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Nilmiester
| | Posted on Friday, February 9, 2001 - 10:33 am: | 
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A non-posting couple who moved to Maplewood about 2 years ago have a problem and came to me for advice. I am coming to the message board. Here it is: They live next store to a woman that has cats. She has 5 house cats and about 5 outside cats. The outside cats are fed out of her garage which she leaves open so they can eat and sleep in at night. My friends live next store and have cats on their cars and on their decks. One of the people is allergic to cats! The couple's gargage door was broken for 2 weeks and during that time was open and the cats urinated in there and you can imagine what is smells like. What advice would you give to his couple. They like their neighbor and don't want to cause trouble. Any suggestions for them? |
Njjoseph
| | Posted on Friday, February 9, 2001 - 11:42 am: |
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First of all, they should at least investigate getting allergy shots.
Second, politely ask that the owner make some sort of attempt to keep the cats off their property. At least ask them to be more observant, and remove the cats when they're noticed. It's not easy, because cats go where they want.
Third, when your friend sees cats on the car or deck, get a squirt bottle of water and squirt them. Your friend probably will not have an allergic reaction at the distance of a few feet; just don't touch the cat. Squirting the cat will train the cat to stay away from the car or deck.
Fourth, maintain the areas you don't want them:
Put orange and lemon peels on the deck -- they hate this smell.
When cleaning, resist at all costs the urge to clean with ammonia. Ammonia is present in cat urine, and it only attracts them. Use normal soap and water, and spray with one of the neutralizers that are easily obtained at any pet shop.
I have cats, so it would offend me terribly if your friend harmed them or reported them to animal control. However, I have no problems with squirting them with room-temperature water. Also, frightening them with a loud noise might help, but anything more than clapping or mild banging on a pan would be too much.
Good luck! |
Mem
| | Posted on Friday, February 9, 2001 - 11:46 am: |
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Njj - thanks for the tip about ammonia, I always wondered why my cat loves to go under my kitchen sink and sniff at the cleaning sprays. |
Kestrel
| | Posted on Friday, February 9, 2001 - 12:13 pm: |
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Njj's advice is about the best that can be done with the given situation. I'd like to add a few things: The offensive "urine" smell of cats is that of un-neutered males, marking territories. The activity increases exponentially if there is a female in heat in the area.
I personally feel all cats should be strictly house cats(I have 3)for many reasons(a recent posting about a run-over cat in the street is but one) -but short of that, certainly all cat owners should have their animals neutered, especially if they are indoor-outdoor cats. |
Pastorofmuppets
| | Posted on Friday, February 9, 2001 - 12:47 pm: |
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Brookstone or Frontgate has an ultrasonic pest deterrent that can be set to deter cats. It will affect about 1500 square feet, and works OK (about 70% of the time).
It won't be applicable if your friends own animals because they would hear it too.
It is safe and harmless... only cats and dogs can hear it and it just scares them but causes no permanent damage.
Its worth a try. |
Eliz
| | Posted on Friday, February 9, 2001 - 2:12 pm: |
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I know the cat people are going to spam me but I think 5 outside cats is too many and it is very inconsiderate of your neighbors! Why should they have to for god's sake get allergy shots?
In a very nice way I would just tell the woman that I was allergic and she needs to keep her cats on her property and since with cats that's not really possible then keep them inside. |
Njjoseph
| | Posted on Friday, February 9, 2001 - 2:40 pm: |
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Eliz, I'm not going to spam you! And I agree with Kestrel about keeping them indoors.
However, it's not just unneutered male cats whose urine is offensive. All cats have to go, and believe me, it all smells after it sits -- and it WILL penetrate sealer on the deck. Once it does, you'll never get rid of the smell. Unneutered males do it more often, as a sign of territory, but not just for mating. It's a sign of territory which is also used to keep other cats away.
