Pepper spray and/or cat deterent

I have a neighborhood cat that constantly comes into my yard and preys on the birds at the birdfeeder. He's gotten 3 now. My cats don't seem to be doing the trick, even though they've chased him several times. My Isis even caught him once and gave him a good bowling over. I know it's not them getting the birds because they're not out when it happens and he's the only one we see every day under the feeder.

So...who has a recipe for a pepper spray I can use around the area to deter this cat? I'll be using it around a side bed. I won't have to use it on the fence where the feeder is because there is a big dog in that yard 24/7.

Even another solution (other than taking down the feeder) would be helpful.

Thanks, everyone.

Sprinkle a liberal dose of black pepper all around your feeder. Buy the biggest, cheapest can you can find at someplace like Big Lots. Cats lay low to the ground while waiting for birds to land and he should get a good nose full of the pepper. If he gets that a time or two, it should break him of hanging around. I always put it around newly planted flowers to keep cats from digging them out while using their "community cat box" and it works very well.

Good suggestion, thanks. We have a Costco right around the corner from us. We always find "calling cards" in the back part of the yard and our kitties use the beds, too.

Hi Kwanjin, I had to resort to having chicken wire attached just under the feeders tray, my husband did it, he cut a large circle or wire, threaded garden fence wire through the outer circle to keep it firm and nailed this around the post like a wire collar, it gave the birds a landing platform to sit and wait, but the cat was kept further back and away from grabbing the birds as they landed or took off from the feeder, if this helps, I would also add the pepper around the base till the cat gets the message he/she aint welcome at this feeder any more, our feeder is also really close to shrubs and trees so the birds have a bit more protection while waiting their turn, but there is always the odd bird trying to peck up the droppings, but at least there is a bit more cover for them to get away from the cat, I know a friend who swears by a thick mulch or Holly leaves as the jagged leaves are a good deterrent for cats, as they dry out the cats hate them even more, cats are not as daft as we think, they wont walk on anything that is going to harm them, the spikes on the Holly are not like thorns that sink in and drop off into the animals feet, they are much tougher than that so not as dangerous to ant wildlife, hope this helps you out and you can continue to enjoy your garden feathered friends. WeeNel.

wow, to keep neighbor cats out i was thinking of elec fence! who knew you can use pepper!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, I saw the cat today under the feeder. He was on the fence just waiting for the birdies to land! Dratted cat! He can walk along the fence and get them from anywhere he wants. We're moving the feeder to where he can't do this. The pepper seemed to work, though. He wasn't on the ground anymore. LOL Too bad we have to move it. It was right under the neighbors cherry tree and even part way under a branch. Lots of cover for the birds. I think the doves would be safer, too, if it's moved. He's gotten two of them.

Another question....would the pepper bother the doves? They feed on the ground.

Thanks, Nel. I always love your advice and comments. I haven't seen you around in the last little while and I just found out why. Sorry about the dratted truck!

Tir, I would do that but my kitties aren't too bright sometimes! LOL ☺☺☺

kwanjin,

I'd only planned on turning it on when MY kitty isn't out. Hehehe. And he likes to be out most nights but if I could keep him corraled in a few nights a week, thus retraining some other strays LOL our yard wouldn't have other cats poop and he wouldn't be getting into cat fights with them. :(

We ALWAYS find pop in the yard. It's very pleasant to smell/step in/run over with the lawn mower. LOL

Aweful story about cat fights. We had another stray cat that would come into the yard. Usually it 's okay since we were right there with them. Well, one evening, DH didn't watch too close when he was out and Isis, our black cat, saw this other cat come into the yard. She was on him in a second and bowled him over real hard. They fought for a second until the other cat could get away and jump the fence. I ran out the see what the ruckus was and checked Isis over for bites and couldn't see anything. The next morning, I got up and had coffee. Isis was asleep on the bed and I didn't pay any attention to her. Long about 12pm, I went in to see how she was and the whole side of her face was puffed up. She looked terrible. I took her to our vet the same hour. $400 later and two stitches, she's back home.

I don't want this to happen again, as you can imagine.

Oh my gosh! That's TERRIBLE!

Yes, I've only HEARD the cat fights and as fast as I can I go out to check (maybe once a month this occurs) and the other cat has fled and my cat is all bushy tailed and alert. So far I've not noticed nicks on him. But it is VERY irritating that HE'S in his yard and they are coming in. I KNOW my cats history and can't vouch for the others---one of whom I KNOW is not fixed thus I typically conclude, especially with cats, his owner doesn't care near as much about vet care.

We find poop in the yard (which may be my cat since he will do it on the grass if outside) but I know he's not pooping in his laying spots, on the patio, on the driveway etc and one morning in addition to all this pooh we started the car up and PHEW! We got a nice whiff of cat spray or pee through the AC that lasted about a week. This after my DH started using methods to scare off the cats like pop guns.

I know of 2 cats which invade our yard at random and I think there may be a third. It's turned my second cat into a housecat. She won't go out AT ALL unless you leave the door ajar for her to run back in.

I feel your pain, I really do.

Thanks, Tir. The vet said she doesn't know why it got so bad so fast. A week of giving liquid antibiotics has given my hubby a whole new meaning of difficult. LOL One day, it took us twenty minutes to give her the stuff.

Yuck!!! On the cat pee in your car! We let the cats chase other cats when they come in if we're there. Both will stop if we holler NO!

I have an electric fence around my flowerbeds. It only keeps the dogs out--my own cats slink right through it with nary a scratch! All my dogs have been zapped (we have it turned down where they aren't hurt, just scared) so they all stand around with very puzzled looks on their faces when the cats glide in and out without getting buzzed. They are so funny. The pepper is the only thing that works with the cats.

This is good to know. Thanks, everyone. I appreciate all the help and stories.

I planned on electrifying the top of the fence where they jump up to land :)

We have two strands and the cats don't jump it--they walk right between the two strands of wire. We're not sure why they don't get zapped.

If a cat can get it's head through a space, then it can get the rest of it's body through to without any bother, but dogs are more attentive to this and wont go where there heads are a tighter fit, well ofcourse, there are always exceptions to the rule.
so sorry to hear about you cat Kwanjin, we had much about the same thing with our cat, but it was a squirrel that bit her side and in a day, she was in agony, the vet said cats skin is like tissue paper, and it just rips apart very easy, hope kitty has recovered well, for medication, use a syringe from the pharmacist as it also has the right measure marked too, you just slip the nozzle into the side of there mouth and hold the jaw closed till you feel them swallow, thats assuming you can hold onto them for that length of time, Geeeees, what are we like eh. good luck when you move the feeder. WeeNel.

Thanks, Nel. We just took it down for now. We're not sure where we're going to put it yet.

We did use that method for giving her meds but she's such a fighter. She's not a little girl, either. LOL She's all better now.

Maybe this pic will open bigger.

OH poor baby, glad kitty's better Kwanjin, lets hope you have better luck too wherever you site the feeder next time, it is such a joy to watch the birds in our gardens, it kind of lifts your spirits on a bad day for sure. good luck. WeeNel.

Thank you, everyone.