Cat training

[Superplonk]

Your recommendations for keeping a scabby, bleeding stray cat out of my house will be gratefully accepted.
We've done nothing to encourage his presence and always remove him within seconds of his entry. He won't take no for an answer and sees any open door or window as an invitation. Lately he has started forcing open the bathroom window with his nose at 2am and heading for my baby son's bedroom. The latter finds this hilarious. It's all good clean fun in February, but what do we do when the weather heats up?

A friend has already suggested a dog or a catapult. Not keen on those ideas.

[katy]

It would be best to put up netting on the window, I won't comment on the other suggestions given to you. BTW there used to be a scabby bleeding cat hanging around my home, he is in it now, a handsome, clean sleeky Siamese.

[laclotte]

I often seem to have the same problems ... however I guess by feeding a 'do' encourage somewhat!
Why not just give the old cat a place of its own, somewhere in your garden and not near the house. If you give some cat food and water and a nice warm dry bed he/she may be more encouraged to stay there.
I have 'adopted' many strays in my time and each one has given so much pleasure. I now have 3 'ladies' (2 who were wild cats found at a couple of week old) who are the most affectionate cats you could ever hope to find....until I have to try to pop a pill into the mouth!! Then they seem to always remember their 'roots'.
Give this poor guy a chance!!

[spanish hopes]

If you want to discourage the cat don't use either a dog or catapult, the suggestion is ignorant to the extreme and could cause injury to the animal.
Use a water pistol. This will discourage the cat and will do no physical harm.

[Megan]

Superplonk, if you don't have a water pistol to hand, try making hissing noises (like a snake) at the cat. It might sound bizarre - it does work though. It might not be as effective in Spain as it is in the UK (am aware that cats in Spain are more likely to be comfortable around snakes), it's worth a try though.

[silver]

recommendations for keeping a scabby, bleeding stray cat out of my house

I have heard that tiger pooooooooo keeps cats well away...perhaps you could get some from the Fuengirola zoo

[laclotte]

hmmmmm...interesting the tiger story! Could it have anything to do with the diets (end result) of an animal in the wild?
actually all my cats come home often 'soaked to the skin'. I guess a garden hose is used in place of the more gentle water pistol! As cats really hate water probably this is the best action. I know all about it - still have the scares to prove it - Have you ever tries to give a 'wild cat' a bath!!! Take my advice - it's not worth the effort (and blood loss)!

[Megan]

recommendations for keeping a scabby, bleeding stray cat out of my house

I have heard that tiger pooooooooo keeps cats well away...perhaps you could get some from the Fuengirola zoo

Hmmmmm, tiger pooooooo and hot weather, it will smell a bit 'high' ho silver!

Sorry, couldn't resist it

[lola2]

I also have this kind of problem. A big fat black stray tom cat constantly sprays around our front area. We have a male cat ourselves who is as good as gold but this stray is driving me mad. Every time I return home he scarpers really fast and leaves the place smelling awful. I want to spray him with water but he is far too quick.

[alaninspain]

We have trouble with House Martins building nests on the walls of our apartment building. It is illegal to take any action after the nests have been built and eggs or chicks appear. I bought one of the kid's big water guns which fire water about 10 feet away, every time they start to stick mud as a beginning of a nest I wash it off. Once I had the pleasure of getting one in flight right up the Kyber. That put him off. Buy the biggest one you can find - you might miss but it is great fun trying.

[rafiki]

I also have this kind of problem. A big fat black stray tom cat constantly sprays around our front area.

Same here. We have tried standing a plastic bottle at the front door but that doesn't seem to be very effective.

[jennyshaw]

whats with all those plastic water bottles, what are they supposed to do?

[rafiki]

Cats, allegedly, don't like the smell of the plastic. I have my doubts.

[Whizzbaby]

I have my doubts too, particularly as most cat feeding bowls are made of plastic and our cats CERTAINLY have no intention of starving!! Our Spanish friends all have plastic bottles full of water on their doorsteps.....(labels removed!). Allegedly, this is a fly prevention tactic. The reflection from the bottle distorts the fly's vision, acting as a magnifying glass so the blighters see HUNDREDS of bottles and it apparently drives them away. The cats are quite happy to trot in and out past the bottles!! Yes - water can be a good deterrent, but we need to remember that Spanish cats don't come from generations of domesticated cats as do those in the UK and therefore their brains (??) operate differently. I had cats in the UK all my life and have never had training/behavioural problems like we have with ours here!!

[patricia]

The plastic bottles that you see in the doorway of many Spanish houses in the villages are to stop dogs from lifting their legs. It is because when the spend a penny it splashes back on them so where they see a plastic bottle they don't *beep* their legs! works too

[rafiki]

I have my doubts too, particularly as most cat feeding bowls are made of plastic and our cats CERTAINLY have no intention of starving!!

Different plastic. These bottles are made of a recycle-able material: polyethylene terephthalate, the name aptly shortened to PET plastic. This, apparently, gives off an odour disliked by many animals. I have seen people using PET plastic bottles to deter cats in UK too. Some do swear by it.

[Mixter]

Im actualy a cat owner/lover, but if the animal is scabby and bleeding, wouldnt it be best knocked on the head?

[laclotte]

...........wouldnt it be best knocked on the head?........ I DO hope that this was said in jest.

Now as a cat owner and cat lover I would think that, if necessary, a compassionate end would be much kinder approach….like a visit to the vet and a simple injection. Even a ‘bleeding, scabby’ animal deserves a bit of respect. And it is amazing what a little 'tlc' can achieve and I would bet you would have a ‘friend for life’!

[pete_l]

[quote="laclotte] Even a ‘bleeding, scabby’ animal deserves a bit of respect. And it is amazing what a little 'tlc' can achieve and I would bet you would have a ‘friend for life’![/quote]

I wonder if you have the same feelings about a 'bleeding scabby' rat?
Can you genuinely say that you would treat that in the way you suggest
this cat should be treated.

So far as hissing goes: yes, I have had quite a lot of success hissing
at cats in the UK. It definitely makes them get up and clear off.
I doubt that the catapault idea would work, you'd find it difficult to get
the cat to stay in the sling

Pete

[Mixter]

...........wouldnt it be best knocked on the head?........ I DO hope that this was said in jest.

Now as a cat owner and cat lover I would think that, if necessary, a compassionate end would be much kinder approach….like a visit to the vet and a simple injection. Even a ‘bleeding, scabby’ animal deserves a bit of respect. And it is amazing what a little 'tlc' can achieve and I would bet you would have a ‘friend for life’!

It was a euphamism..of sorts. I personaly couldnt 'knock anything on the head' (except, perhaps Tony Blair...Gordon Brown.....) But, how accessible are vets in your neck of the woods? I suppose it depends on how scabby, bleeding, and generaly virus ridden the animal is. If its in a poor state, and you cant get near a vet, a 'knock on the head' would be kinder than perpetual suffering in my book.