I have 3 cats, all of which are indoor cats. I've grown up with indoor/outdoor cats, and can't bear the thought of seeing my babies scratched up from fights, dead from being hit by a car (or not finding them after being hit), etc. I had a cat during hurricane Agnes (for those of you that remember the 70's!) who didn't return for 10 days, and returned with permanent nerve damage and ear mites and a broken jaw. Fortunately he lived until 1982, but I just can't put myself through it. |
Nilmiester
| | Posted on Friday, February 9, 2001 - 3:14 pm: |
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Thank you all for your input. Njjoseph - I didn't even know that about orange peels. My friend says none of the cats are neutered and they are breeding. Also that her deck does stink and around her garage. I thought it was illegal in Maplewood to keep cats out of the garage. They don't want to call the Board of Health on their neighbor but they can just imagine how bad this will be in 90 degree weather. I personally think it is unfair they have to suffer as these cats are ruining their deck. |
Njjoseph
| | Posted on Friday, February 9, 2001 - 3:19 pm: |
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It may not be as bad in the summer as you would expect, since urine evaporates quicker and the bacteria that cause the stench won't get a chance to multiply and pass off the obnoxious gasses.
Your friends definitely should not have to lose a deck over this. |
Villagenative
| | Posted on Friday, February 9, 2001 - 4:20 pm: |
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Njjoseph, I adopted a stray cat last summer and tried to keep him inside to no avail. He would go nuts if I didn't let him out! He zooms from one end of my apartment to the other, and nothing is safe.
I finally compromised somewhat - I leave my porch door propped open so he can at least get to shelter if he needs it. So far, so good (except when I forgot to close it on Dec. 30 and got a few inches of snow in the doorway  ) |
Njjoseph
| | Posted on Friday, February 9, 2001 - 4:24 pm: |
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I'm glad you took in the cat, Native. I'm sure he's got a wonderful home! |
Villagenative
| | Posted on Friday, February 9, 2001 - 4:31 pm: |
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He seems to like it and we sure like him. On an unrelated note, have any other cat-lovers played "chase the little red dot" with their cats? We have a laser level, and our cat will chase it for hours. All we have to do is "click" it on and he'll come running from anywhere in the house.
It also works well to flush him out of closets and cupboards and other cat-restricted areas ;-) |
Livinwestwless
| | Posted on Friday, February 9, 2001 - 6:10 pm: |
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Kidnap Andrew Lloyd Webber and burn all existing copies of the sheet music....
Oh, sorry... |
Hismom
| | Posted on Friday, February 9, 2001 - 6:11 pm: |
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Try putting Tabasco sauce around the opening of the garage and anywhere else you don't want the cats to enter. It worked last spring to keep our neighbor's cat out of our garden and our own out of the potted plants. The vet says they don't like the taste when they lick their paws and after the smell will deter them. Good luck. |
Kestrel
| | Posted on Friday, February 9, 2001 - 6:14 pm: |
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Villagenative: I too thank you for taking in your stray. Yes, it is very hard to keep a grown cat indoors if it has been used to being an outdoor cat, as your adoptee was. But most, especially if they've been neutered, will get used to being an indoor only cat eventually. As for "zooming', most people owned by cats will tell you that almost all young cats get the "zoomies",usually about the same times, once or twice daily, ...in fact, my youngest, "Sparky" (10 months) is zooming now as I write. However, my experience has been that once neutered cats grow a bit older, they tend to calm down a lot....almost too much! They get fat and lazy! So, I try to play with them at least once a day. I too discovered "chase the red dot" to be a very effective, stimulating cat game. |
Bobk
| | Posted on Friday, February 9, 2001 - 7:09 pm: |
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I am not a cat person, but I make exceptions.
One of our neighbors has a beautiful tabby cat that is overly friendly and regularly lurks on our front steps to get into the house when we open
the door. The cat knows that I am the first one out on our block most mornings and when I open the door he comes right in and makes himself at home, especially on cold or rainy days. I have missed my train getting him out of the house. I don't think I could bring myself to squirt him, even with water, much less "Glock" him, although I admit I have made that threat a few times. Hey we are buds, yah know.
