04/03/2022
On the IAABC cat mailing list, somebody asked for ideas for cat deterrents, when a cat shows up at their steps, something community cat people encounter quite often:
It depends a bit on why the cats are there, I would watch and if possible record when they come on a camera. Is this a passage, in which case you want to block it. Is this a place where they use flower beds as litter box, in which case you want to work with caretaker/owner to establish a different spot and add deterrents into your flower bed after removing all impacted soil/mulch. If there is a garbage bin they like, that needs to be closed. If there is a corner the cats use as scent post, it may help to cover and clean that, and use citrus there. Etc. Etc. You really want to figure that out first and then try to give the cats a different choice if possible to change their behavior. I am thinking a bit of Ken Ramirez, who changed elephants migration paths by providing what the elephants were looking for in a different place.
I would definitely make sure ferals are TNRed - that would be my #1. Feeders may be able to move their feeding station, for instance. Talk to those people, a responsible caretaker will want to know and get into action. And if you have an irresponsible feeder, you got a project anyways.
If these are owned cats with outdoors access, I would also try to track down and talk to the owners about options to keep them in more.
As for deterrents - many options out there!
Motion-detector triggered water sprayers are great, but will hit humans, too. I tried one on myself, you do not want to hit you mailman or neighbor :-) Ultrasonic devices are a mixed bag, some are useless, some work nicely. I tried a whole bunch a couple of years ago, many do nothing. The air can sprayers have a limited reach, so are only good for small passages and areas. I tried that for one of my cats who got out of the catio, total failure, she just went around it.
Scent-based things can work, but it depends a bit. Citrus is worth trying, it is not offensive to humans. Predator urine is pungent, but dissipates pretty quickly. Ammonia is something wildlife people use against raccoons, never tried it on cats myself.
You can use all sorts of barriers - carpet runners, there are now spikey bands and tiles sold on Amazon, people have used pebbles and even chop sticks stuck in the ground. You may be able to put them on passage ways or distant resting places. Alley Cat Allies has a nice list of things to try: https://www.alleycat.org/community-cat-care/humane-deterrents/
Somebody who I think was not familiar with the use of motion-detector triggered devices, and had concerns whether they are legal. I think it is reasonable to ask that, and we should always try to use these things with LIMA in mind, which may actually guide us to more effective solutions by looking at antecedent arrangements and making a more desirable, alternative behavior more likely.
I also explained a bit more how these things work:
There are various products triggered by motion detectors, and if used properly they can be effective and are considered humane to deter outdoors cats and wildlife, esp. when the alternative may be removal and/or killing the animal.These devices emit a blast of water, a sound, sometimes light, or a puff of air when anything comes close. These things do not have lasting effects, but can scare you pretty good - I have tried myself. And from a behavior point of view, it is more effective (and ethical) to try and make an alternative, acceptable behavior easier as part of finding a solution if possible. Here is, e.g., the Scare Crow: https://www.amazon.com/ScareCrow-Motion-Activated-Animal-Repellent/dp/B000071NUS and the air blaster cans: https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Deterrent-Activated-Repellent-Environmentally/dp/B0721735K9/
The HSUS often includes humane harassment, which this falls under, in its education to live with wild neighbors. I believe they recommend the Scare Crow for deer.
This is how I think about cat deterrents.
And sometimes, there is a bigger challenge, our nemesis, the very intrusive neighborhood nuisance Rocky, who does not respond well to any attempts to tell him to leave, and who has attacked me (and other people) before. I still have not found a good solution for his level of instruction
Discover easy things that you can do to repel or deter community cats, also called feral or stray cats. Live in harmony with cats by using these natural deterrents.
