How do I get a cat to leave us alone?

[cajunmom]

Oct 19, 2015 13:01:17 GMT -5 sequins said:

Oct 19, 2015 12:56:28 GMT -5 cajunmom said:

I love your signature!!

Thanks! I belatedly realized it's appropriate for this thread.

[Deleted]

My friends 2 kids are terrified of the neighborhood cat (who actually belonged to their landlord who just freaking left her when they moved because she was "too old" to move ersumshit)

I find it hilarious. The cat is like 15 and barely has any teeth left and sleeps all the time. Weird kids.

[scottyderp]

[cuddlyevil]

I find them inspirational.

[jlt19]

Oct 19, 2015 13:01:29 GMT -5 Lucy Honeychurch said:

Oct 19, 2015 13:00:16 GMT -5 jlt19 said:

That's actually a good idea.

I don't know where everyone got the idea that we were encouraging the kids to be scared. Of course we don't want them scared of cats (though DS is highly allergic, so doesn't really need to be around them anyway) and we've tried to diffuse the situations. Doesn't mean a 5 year old is going to say, "you know what? You're right, that cat is no longer scary to me" in a manner of a day.

BUT I also don't want the cat in my private back yard. We like to leave our back door open (we have one of those mesh magnetic doors and the cat found that fun to play with, so we had to take it down so he didn't rip it up-thankfully it still had its claws) so the kids and dog can come and go as they please over the weekends/evening. Not sure why that's such a ridiculous request.

Well... because it's like saying you don't want squirrels in your backyard.  Animals hang out in the outdoors.  Some people have cats that go outdoors.  I really don't know how you plan to prevent such a thing from happening.  

I don't either, which is why I posed the question. I was asking to see if anyone had any advice.

[sharknado]

Pirate cats are terrifying

[cajunmom]

[scottyderp]

Oct 19, 2015 13:06:17 GMT -5 jlt19 said:

Oct 19, 2015 13:01:29 GMT -5 Lucy Honeychurch said:

Well... because it's like saying you don't want squirrels in your backyard.  Animals hang out in the outdoors.  Some people have cats that go outdoors.  I really don't know how you plan to prevent such a thing from happening.  

I don't either, which is why I posed the question. I was asking to see if anyone had any advice.

In all seriousness, sorry, it was too funny, because... cats.  I would show your child cute YouTube videos and explain that the PTSD from being mice in your other lives will soon pass.

[gault]

This cat has serious power over you guys.

He could be the next president.

[pantsparty]

This reminds me of a post on our community Facebook page. A cat got in some woman's yard, and the gist of her post was, "Doesn't this cat know this is MY YARD?" LMAO! H and I say that to each other all the time now when there are lizards or birds in our yard.

[sequins]

Oct 19, 2015 13:06:17 GMT -5 jlt19 said:

Oct 19, 2015 13:01:29 GMT -5 Lucy Honeychurch said:

Well... because it's like saying you don't want squirrels in your backyard.  Animals hang out in the outdoors.  Some people have cats that go outdoors.  I really don't know how you plan to prevent such a thing from happening.  

I don't either, which is why I posed the question. I was asking to see if anyone had any advice.

And ML said

[ginandjucie24]

[Serenity9]

Oct 19, 2015 13:00:16 GMT -5 jlt19 said:

Oct 19, 2015 12:49:25 GMT -5 agnes said:

Maybe show them some funny cat videos?

That's actually a good idea.

I don't know where everyone got the idea that we were encouraging the kids to be scared. Of course we don't want them scared of cats (though DS is highly allergic, so doesn't really need to be around them anyway) and we've tried to diffuse the situations. Doesn't mean a 5 year old is going to say, "you know what? You're right, that cat is no longer scary to me" in a manner of a day.

BUT I also don't want the cat in my private back yard. We like to leave our back door open (we have one of those mesh magnetic doors and the cat found that fun to play with, so we had to take it down so he didn't rip it up-thankfully it still had its claws) so the kids and dog can come and go as they please over the weekends/evening. Not sure why that's such a ridiculous request.

I got the impression that you were scared of the cat, too, or encouraging the kids to be scared of it, because you described the cat following you on your walk as "creepy" and when it came into your yard your H chased it out in front of the kids as if it were a threat or something. It sounds like that's your attitude toward the cat, so your kids are probably mirroring it.

If a cat followed me on a walk or showed up in my yard, I'd think it was cute, put my hand down to see if it was friendly, give it a couple of scratches, and then go on with my day.

[cajunmom]

Oct 19, 2015 13:06:17 GMT -5 jlt19 said:

Oct 19, 2015 13:01:29 GMT -5 Lucy Honeychurch said:

Well... because it's like saying you don't want squirrels in your backyard.  Animals hang out in the outdoors.  Some people have cats that go outdoors.  I really don't know how you plan to prevent such a thing from happening.  

I don't either, which is why I posed the question. I was asking to see if anyone had any advice.

