logiclee

Lots of discussion in the air rifle thread so I thought I'd start a new thread.

My personal position is that I have a fish pond filled with fish that cost a fair amount of money as well as some of them being owned by me for over ten years.

Over the past few years the local cat population has increased and I have had at least 8 fish killed by these cats over the last few years. I have seen these cats bent over the pond trying to paw the fish out.
My next door neighbour has seen one cat catch 3 fish.

Last year I installed an electric fence around the pond and did not have any fish taken.
I have removed the electric fence due to redesigning the pond and due to any legal implications, didn't kill any cats but didn't realise they could jump so high.

As was mentioned in the air rifle thread Cats must be the only creature that somone can own as a pet and their animal can go and damage property and kill other peoples pets and the owner is not held responsible. It has been argued that cats cannot be trained and are not controlable, in this case why are they not classed as wild animals and pests or should owners be forced to keep them contained?

I can see no difference between letting my dog out to go on a cat owners garden to kill their cat and a cat owner letting their cat out to come and kill my fish. They know what the cat is liable to do so must bear some responsibilty for its actions.

Anyway back to the thread subject.
I have tried sprays and peppers but not the sonic type. Anyone recomend anything that keeps away cats without keeping away other wildlife?

Lee

Badger Stuffer

Catapult.(sp) Pun is intended.

Pepper.

Nick VR4

http://www.catrepellent.co.uk/
OR
try placing orange or grapefruit peel round area, as cats dislike the citric smell. ...

dan4

Big 2 litre fizzy pop bottles with stickers removed and filled with water. Heard this on here a while ago and didn't sound like a wind up! Apparantley the reflection or something scares them off.

Dan

daiscooby

****Edited to remove unacceptable suggestions****

Jack Russell Terrier.

Cat food chunks injected with tabasco.

I could go on for ever...........

[Edited by Josh L - 17/04/2003 16:04:19]

chiark

Oh god, can u imagine the mess. Just hope they make it home in time.

There's some spray stuff you can buy at DIY stores. It's useless.

I've heard from quite a few places that the absolute top stuff is Lion ****. Problem is that your local B&Q doesn't exactly stock it.

Jer

My cat wouldn’t do anything like that. He's just so cute and innocent looking.

Jaspa


not

[Edited by Jer - 17/04/2003 15:57:58]

Reffro

I think you have said quite enough Daiscooby. You can't go round shooting or electrocuting cats you moron.,

Why not put a net over the pond? Or raise the lip of the pond so that the cat can't reach its paws into the pond, no cat is ever going to jump in and fish out its prey, so provided they can't get their paws/claws in the water the fish will be safe.

[Edited by Reffro - 17/04/2003 15:48:53]

daiscooby

God some people have no sense of humour
I was joking
Well not about the Tabasco
A bit of Manganese Sulphate mixed in would make thinks go with a bang as well.

Kitty litter

Josh L

I have a sense of humour. However, it doesn't extend to suggestions of shooting or electrocuting animals, both of which are illegal.

Josh

*Sonic*

I have fish & cats, and next door has a couple of rabbits, and a Parrot and fish, they all live quite happily together

I have seen my cats mooching round the edge of the pond, but the only concern we have over our fish, are the birds that come down and scoop them out of the water

Do you not have the same problem with birds, if so I would suggest a net of some kind, this way you keep the fish from the cats & the birds in one go

daiscooby

Josh
Does the initial post on this thread say that they person HAD put an electrified fence around and considered using an air rifle.

I was only reflecting these with comments attached like YOU CANT DO THAT.

Tabasco idea wasn't bad though



[Edited by daiscooby - 17/04/2003 16:19:07]

The_Lizard

Leave sections of tape laying sticky-side-up.

I'm on a list of chile-eaters, and one of them had a problem with a neighbor's longhair cat rolling and laying cable in his pepper patch. So he left sections of duct tape laying adhesive-up. Last time he saw the cat it was on its front porch with its owner, who was cutting tape out of the fur with scissors.

The incident went down in the group's history as "How to Tape a Cat."

SWRTWannabe

I believe there are some plants which repel cats too - saw them in one of those mail order catalogues that you occassionally get in the papers some time ago.

Chrisgr31

Hmmm duct tape sticky side up sounds like a great idea! I was considering a super soaker filled with red dye. This was on the basis when the owner pitches up to complain about their red cat at least I'll know whose letterbox to stick the crap back through!

skiddus_markus

Dye.....or petrol( joking).Cat's live on a territorial basis so why shouldn't the dominant species in that garden ie the owner use reasonable(ambiguous)means to keep it out?

