What's with people and their cats? - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Yellefan · 10-04-2008, 10:21 AM

So I have some new next door neighbors. They have been living there for a month or so, but I have only ever seen them once when they were moving in, but I always see their 2 cats! They seem to have adopted my yard as their own... every time I look outside they are hanging out in my yard, lounging on my front porch and sleeping on my patio furniture. I would probably have no issue with this if it were occasionally but it is ALL THE TIME!

Both my wife and I have terrible allergies to cats and really want nothing to do with these things, yet they are always hanging out and leaving their hair behind. I have tried spraying them with water to deter them but they just keep coming back-- but they know to hit the road as soon as they hear me open the door. 10 minutes later they return though.

I have been wanting to discuss the situation with the neighbors but they are never home. So as a last resort I left them a letter in their mailbox explaining the situation to them and asking them to try to confine their cat to their own yard, but it is still in their mailbox. As I have never actually met these people I don't want their first impression of me as being the dick that called the city on them about their cats but at the same time I don't appreciate their lack of responsibility with their pets. Does anyone have any advice as to what I should do? Am I just being a jerk and should I just stop worrying about it or should I take some other action?

Daradon · 10-04-2008, 10:23 AM

Maybe go introduce yourself and talk to them?

If you don't want to do that, there's always the garden hose. Spray the cats a few times and they'll get the idea. It's the same way you keep them off stuff in your own home, with a spray bottle. Only obviously a little bit wetter. They'll find another place to hang out.

Course probably cause some problems if the neighbors catch you, so try talking to them first.

Ford Prefect · 10-04-2008, 10:31 AM

It's not just cat owners that are a nuisance. Dog owners can be just as bad or worse. The problems is the pet owners themselves, not their pets, so to effectively deal with the problem you have to deal with the root cause ... the stupid pet owners. They're the problem.

As an aside, if they haven't even taken your letter out of the mailbox, is there actually someone living there? Maybe it's a grow-op.

Note: I'm not against pets ... we have two cats and a dog. The two cats are NEVER allowed outside, and the dog is never off leash when outside the yard, nor is he allowed to bark incessantly.

Russic · 10-04-2008, 10:51 AM

Cats are not supposed to be outside. The SPCA won't adopt a cat out to you if you let them know that the cat will be occasionally outside for a reason. I would try for one more week to talk to the owners and if that doesn't work you'll have to call the city. Much like people who don't pick up their dog's feces, pet owners that don't follow the rules unfairly give their animals a bad name. Keep up with the spraying, just try and be as consistent as you can.

flylock shox · 10-04-2008, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ford Prefect

As an aside, if they haven't even taken your letter out of the mailbox, is there actually someone living there? Maybe it's a grow-op.

EXACTLY what I thought.

Check their basement windows for condensation and have a look to see if their power meter is spinning quickly. Have a listen for humming coming from within the house.

Could be what you've got on your hands is some guard cats, left behind to protect the crop with their ninja skillz.

HelloHockeyFans · 10-04-2008, 11:23 AM

release the hounds

Devils'Advocate · 10-04-2008, 11:53 AM

Some good suggestions here from when I had the same problem:
http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthr...highlight=cats

Ends up that one of those young cats got hit by a car. They still let the other out to roam, but it seems to stick close to home. Maybe it saw what happened to its brother/sister?

Rathji · 10-04-2008, 01:39 PM

Shoot the stupid things, it is what I would expect people to do to my cats if I constantly let them out. Unless it is only an occasional jail break kitty, I don't feel the need to have some cat crapping in my yard so my kid can go over and eat her new found "chocolate drop"

People like that give responsible pet owners a bad name.

p.s. I am not seriously condoning the shooting of cats or anything else for that matter

Traditional_Ale · 10-04-2008, 02:52 PM

If it IS a grow op, don't call the police.

Call me.

onetwo_threefour · 10-04-2008, 08:51 PM

Rent some small animal traps, then make ransom demands with cut-up pieces from magazines once you have caught them. It works great!

(Just don't throw the cut up magazines out in your own trash, they'll catch you for sure)

GGG · 10-04-2008, 11:14 PM

My cats breath smells like cat food

HOZ · 10-05-2008, 04:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daradon

Maybe go introduce yourself and talk to them?

If you don't want to do that, there's always the garden hose. Spray the cats a few times and they'll get the idea. It's the same way you keep them off stuff in your own home, with a spray bottle. Only obviously a little bit wetter. They'll find another place to hang out.

Course probably cause some problems if the neighbors catch you, so try talking to them first.

Do what Daradon so sensibly suggested OR

Join the NRA....buy a semi-assault or full assault weapon....infiltrate your neighbor's yard and shoot their porch light out on full auto!

Go Vegas!

Check out the English guys.

LGA · 10-06-2008, 02:16 AM

Fortunately for me my dog keeps the cats off the property. He being a hunting dog and all seems to have no problems attempting to devour said kitties. I think the cats have learned rather quickly that my yard is not a cat friendly place...puppy seems to do real well with the bunnies however, doesn't try to hunt those at all for some reason.

Yellefan · 10-06-2008, 09:17 AM

Well, I've been considering getting a dog for a while now, so I think I'm going to head down to the humane society and see what kind of cat eating dogs they have right now. The note is still in the mailbox and I have seen no sign of the owners at all. I'm thinking of calling the city anyways as I'm not sure who is looking after these cats

burn_baby_burn · 10-06-2008, 10:42 AM

Call the city and have them trapped and taken away. If your allergic to cats? Won't you be allergic to dogs as well?

Morozee · 10-06-2008, 10:56 AM

I purchased one of these:

http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page...t=2,2280,33159

Worked great for me, keeping all the neighborhood cats from using our garden as a litter box. A bit pricey yes, but it did the trick.

Ford Prefect · 10-06-2008, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yellefan

Well, I've been considering getting a dog for a while now, so I think I'm going to head down to the humane society and see what kind of cat eating dogs they have right now. The note is still in the mailbox and I have seen no sign of the owners at all. I'm thinking of calling the city anyways as I'm not sure who is looking after these cats

Sure sounds like a grow op to me. Call the cops.

Ruttiger · 10-06-2008, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burn_baby_burn

Call the city and have them trapped and taken away. If your allergic to cats? Won't you be allergic to dogs as well?

Nope. Different types of fur/hair, and it can depend on the breed of dog as well. I'm deathly allergic to cats but have never had a problem with dogs.

LChoy · 10-06-2008, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ruttiger

Nope. Different types of fur/hair, and it can depend on the breed of dog as well. I'm deathly allergic to cats but have never had a problem with dogs.

Technically, it's the cat's saliva (dander) that you are allergic to. The longer the hair, the more dander from the cat on it, and the worse you feel for allergies. Cats also spend more time grooming themselves, so it's entirely possible to be allergic to cats, but be fine with dogs

Ruttiger · 10-06-2008, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lchoy

Technically, it's the cat's saliva (dander) that you are allergic to. The longer the hair, the more dander from the cat on it, and the worse you feel for allergies. Cats also spend more time grooming themselves, so it's entirely possible to be allergic to cats, but be fine with dogs

Stupid drooling cats.