All of the advice you've been given is pretty much the same. It doesn't seem to be what you want to hear, though.

[cuddlyevil]

[LeggsBenedict]

he's probably casing you.

[atlas]

[madringal]

My neighbor has outdoor cats, I don't enjoy them, but my kids love them so it's not a big deal. But it became an issue when we put in a sandbox in for the kids, the cats immediately used it as a litter box. My neighbor was great about it and frequently uses some sort of spray around it to keep the cats out. I don't know what it is, but it seems to work (and we try to keep the lid on). Maybe look into a spray of some sort for your yard. But ultimately, I would use this as an opportunity to teach your kids that cats are not scary. Trust me, I get it, I do not like cats myself, but they really are no big deal.

[knx9211]

[miso]

Oct 19, 2015 13:13:36 GMT -5 Lucy Honeychurch said:

There is no way to prevent animals from entering your backyard.

Except to scare them with a cage.

/flameful

/but very effective

[Serenity9]

[savan]

In the kid's defense, we have an asshole cat that still scares our kids.  The other night DS came into our room because he'd had a bad dream that the cat had scratched his face off.  He must be remembering this moment that happened 8 years ago:

[eclaires]

My neighbor is like, the worst pet owner ever. Seriously, I am probably the first to be a little "whoa take it easy" when people get jumped on around here about their animals, but I judge my neighbor hard. I won't bore everyone with her crimes, but the biggest one is she got this cat and then decided to make it an outside cat. It's basically feral. They do not take it to the vet ever, and it's also not neutered which is cool. It's a menace. Recently it has started coming in my backyard (I have a 6ft privacy fence)... I'm not sure what I am going to do about it at this point, but I'm not happy about it. I don't even really mind cats, but I do have an issue with a 20lb feral cat coming in my backyard, when I have two dogs that are 9lbs and 3lbs respectively. Especially when I know this animal has had zero vet care and is probably full of terrible things. Basically my neighbor got a kitten, kept it inside for a few months and then moved its food outside and said peace. My other neighbor and I have considered taking it to the humane society if we can, without telling our neighbor (it disappears for weeks at a time and my neighbor is like, oh maybe it's gone for good now). I honestly think this cat would be better off euthanized at this point if that's what our Humane Society does (I don't know if they are kill or no kill - frankly when it comes to this cat, I don't care).

My old bag of bones 9lb dog haaaaaaaaaaaaaates cats and thinks she's tough, so we can't let her in the backyard without first making sure the cat isn't out there. The cat regularly gets into fights with animals (domestic and wild from what I've heard) and has injuries fairly often.

Also, if anyone suggests I should just adopt this cat, a preemptive fuck you. If I wanted a cat, I would go adopt one.

[Alyssa]

The cat just needs a friend, he's probably lonely.

[LeggsBenedict]

warning: graphic image of a cat turning on his owner, targeting her throat.

SPOILER: Click to show

[miso]

Oct 19, 2015 13:17:55 GMT -5 Lucy Honeychurch said:

Oct 19, 2015 13:16:54 GMT -5 miso said:

Except to scare them with a cage.

/flameful

/but very effective

A cat wouldn't be deterred by a cage, though.  lol.  I mean, you might catch it and release it somewhere, but that won't stop it from coming back.  Cats are kind of stubborn that way.

We haven't seen the cat in forever!

She seriously never wants to come back.

[Totally not sofamonkey]

True story - our neighbor had a serious talk with me once. I actually listened to her concerns, which were:

-my cats kept going into her yard & crapping in her garden.
-They kept sleeping under her zucchini plants
-other nonsense

I patiently listened. I, or course, do not want my neighbors upset with me. I delicately pointed out that I only had a certain number of cats, and the other ones that were CURRENTLY sleeping in her yard (there were 4 others) weren't mine. I also pointed out that all the neighborhood cats would see her yard as the world's largest cat box if she kept the soil tilled & not planted or covered.

Don't worry, I'm not a total asshole. I did tell her that I would have a stern talk with them because their behavior was most unpleasant.

[knx9211]

Oct 19, 2015 13:19:00 GMT -5 miso said:

Oct 19, 2015 13:17:55 GMT -5 Lucy Honeychurch said:

A cat wouldn't be deterred by a cage, though.  lol.  I mean, you might catch it and release it somewhere, but that won't stop it from coming back.  Cats are kind of stubborn that way.

We haven't seen the cat in forever!

She seriously never wants to come back.

I bet it wasn't the cage. It was misotiny. "Oh, this kid likes me? Wants to be my friend? I'd better get the hell outta here."

[Deleted]

BE GONE, SATAN!

[miso]

Hahaha.

The sad thing is that my kid stands at the sliding door sometimes with her face and hands pressed against the glass, saying "Mao mao! Mao mao! Mao mao!"

"Mao mao" means "kitty" in Mandarin.

She keeps calling for it!