Journal #6569

Posted 13 years ago2010-05-15 23:47:12 UTC
satchmo satchmo“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better. -- Samuel Beckett”
A neighborhood cat has been coming to our front yard and using it as its private toilet.

After spending weeks researching online about the best way to deter the cat (and be very humane about it), we came to the conclusion that trapping it and send it to animal control is the most ideal solution to our problem.

So we ordered a metal cage from Amazon, and set up the trap.

On the first night, we just baited the trap with chicken. Nothing happened.

Last night, my wife brought out canned salmon. In less than ten minutes after setting the bait, the cat was in the bag.

We put the cat in the side yard, because it kept hissing at us. Animal control called back this morning, and they're going to pick up the cat today. They're still not here yet.

The cat is just chilling on the side yard. I think it has given up trying to get out. It peed on the side yard though, so the whole area smells like a homeless shelter.

16 Comments

Commented 13 years ago2010-05-15 23:58:34 UTC Comment #47858
My father would have probably tossed the cage into the river or something like that.

On a second thought, he wouldn't have invested in a cage. He would have shot it the third night. And then tossed it into the river. Or just a garbage can, whichever one is closer.

Are you educating your little son to be a wussy? :P
Commented 13 years ago2010-05-16 00:01:19 UTC Comment #47851
No, I would have killed it if I know how to operate a gun or own one.

But the most important reason is that I don't want the owner of the cat to kill us or my son. I don't own a gun, but the owner of the cat may.

It has no tag around its neck, but that doesn't mean it has no owner.
Commented 13 years ago2010-05-16 00:18:01 UTC Comment #47859
No, but the owner shouldn't have a reason to believe you shot his cat. So unless you find him and tell him, all he will know is that his cat disappeared.
Commented 13 years ago2010-05-16 04:22:59 UTC Comment #47848
If I ever discovered someone intentionally shot my cat, I would take their trigger fingers away. :|
Commented 13 years ago2010-05-16 05:05:42 UTC Comment #47855
Urby u crazy cat lady
Commented 13 years ago2010-05-16 08:03:13 UTC Comment #47845
I have a cat that snoops around my yard and steals my own cat's food. I started having fun with it. If I see it, I stay hidden until it starts chowing down, then throw a shoe at it. Bastard jumps a mile every time.

I could never shoot a cat. :<
Commented 13 years ago2010-05-16 08:39:16 UTC Comment #47849
@Skals: I wouldn't say crazy... or lady. :|

I just don't agree with people harming, or especially killing an animal when there are literally hundreds of humane methods or products which do the job just fine.

See here for just one.
Commented 13 years ago2010-05-16 12:04:47 UTC Comment #47856
Yes, water's probably the best way to make cats stay away.
Commented 13 years ago2010-05-16 14:17:48 UTC Comment #47852
I think after it has been imprisoned in a small cage for three days, it would have learned a lesson and stay away.

The animal control is coming today to pick up the cat. The yard has become pretty stinky after it peed and pooped in the cage.
Commented 13 years ago2010-05-16 22:33:46 UTC Comment #47846
Hah, that video is brilliant, Urby.

Got me thinking about how practical it would be to set up a water trap for when that other cat comes snooping around. Not very much, unfortunately.
Commented 13 years ago2010-05-17 08:48:16 UTC Comment #47850
There is and soon will no longer will be a white cat that would attack my own on the other side of our fence.

In the end we got a catapult and fired scare shots that freaked it out. Eventually it got the message and hasn't come back since.

Still jokes aside, hurting a cat is a horrible thing to do so don't do it.
Commented 13 years ago2010-05-17 11:58:45 UTC Comment #47853
The animal control guy picked up the cat yesterday afternoon and the cat is gone.

What a relief, and hopefully it's the end of our cat feces problem.
Commented 13 years ago2010-05-19 00:22:30 UTC Comment #47847
poor poor cat :(. Lol just kidding, what a humane thing you did! I like when cats come around my yard but they don't stink it up. It would probably have been even more humane to just bring it to some woods and let it go because if no one got it it would probably get lethal injection. Well than the owner would have no chance of locatig it...
Commented 13 years ago2010-05-19 05:02:35 UTC Comment #47857
Some cats can find their way home from hundreds of kilometres away.
Commented 13 years ago2010-05-22 15:00:51 UTC Comment #47854
I'm not sure how the cat's waste products could have been that horrible. I mean, our cat poops and pees in a litter box in out garage and it stinks only mildly, but what you're talking about is outside. I don't know how you managed to smell the pee, seems like that would just dissipate so quickly on the grass. Well, at least it's not dog poo you have to deal with, eh?
Commented 13 years ago2010-05-29 07:02:52 UTC Comment #47860
stands up and zips up pants thanks for letting me use your yard!

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