I have a problem with cats and skunks, need suggestions

Commodore · Ladies Man Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Posts: 11636

Okay my story is not near as funny as "Man vs Squirrel".

I live in an apartment on the bottom floor. And apparently the previous owner had a cat, (little cat door, carpeted shelf on the balcony for cat to hop up on) and I am being overrun by friggin ferrel cats

ferrel (def) - a domesticated animal that has become wild, these animals tend to be more dangerous than wild as they do not fear humans, but have the same aggression as a wild animal

Since I put a gate on my balcony I am now coming home to cats everywhere, even their dam kittens. There is a large dumpster about 50 yds from my apartment where they live. And the apartment complex says animal control has tried to catch them but to no success.

Well these things not only spray my balcony so it smells, that gets them to come back. Plus they poop everywhere on it. And now, I don't know why. I have skunks frequenting my balcony. I nearly peed myself when I was sitting on my porch with a beer, and a skunk comes within 2 feet of me and hangs out there for about 5 minutes!!!!!!!! I have never been so still in my life!!!!!!!!

I have used water, cleaners, bleach, pellet guns (that was hilarious by the way!) I will never use a poison, but I have to do something about these dang cats!!!!

K-dub · Ladies Man Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 14760

buy a .22 cal. rifle. Screw the pellet gun. Laughing

chavez · RIP MHL 04/25/1958 - 01/11/2006

Personally, I would call the SPCA (not animal control) and tell them about the problem.

You could also invest in a dog Idea

Antifreeze works wonders, but that is pretty f-ed up.

Commodore · Ladies Man Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Posts: 11636

Okay, before this gets outta hand, I have an APARTMENT, guns are not allowed, I have to smuggle my hunting rifles in. So blasting little kitties as fun as it would be, is not an option, besides, if i did use a gun, I'd use the 357 Twisted Evil

And no poisoning will not fly, I do have a dog, and unfortunately he is aggressive as all get out. A german shepherd, well I don't want him going after skunks obviously, so if I send him out after the cats he'll get used to it, and chase the skunks as well. Plus have you ever seen what a couple of ferrell cats can do to a dog??? Not pretty, I don't want him hurt.

Now leggster recommended a large rat trap, not a bad idea, but i can just see me getting evicted cause some dumb cat is running around the complex half alive with a rat trap on it's head Laughing

K-dub · Ladies Man Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 14760

haugy, 357...dude, you'd be cleaning up some serious mess after shooting a cat with one of those. Laughing

joedirt00 · Posted: Aug 30, 2005 8:19 am Post subject:

Coyote urine maybe Laughing

You could go to a farm supply store and see how much one of those electric fence kits are and put a single wire at tail level around your balcony. That would be pretty funny.

Commodore · Ladies Man Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Posts: 11636

K-dub, yes but that would still be fun,

joedirt00, ha ha ha that would be like watching a larger scale bug zapper! Hilarious, but my dog probably wouldn't like it.

J_DOGG · Posted: Aug 30, 2005 8:29 am Post subject:

Sounds like you need to start a dumpster fire!!!!!!

Leggester · Posted: Aug 30, 2005 8:44 am Post subject:

You really should only use a 22 or a 357 with bird shot.

I'd have to agree. If you are serious that you have a problem, Animal Control.

Also, if they determine the dumpsters are the problem, they may even get the apt to clean them up or move them to nnn many feet away from domiciles.

In CO, cats have been classed as "wild animals" much like coons. Thus AC will be able to take them with not trouble. Smile

Erik · Posted: Aug 30, 2005 8:51 am Post subject:

This one went to crap fast. Nice - straight into animal cruelty.

Call Animal Control.

Here's is a bit of help.
http://www.aaanimalcontrol.com/Professional-Trapper/city/TN-Nashville.htm

Leggester · Posted: Aug 30, 2005 9:03 am Post subject:

Actually, I believe those cat "owners" should be ticketed and fined everytime a stray appears.

There are way too many cats on the loose.

Mermaid · Addict Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Posts: 844

How do you feel about moving?

Wired · Soul Rider Joined: 26 Feb 2003 Posts: 431 City: Seattle

Also try calling local shelters. One by my house will come trap them, fix them, then if possible, find them real homes.

That's how I got my two precious babies. It's also what a gal at my complex did for some ferrel kittens at my condo.

As for the smell, a good pet store can recommend sprays that will take the smell out. You may need a lot, but hopefully it will help.

You wanna scare them away (though probably only temporary - at first), bust out your vacuum cleaner. Nothing clears a room of cats faster than that.

Leggester · Posted: Aug 30, 2005 10:10 am Post subject:

Forget the local shelters. There's already too many cats and polecats around.

Call AA. Get rid of the little buggers.

joedirt00 · Posted: Aug 30, 2005 10:15 am Post subject:

If theres somebody that you dont like in your complex, try leaving some open cans of cat food around their place. The cats might migrate over there and never leave. Laughing

Problem solved, well passed on. Rolling Eyes

pyrocasto · Posted: Aug 30, 2005 10:33 am Post subject:

Either build your dog some custom body armor, and send him after the cats, or put up the electric fence.

