How to get rid of cats hanging around the factory?
Hi all,
anyone have any ideas on how to get rid of cats hanging around the factory environs? Unfortunately there are a number of domestic dwellings in close proximity so we're not sure if they are domestic or feral (I have a complete cat phobia so I'm going nowhere near them!). We're trying to find out but regardless it won't matter when it comes to keeping them out of the site. Does anyone have any ideas that worked for them and don't involve guns (which has been suggested :yikes: )? Are the ultrasonic things any good? We have a large boundary but I guess we could just use them around the building itself rather than the entire site.
Thanks!
Does your pest control company deal with cats at all? Surely there is an animal control company around there that has had to deal with this type of problem. I would think they should at least have ideas and have a good thought on the source of the cats. Just in my experience, feral are typically muscular and extremely wary. Domestic can be wary but they're not as fast and you can usually get relatively close to them.
I've also found 20 ga. full choke heavy shot is best on the feral cats (local laws, regulation, common sense about proximity to neighbors applies, of course). They can sometimes be live-trapped but then what do you do with them? Euthanize them? That's fine but you've put the animal through intense and sustained terror until he is euthanized wheras with a well-placed shot he never knew what hit him. Domestic cats I would of course not suggest euthanizing, they're someone's pet.
But this is the internet. Get some actual professional advice :spoton:
We tried the ultra sonic ones once and the cats sat in front of them. My pest contol guy says they don't work and the manufacturer seriously suggested that we may have the wrong type of cat.......
They are there for a reason. Do you have poor outside sanitation, uncovered dumpster, mouse problems, bird problems, people eating while on smoke break, warm exhaust coming out where they can get comfortable? Think like a cat, why would you want to be there and then eliminate that reason?
and if you can't shoot em... which is quite effective btw. Try planting a border of "Piss Off Plants: Plectranthus 'Sumcol 01" or other herby lavender/lemon smelling sort of plants around your property
Myusername absolutely has a point - try a root cause analysis to see if you can figure out why they're around.
You mention a lot of residences nearby. Is there any way a representative of your company can reach out to those nearest you to find out if any of the cats entering your property are belong to them so you can try to get a bead on whether they are feral or domestic.
Lastly:
I found these suggestions from the ASPCA. ***broken link removed***
You mention there's a large boundary. Depending on the set up, perhaps you can plant some cat-deterring plants at the edges of your property. This website suggests lemon balm and curry herb as well as many other options for natural remedies which of course are optimal from a humane perspective in dealing with the cats and you're not putting out chemicals around your food factory.
Of course, the one thing to keep in mind is that you're planting these far enough away from your building that you're not creating a harborage for mice and other similar pests.
Good luck - let us know what you decide and how it turns out.
Great information Emily! Thank you!
We tried the ultra sonic ones once and the cats sat in front of them. My pest contol guy says they don't work and the manufacturer seriously suggested that we may have the wrong type of cat.......
The wrong type of cat!! Brilliant! Also love the suggestion to think like a cat :giggle:
Thanks to you all for your suggestions. Our pest control company won't go near them because of the possibility of them being domestic. We're not perfect but the site would be very well kept, yards and outdoor areas are kept very clean etc. There is no mouse problem- They seem to love hanging out in the shrubbery and under cars which is between our "perimeter" and "external" bait lines. I think the MD is going to use the boot up the a**e method if he spots another one when in the wrong mood!!
Just a thought.. maybe they like to "dump" in your factory's premises.. Cats always go back to the places they regular poop. Try to check underneath the shrubs if there are buried cat poop. Or maybe it is one place where they can safely mate, that is why they like to hang around there. This is just based on my experiences with cats as a child.
Also, if the residents nearby have a homeowners association, talk to the officers about your problem. Maybe they can help.
regards,
Ray
Lion dung ( or cheetah dung if you're nearer Cork) spread outside the perimeter of the site will keep domestic feral and all other cats away.
Also read this thread to see how surreal this place gets ...
