I'd say talk to the neighbor, but sometimes that backfires.

The neighbor doesn't act, & the cat disappears, & the neighbor immediately *just knows* that you did it.

Try spraying hot pepper tea in the area:

Pour boiling water over ground hot red pepper & let it steep.

Strain it to keep the fine-grained bits from clogging your sprayer, then pour it into a spray bottle & spray the areas around the feeders.

Put the leftover "tea" in your fridge;
I found out the hard way that that stuff goes bad really fast if left out!

Best luck.

I would tell my neighbor that her cat is tresspassing and she needs to keep it confined, or you will send it animal control.

Then set up a have heart trap on your deck with some food in it. If the cat gets trapped, you follow through with your warning and turn the cat into animal control.

Some may find that harsh, but its a very common problem. We should treat loose cats the same way that we treat loose dogs. I am not going to let a loose dog wander around my neighborhood, either.

There is no spray, ultra-sonic alarm or substance that will deter cats from your birdfeeders, trust me on this one. Go ahead and politely ask your neighbors to keep their cat off your property, but it probably won't do any good. I had the same problem for years and I am just now able to fill my feeders again as both neighbor's cats have finally been run over by cars. Good luck...

Long ago I had a bird feeder in my yard. This attracted the neighbor's cat whom I found dangling by a clawed foot from the bottom of the feeder more than once. I mentioned it to the neighbor who had no idea his cat was attempting to dine at my bird feeder. He put a bell on the cat's collar. Gave the birds a chance.

You can put motion-detecting sprayers on your hose. A surprise or 2 like that will keep a cat away - you know how they hate to get wet.

I have also heard of people spray painting a message or maybe a skunk stripe on the cat to let the owners know the cat is going places where it was not appreciated, but of course I'd never recommend that.

;->

Despite the fact that they SHOULD, your neighbor will likely not confine their cat, so I think the bell on the collar is the very best solution. I don't know how they could come up with a good arguement with that simple fix.

I used to live next to totally thoughtless cat owners, whose cat used my flower and hosta bed for a toilet, regularly left muddy paw prints all over my car, and killed many beautiful birds. One time I was out in the front yard with my dog, who was tethered while I worked in the garden. Their precious cat came around the corner, and my dog naturally charged it. The owner had the NERVE to yell at ME for my dog "attacking her cat". GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't have a solution but just wanted to say I have the same problem. We feed the birds so this gives the cat a good spot to find a meal. Talking to the neighbors wouldn't do a thing and if we caught the cat and took it to animal control they would just get another. They have disposal animals. I've never figured out why people think neighbors want their animals in the yard.

I would check at Petsmart. There is something that's a bit expensive (35 dollars) I think it's called Pssst! it's a spray can that has a motion censor in it. You put it wherever a cat is that you dont want them to be. When the cat walks past it or near it,it sprays a non-toxic to cats spray at them and scares them away.
This worked great for me with a kitten who gets into EVERYTHING. I had to place it around my plants cuz she kept trying to eat them. Now she doesnt even go near them at all.

When I do things around our yard, I make good use out of fencing and wire. We plant our roses in cages (hardware cloth), and put little fences where we need them. When we got our puppy, we unrolled the hardware cloth around the area of the recreation room that was safe for the puppy, then we had access to the rest of the room.

What if you were to use a combination of chicken wire, fencing, and hardware cloth to discourage the cat.

Many gardeners put chicken wire on the ground around roses to discourage cats. I wonder if you could put hardware cloth around the deck where the cat could not get through, and then block the steps with it too.

I don't have cats, and don't have a bad problem with them, so this is all I can think of.

I don't understand why cat owners - even some in my family, feel that they have a right to let their cats run. They just declare that it is an outside cat, and let it go. They think that the problems we have with them are our problem.

Sammy

Plastic, its called ssscat and it works wonders. Albeit it will scare the birds away temporarily, a few sprays in a few locations and the cat will no longer be interested.

Its not harmful, or toxic, and it's motion sensored. It's slightly pricey, but in the long run, definately worth it. We went through the first can quite quickly with our two, so we purchased two more about 4 months ago, and don't even have to turn it on anymore. They learned quickly.

You may also want to try double sided tape on your deck railings/stairs. Although it might not stay sticky for long. And tinfoil. These discourage some cats.

Ah! I knew it was something like that! Thanks munkos :)

That sounds like a working solution which I'd never heard of. All of the suggestions could work. People like this shouldn't have pets. They are irresponsible, but I would still approach them to kindly ask them to keep it inside. We have a roaming cat law in my town. I guess you don't.

In many communities (mine) it is not mandated that cats be confined in any way. In my town, the only requirement of a cat owner is that the animal be vaccinated against rabies. Our's are neutered and vaccinated. And they go outdoors during the day and are confined indoors at night. While many of disagree with our choice the fact is we are not in violation of the law in our rather rural community.

Our newest neighbor has a cat that routinely escapes his confinement and is drawn like a "moth to a flame" to our yard. Several catfights have occured in the past month/so. We've shared information and neither of us are too flipped out about it.

It's fine to feed birds and rodents. We do, too. But it's unrealistic to presume that cats aren't going to be attracted to the "baited sites". I suggest the use of a "super soaker" squirt gun.

Just another perspective.

My neighbor's cats love my yard, much to the chagrin of my two, who can only sit in the windowsill and growl and huff about it. The other night one of the cats was facing off with a fox in my front yard. We also have coyotes, so I imagine at some point there will be fewer cats roaming my yard...