That said, ten cats are too many. If my neighbor had that number I would talk to him/her and if that failed I would talk to the Animal Control Officer. |
Shakespeare
| | Posted on Friday, February 9, 2001 - 7:44 pm: |
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Monty Python's Confuse-a-Cat would, doubtless, be a worthy piece of instruction in this situation. I recommend the boxed set. |
Bix
| | Posted on Friday, February 9, 2001 - 7:52 pm: |
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I think they should get a dog.
Bix |
Bix
| | Posted on Friday, February 9, 2001 - 7:54 pm: |
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Shakespeare,
Maybe they should release.... a 16 ton weight.
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Shakespeare
| | Posted on Friday, February 9, 2001 - 8:04 pm: |
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Ah... the 16 (Imperial) ton weight. A useful implement in most situations. The setup is a pain, but the results well worth the effort. Python really had it out for cats; remember all the cat beatings in The Holy Grail? |
Llama
| | Posted on Friday, February 9, 2001 - 9:31 pm: |
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Cat-nip! |
Ffof
| | Posted on Friday, February 9, 2001 - 9:56 pm: |
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Cat-a-tonic! |
Llama
| | Posted on Saturday, February 10, 2001 - 5:37 pm: |
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These neighbors have to understand that these cats are everything to this woman. They are her life. They must come to terms with this, and get her the help she needs!!! |
Spw784
| | Posted on Saturday, February 10, 2001 - 7:45 pm: |
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I would hope all the cats have had their shots, etc, and are all licensed & registered with the town. Since I don't live in MW, I don't know this, but does the town have a limit on the numbers of pets, such as dogs/cats, one can own/house? |
Techie
| | Posted on Thursday, February 15, 2001 - 9:47 am: |
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Your friends should urge their neighbor to get the cats "fixed." The animal shelter on Millburn Avenue at Valley Street has low rates. Otherwise, soon there will be more than 5 cats! It's not fair to the cats or the neighbors to let them breed unchecked (the cats, not the neighbors). :>) |
Njjoseph
| | Posted on Thursday, February 15, 2001 - 10:05 am: |
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Techie, how do you know the cars AREN'T fixed? |
Villagenative
| | Posted on Thursday, February 15, 2001 - 12:24 pm: |
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I used People for Animals, (908) 964-6887. They're in Hillside, and they'll neuter or spay your cat for $35. A warning for the faint of nose: when I was there, there were some animals there that didn't have very sufficient bowel control so it got a little messy. But the staff is very caring and you can't beat the price! |
Nilmiester
| | Posted on Thursday, February 15, 2001 - 4:13 pm: |
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More info on the Cats- These are strictly outside cats. They have never been in-doors before, much less to a vet for any kind of shots or even been fixed. My friends assume they will keep procreating. I adviced them to call the health dept. to see if it was legal to keep many cats in this manner. There are many racoons in Maplewood and this couple has a small baby. I don't know if cats and racoons fight. Anyone? |
Sparrow
| | Posted on Thursday, February 15, 2001 - 8:30 pm: |
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Racoons are sometimes rabid. |
Napes
| | Posted on Friday, February 16, 2001 - 9:14 am: |
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If these cats don't get rabies shots, they're a threat to the "owners" and the couple, and it's especially horrific that they have a baby! This irresponsible pet owner should be turned in to the authorities. This could be a public health disaster. I am not some anti-pet maniac, by the way, but the responsible (as in, I take my animals in once a year for shots, etc.) owner of two cats and a dog. People like this don't deserve to be pet-owners. |
Mim
| | Posted on Friday, February 16, 2001 - 2:32 pm: |
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Doesn't really seem like this family is actually KEEPING the cats. Sounds like maybe they just began feeding some strays, and now the poor creatures are all hanging around (understandably). We had a neighbor in our old urban neighborhood who fed the stray dogs in a nearby bombed-out lot. A dubious kindness, as the population just increased. I never figured out the solution there either. |
Acb203
| | Posted on Thursday, March 1, 2001 - 1:02 pm: |
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Cats and raccoons do fight... from what I've seen having 2 outdoor cats growing up, the raccoons usually win. |
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