We've got stray cats around here, but I found out if you get a biggest badest cat as a pet stray, you wont have cat problems anymore. We feed him, and because of that other cats dont frequent the house. Very Happy

Wired · Soul Rider Joined: 26 Feb 2003 Posts: 431 City: Seattle

Commodore · Ladies Man Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Posts: 11636

Erik Jernberg, we were just kidding boss. I am not gonna go blasting around my apartment complex with a gun, nor do I plan on tangling a cat in live wire. Thanks for the link, but it says the only true way to get rid of them is trap them. Well if I can't get the darn animal control or ASPCA (or whatever) to come out then what? The site said nothing will discourage these little monsters

Leggester, Wired, these are not cute little cats, trust me when they are caught, they will euthanized. I was dating a girl with a 2 yr old a couple of months ago, she put him in his car seat and left the door open while she loaded the trunk (didn't want to accidentally lock him ya know?) when she came back to her son, a friggin cat was there and had taken his bottle from him and was hissing and spitting at her, 1ft away from her son!!!!!!!!!!!
All she had to was call me, and I was more than angry since I already knew these demons were a problem, I took my broom and had to put all my weight on the cat to pin him while she got her son out. Once I released, you think it would run off, nope. Came right after me. Needless to say I ran like a little girl. Mr. Green

How can I make my apartment complex do this? If I can't get animal control to do it, which they came out, they just said it was too hard to trap them sooooo tough. Rolling Eyes

Mermaid, great I've always wanted to live in Hawaii! Laughing

pyrocasto, you live in hendersonville TN? Great I'll just send them over to your fat cat.

Major Edit by the way animal control has warned people in our area of a large amount of animals carrying rabies!!! Skunks carry rabies, and I bet these cats would too

Leggester · Posted: Aug 30, 2005 2:19 pm Post subject:

nmballa · Posted: Aug 30, 2005 2:23 pm Post subject:

haugy, Id watch out for those skunks. I think it was like two years ago but almost 50% of skunks caught/killed and tested in Wisconsin was carrying rabies.

Dragonlady8 · Black Widow Joined: 27 Aug 2004 Posts: 9198

You should make your Apt. Managers responsible for cleaning up the stench (or at least have them buy the industrial strength stuff for you.)
Just buy a bunch of Catnip and set it around the perimeter of your balcony...... Laughing

Maybe if you get them stoned, they'll be easier to catch. Mr. Green

Leggester · Posted: Aug 30, 2005 2:53 pm Post subject:

Piss on your balcony wood. Higher than they can spray. All the Alley and Pole cats will stay away.

They will know who the Alpha is...

And where he lives.

Nor*Cal · Ladies Man Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 9479 City: Sac

Catch them yourself and drop them on the other side of the river on your way to work...

Lop · Posted: Aug 31, 2005 12:07 am Post subject:

you just need a larger version of this

http://www.big-boys.com/articles/flysquirrel1.html

Leggester · Posted: Aug 31, 2005 5:47 am Post subject:

Haugy, you mis-understand me. I have very little use for "pet" cats that are allowed to run wild, much less feral cats.

I have even less ues for their owners.

Shoot the cat first with the bird shot loads, then shoot the owner in the arm or leg with the same load. Shocked

Commodore · Ladies Man Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Posts: 11636

Leggester, ha ha, no I understood, I was just saying these little buggers have no owners, but yeah if they did, extreme punishment.

I had an idea last night as I was taking out the trash and 4 of the demon cats just watched me, I felt like I was in a Stephen king movie. I'll call animal control or whoever, and say I saw a cat wigging out and just attacking a wall and hissing at everything, spitting, and just acting really crazy.........(i.e rabies) I bet that would get them out there pretty quick. Surely they would have to try and catch them then...... right?

Leggester · Posted: Aug 31, 2005 5:58 am Post subject:

I'd guess so. Especially if you could get a couple of your neighbors to complain also.

Too bad your little prarie dog friend isn't real. That would be a good cure Smile

8824 · Posted: Aug 31, 2005 6:01 am Post subject:

Paintball marker.

Blue22V · Soul Rider Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 290 City: Double Oak

Paintball guns work great! They don't do any serious harm, mark the animal as a repeat offender, and acts as a great deterrent. The paint also acts as a "turn-off" to other cats and so reproduction is lower, and eventually the cat population decreases.

You can also take a little video and send it in to your local TV affiliate station and explain the in-action of the SPCA in your area. A good human interest story about indifferent public service makes great ratings for the evening news.

DunDunDun · Posted: Aug 31, 2005 9:29 am Post subject:

archery

Broccoli B · Posted: Aug 31, 2005 9:40 am Post subject:

If they are anything like my old cat put a litter box out there and they won't come anywhere near it.