We have a small population of feral cats which keep mouse and Rat activity at virtually 0 :)
Pest control these days are reluctant to do any destructive practices but in conjunction with a cat charity and willing vet we do an annual catching programme around early autumn. These and operated on returned to site unable to breed but keep 'their patch' We have 1 big male cat unable to breed but does well to keep any new intruder cats away. I think at last count we had 4 females and the 1 male. If we were dealing with the likes of Tesco/M&S we would have to get rid and spend our lives keeping on top of the problem. The customers we do have, unofficially don't have a problem as its controlled. They understand the nature of our semi rural location and age of site it would be impractical to eliminate the problem and again our low pest sightings, bait take is virtually 0 (3 nibbles by mice (non target species) in September on perimeter boxes).
I've had sites with no cats/eliminated cats, and had high bait take and sightings despite having a clean and tidy site.
In practical terms, there are for and against arguments to be honest. Some get on their respective high horses and don't look at a bigger picture.
We also have low mouse and rat activity and it's a bit of a catch 22. If we get rid of the cats, because of our semi rural location, the rats increase. But then, if the rat numbers increase and the cats are still visible, I know that one of our cleaners is still feeding them..........
, I know that one of our cleaners is still feeding them..........
Haha we used to have that problem!!
Emily the link to the ASPCA is not working for me.
:notworking:
How about getting a big guard dog?
Emily the link to the ASPCA is not working for me.
:notworking:
How about getting a big guard dog?
Simon,
It's not working for me, either. Love it when websites do that. Not sure why I was granted access a few days ago but not now. I couldn't even access it off a google search.
Off the top of my head, they suggested putting chicken wire just below the surface of the soil because the cats won't be able to dig and don't like the way the chicken wire feels under their feet. Unfortunately, they didn't provide the information on how they polled the cats on their opinion of how chicken wire feels so I can't provide any scientific data for you guys on that one but if anybody has access to the polling numbers, I'd love to see it. :gleam:
Lion dung ( or cheetah dung if you're nearer Cork) spread outside the perimeter of the site will keep domestic feral and all other cats away.
Also read this thread to see how surreal this place gets ...
I have intentionally not gone back to that thread for suggestions on this new topic. It's still a great read, however. :roflmao:
Hi All,
It's a rather low key comment compared to the previous exotics but i have experienced 2 major problems with cats infiltrating. they can be amazingly good climbers.
In both cases the root cause was ultimately elementary, kind souls feeding them within the factory perimeter. The "solution" was difficult, prolonged, and frequently temporary.
I have never found a simple remedy, more a case of multiple deterrents.
In both cases the root cause was ultimately elementary, kind souls feeding them within the factory perimeter.
Well in that case eradicate the root cause!! :ph34r:
Well in that case eradicate the root cause!! :ph34r:
Hi Trubertq,
Trust in Karma.
Throughout my childhood we had a clear plastic bottle half filled with water on our lawn. The intention I believe was to dissuade cats from have a relaxing poo in our grounds. I didn't monitor the situation and I never asked whether it was working or not. I think the light refracting through an unstable bottle with water swishing around puts the fear of god into cats, especially at night.
not seagulls though......
This is from a gardening website. Not sure how much it will be of a help here.
Make Cat Repellent at Home
There are many products on the market to repel cats and help to keep cats out of the yard. For instance, citronella is great to use, as it’s not only safe but also works at repelling other animals too. However, you can make cat repellent at home as well. Home remedies include citrus peels, cayenne, Chile powder, rubbing raw onions on an area, and vinegar.
In addition to repellents, you should consider using fencing or other barriers.
One homemade cat repellent that seems to works pretty well contains nothing more than a mixture of rosemary and water. This is then sprayed in areas where there are problems or around the perimeter of your lawn.
http://www.gardening...t-repellent.htm
Another proposed option was putting catnip in places away from the garden... IE - On other peoples' properties. Attract them elsewhere and watch the ensuing chaos.