Mice_Elf

You can get Lion Dung in garden centres - quite cheaply too.

Failing that, as suggested, raise the lip of the pond slightly.

Putting bubble wrap around the outside of the pond will help.

Putting pepper around the same.

If you see the cat, a quick blast with the hose will soon move it.

However, best thing is to stick a net over the pond.

logiclee

I never said I wanted to use an air rifle although if I had one to hand with a cat stood there with a fish in its mouth........

I did use an electric ring around the pond but one they use in fields for sheep/goats etc with a low amperage supply so death was not on the cards, current drops to zero when the animal causes the earth fault on the system.

I will not net the pond as I want to enjoy it not cover it up alnd spoil the effect. I have tried placing rocks and plants round the pond but the cats still manage to get to the water. I could lower the water level and lift the sides but this would also spoil the design of the garden.

I am down to trying to keep the cats away.

I have only had one problem with a Heron a few years back. I now have no shelf in the pond and its very deep (difficult to land and fish ), the pond is also well covered with trees so its probably well hidden from air attack.

Only got one cat in the act, crept out of the house, a swift tap on its bottom and it went head first in the pond, ran away very fast and very wet, not seen that one since.

Lee

DrEvil

Lee,

I believe Rannoch's wife put one of those sonic units in their back garden and it worked a treat.

Rgds, Alex

logiclee

Thanks Alex,

I'll try and find some info out.

Nick,
Also had a look www.catrepellent.co.uk might give them a try.

Cheers
Lee

*Sonic*

Ive never been in Rannochs back garden

I dont have a net either, as I want to enjoy my fish, and there is usually one or two herons knocking about, and i have lost a few fish when the weather turned cold

but the rest of them are still there

put tin foil round the pond, my cats run a mile from tin foil, they hate the stuff

logiclee

Tin Foil? not heard that one before.

Jer,

I like the picture, wouldn't mind if the cats pinched those fish.

They seem to be attracted to the more colourful fish which happen to be a bit more expensive.

This one is for sale at he moment £1750


Lee

Vinesh

Indian chilli powder

Mice_Elf

Get invisible (transparent) netting and set it just under the water level so it doesn't ruin the pond effect or allow the cats paw access.

Hope you get it sorted soon.

logiclee

Mice Elf.

Could be done if I could get the netting for about the first eight inch or so around the sides.

I wouldn't be able to net the entire pond under the water level as the fish need to be able to get to the surface to feed.

Cheers
Lee

mj

I know its getting back to guns - before I get slated I have 2 cars of my own, a few years ago some tw@t shot one of mine with an air rifle - cat found dead at the side of the road

The last house I lived in had a couple of local raggy arsed strays in the vicinity. They would come in the house, eat our cat's food and p1ss in the kitchen. I ended up buying one of those cheap and nasty pistols that fire plastic ***** - not the CO2 type, this thing was spring loaded - I shot the missus with it first to check it wasn't too powerful - it wasnt, but it delivered a nice sting and it didn't bruise or anything.

Anyway, I shot the cats ( not at the same time ; )with it out of the bedroom window - they used to sit on the table outside sometimes, ( probly waiting till they needed a p1ss ).

It sorted my problem out - they never came back, they might be cheeky fekers, but they're not daft.

Chrisgr31

I used that The Ultimate Cat Reppelant stuff on my flowerbeds a few weeks ago. Might have been the Ultimate Cat Reppellant but only for 36 hours!

What I really need to do is find some way of fitting a movement detector to my watering system. It could then detect the cats movement, and turn on the sprinkler. Sure that would work after a while!

Chris

logiclee

I'm glad its not just me who thinks of them as pests.

I love dogs, birds, fish, frogs, wildlife etc. I can except the risk from wildlife, Herons etc. Its when humans introduce and flood the area with cats that they become a problem. Next door is going mad, he has a yellow patch on his lawn and scratches on his car. I have a garage so at least the car is safe.

Looks like its time to try the sonic option if the chemical stuff doesn't work.

Lee

Eldar

Stuff called Reynardine. Stinks a bit, but keeps cats away. Best think to do is soak some old teabags in the stuff, and scatter then round the pond.

My pet dog is ever so sweet, it crawls through the grass and jumps on cats. It then brings me their heads, and leaves them on the back doorstep for my approval.

That sounds rather nasty, but too many cat owners are happy to replace 'dog' with 'cat' and 'cats' with 'blackbirds' and seem proud of it.

Colin.

Mufasa

Nuisance Pet Control