch. Again, the picky feet thing - they just don't like it.

I, too, like the extreme answers, but they aren't always the most practical!

-- Bernadette Kerr (bernadette_kerr@hotmail.com), January 15, 2002.


OK lets remember it's not the cats fault it is the DUMB ass owners fault .So try out some off the above on them .Maybe neuter them and then they won't have a problem getting the cat done .

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@hotmail.com), January 15, 2002.

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