How to Keep a Stray Cat Away from Your Cat

Thứ bảy - 27/04/2024 01:14
A stray cat can be problematic, especially when he comes into your yard. You can have even bigger problems if the stray provokes, or gets into a tussle with, your cat. To protect your cat, your yard, and maybe even your sanity, it will be...
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A stray cat can be problematic, especially when he comes into your yard. You can have even bigger problems if the stray provokes, or gets into a tussle with, your cat. To protect your cat, your yard, and maybe even your sanity, it will be good for you to learn about how to keep a stray cat away from your property.

Part 1
Part 1 of 2:

Identifying Why a Stray Cat is in Your Yard

  1. Step 1 Locate any bird feeders in your yard.
    Bird feeders can be as popular for stray cats as they are for birds.[1] A stray cat may see those bird feeders as a way to attack readily available prey. If you have multiple bird feeders, you may be attracting more than one stray cat to your yard, which could be very distressing to your cat.
  2. Step 4 Observe the stray cat.
    The stray cat may frequent a particular area of your yard, such as a garden or sandbox. He may also like to go to an area under your house that is warm and safe. If you can identify where the stray cat likes to go, then you can start coming up with ways to keep him out of those particular areas.
    • If keeping an eye out on the stray cat is not practical for your schedule, you could also observe how your cat is acting. If your cat starts to spray inside your house, either at the window or on the wall near the opposite window, it is likely that a stray cat is visiting your yard.[4]
    • Take notice if your cat becomes increasingly aggressive at you or other pets in your home (called ‘redirected aggression’) if he cannot actually get to the stray cat outside.[5]
    • Your cat may also become fearful inside your home if a stray cat is outside. Even though you know that the stray cat has no chance of entering your home, your cat does not know that and may resort to hiding inside the house.[6]
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Part 2
Part 2 of 2:

Keeping the Stray Cat Away From Your Cat

  1. Step 4 Use natural deterrents to make your garden undesirable.
    A stray cat may treat your garden like a litter box. If you do not want to spend money on deterrent devices to keep him out of your garden, you can use what you already have at home to keep him out. To make your garden undesirable, you can put chicken wire or prickly pinecones in it to make it more difficult for the stray cat to walk through or dig in. The chicken wire can be placed either on top of the soil or just below the surface.
    • If you use chicken wire, make sure to cut holes in the wire that are large enough for your plants to continue growing.[10]
    • Cats do not like the smell of citrus, so you could also place lemon or orange peels in your garden. However, the peels could attract other wild animals to your garden, so you might end up replacing one animal problem by another.[11]
    • You can also sprinkle ground pepper (black pepper plus chili pepper) or coffee grounds on your annuals or perennials to keep a stray cat out of your garden.
    • Try planting ‘cat-repellent’ plants, such as Coleus canina, in your garden. These plants produce a foul odor that will keep the stray cat out of your garden. Inquire about these types of plants at your local gardening store to find out if the smell is also bothersome to people.
    • You could also make your own cat repellent.
  2. Step 8 Trap the stray cat.
    Before attempting to trap the stray cat, try approaching him to if he is safe to get near and physically handle. If he is approachable, then you can purchase a humane trap at your local animal store and set it up in a part of your yard that has plenty of shade. Even with the stray cat being approachable, you should still contact your local animal control or feline rescue organization for instructions on how to safely trap him.[14]
    • Do not attempt to trap the stray cat if you cannot safely approach him. If you cannot get near him without him trying to attack you, contact your local animal control or feline rescue organization to remove him from your yard. A terrified stray cat can inflict serious injury on you, so you do not want to put yourself in danger.[15]
    • If you are going to trap him yourself, make sure that you are wearing thick gloves and long sleeves.[16] If you do not have thick gloves already, you can purchase them at your local hardware store or home improvement store.
    • When the stray cat is trapped in the cage, immediately take him to your local animal control center. If you are not comfortable picking up the cage, contact the local animal control to pick it up for you.
    • Placing the cage in the shade would keep the stray cat out of direct sunlight, in case a long period of time passes between him being trapped and being transported to the animal control center.
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Warnings

  • Be very careful. You do not want to be scratched or bitten by a stray cat, as it may not have had its vaccinations.
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  • Stray cats can pose a serious danger to your cat, especially if the stray cat is not fully vaccinated against certain diseases like feline immunodeficiency virus and feline leukemia virus.[19]
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  • Stray cats can also can also have scabies, cat scratch fever, or maybe even rabies.[20]
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  • Abscesses occur when an area infected tissue gets sealed off after a wound heals. If your cat is scratched a stray cat, your cat could develop an abscess at the site of the scratch, which could be very painful and would require veterinary care.[21]
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  • If your cat is an outdoor cat, the stray cat could become territorial and chase your cat away. This could put your cat in danger of getting lost or hit by a car.[22]
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