[JerushaGirl]

...other wildlife? We’re constantly getting cats in our yard... Neighborhood stray cats, feral cats, and cats that people just let roam around. These cats are *highly* destructive. They dig up plants, pee, poop, and throw up everywhere, and hunt wildlife. Frogs, birds, raccoons, and even deer have all been attacked by these cats. We've put a ton of time and money into our garden, and we even got certified as a backyard bird habitat by the Audubon society. It’s highly frustrating to have these cats destroy our gardens and kill the birds and animals we’ve worked so hard to attract. How do we deter these cats without hurting or scaring off other wildlife (birds, deer, etc) from our yard? We've tried everything from mothballs to cayenne pepper and motion lights, but they don't work. They're not even deterred by our German Shepherd. We're considering trapping the cats and handing them over to the Humane Society, or shooting them with BBs or paintballs. We're that desperate.Suggestions?

[RScott]

I know how you feel but I worry about hitting cats in the eye with BBs and paint balls. I set live traps with gourmet cat food. I have two traps, a small one 12"x12"x2' that has yet to catch a cat, only skunk. The larger one 15"x15"x3' works great. I used to catch them and take them to the SPCA or call the owner if it had a tag. I had one repeat offender that evidently thought the deluxe menu was worth the inconvenience, so I soaked him with the hose and let him go. It worked so well and was so satisfing that I quit bothering with the SPCA. RScott

[big1sc0tt]

The most effective way to keep the cats from tearing up your yard is to not have them there in the first place. make a 'Scaredy Cat' for your yard. Use a black cat paper Halloween decoration as a template(one of a black cat with his fur sticking up on his back). Transfer it to a piece of plywood, cut it out and paint like the decoration. Put a couple of nails in his feet then stick him in the yard. The real cats will not come around any more.

[bradymsu]

I had/have the same problem. I bought the large size Hav-A-Heart Trap (about $35) and bait it with the cheapest canned catfood -about 25 cents a can. I set the trap out in the evening. If it catch a cat with a collar and tag, I take it to its home. If it doesn't have a collar, I drench it with the hose and let it go. If I catch same cat again, I drive about 15 miles outside of town to a public wildlife area and let it go. The same thing goes with raccoons I catch (although they don't get the hose/second chance). Last year, I relocated 13 raccoons, 2 uncollared cats, and an oppossum. This year, I've relocated 1 raccoon so far. I haven't seen either of the two cats back in the area yet. It's a constant battle -but so is weeding and cutting the lawn. Plus, relocating is far more humane than shooting the animals or using poison. Our county animal control won't pick up cats or wild animals -just stray dogs.