But it's unrealistic to presume that cats aren't going to be attracted to the "baited sites".

I will not accept the presumption that a domestic animal, of any type, has the right to enter my yard for any purpose.

I find it downright rude for cat owners to think their cat has the right to go where it wants to. I feel bad for the cat. Especially when I trap them and turn them into animal control. I feel really bad for the repeat offenders are shot with a 0.22.

My daughter gets mad when strays go to her yard and aggravate her two indoor male cats and cause one to lick fur off his back from anxiety.

I don't understand having a cat if you're just going to usher it outside all day, with no idea where it is or what it's up to. And then have it around for an hour or two at most, which during it usually sleeps and or eats, and then you go to bed.

I know in rural areas its different, and in a lot of places the threats are less (although more dangerous,sometimes) But I don't understand it in cities.

When I was little we had outdoor cats, and it was more stress than it was worth. Worrying if they were dead if they didn't come home on time or for a few days. Having no clue what they got into, if they got sick. Not knowing what kinds of other small animals they could've eaten and contracted diseases from.

I do have a friend, as well as my sister, who have cats that don't leave the yard ever. But thats generally not the case. So theres a lot of people paying vet bills and paying out money for food, for something they hardly ever see and don't get a ton of enjoyment from.

I totally agree about the worrying thing. I've had about 15 cats in my life and they have all been indoor except the first one who mostly was. He was a Siamese named Simon and very clever. He learned how to open the door and go out. He was even known to ring the doorbell to get back in when the door was closed. This was over 30 years ago and we lived in a cul de sac w/ at most one car an hour. Nevertheless one night he didn't come home and the whole neighborhood looked for him. We think he got locked in a garage because the next day he trotted home. Then when he was 14 , he was deathly ill for the first time in his life,. He had gotten in a cat fight and almost died. We raced him to the vets and the antibiotics took care of it and he lived till 21. I only had one cat then and I have 7 now and live in a different busier place. There are way too many mean people out there and fast cars.

Different strokes for different folks.

We don't "usher them out", sometimes they're perfectly content to remain where they are in the house. They're always around the yard, I come home from work, shut off the car and 2-3 of our 4 "appear" without even so much as a call. The 4th. is "elderly" and spends her time on the deck in the screen room... but she's free to venture out in the yard if she wants to.

I don't expect you to agree with our choice, or even believe me when I share our experiences. That's not the point, anyway. The point is, unless there are laws in your community that preclude it, cats will be drawn to bird feeders and other similarly baited sites because it makes hunting easier. Who put the out the bait?

Chelone, if you are letting your cats out, it is YOU who are putting out the bait, because cats are bait to my dogs. How would you feel if your cat wandered into my yard where my dog was tied and caught your cat and shook it? That's what she does to squirrels, and I imagine any cat she catches.

How would you want me to break the news? Perhaps:

"My dog took the bait." ??
Keep your pets on your own property, please.

In my experience, cats and small dogs are also bait for hawks, fox and racoons, especially during winter. Even a large, healthy, experienced cat (and the same size dog) stands very little chance against these predators -- sooner or later they'll be caught or so gravely wounded they may not make it home. If you live where coyote hunt, survival rate is lower still.

Since my DH is allergic to cats, we cannot have one indoors. So we don't have one outdoors, either. Sadly, we've seen the wounds, tended the injured ones, and had the too badly wounded ones we've found put to sleep.

Just my 2 cents.

Uh-huh. Clearly, no one (at least those willing to post it) share my opinion about a cat's fitness to endure the rigors of the great outdoors.

I've lived on the same 3 acres for nearly 17 years now. In that time we've had 7 cats. One died of natural causes, one was "inherited" and she was it by car 1 1/2 yrs. after she was "moved in". She originally lived "next door" and her territory included the area across the road. Another was attacked by a fox and I took him to the vet.; it SUCKED but he was nearly 14, already showing signs of kidney failure (the boney spine and increased water intake) and I had him put down; it's important to note that the dogs that routinely patrolled the boundries had either died or become too infirm to maintain their "duties". The remaining 4 cats are still here, the eldest is 17. The elderly dogs have gone to the "happy hunting ground" and have been replaced by a very active young, neutered male dog.

No deer sited nor any foxes heard in the past 2 years! Maybe they're there, may be not. I don't know for sure. But I know that our cats are in our home at night and we suffer minimal vole damage in our gardens. Deer do not browse our plantings, either.

chelone, noone could argue that with the help you give your cats -- coming indoors at night and an active dog who keeps your property clear of other predators -- yes, cats are very able to stand the rigors of an outdoor life. Given the same help, my parents' two farm cats lived about 15 years.

My experience is with cats and smaller dogs who don't get that extra help from a human. Obviously, YMMV.

Yes usually the people who let their cats out, don't have those cats for too long around here. they usually get some disease from a wild feral cat, or get eaten by a coyote or a fox. Around here they last about 2 years. Hopefully this will happen to your "problem".
I have used some dog and cat reppellent - bought at a local garden store - that works well. There are several on the market. Use that on your garden. Hot pepper works too. Cause birds can't taste it.

It really makes me sick to my stomach when I read that some people think that it's okay to "sick" their dogs on a cat that wanders by, or to use a living, breathing animal--someone's beloved pet--as target practice for their sick pleasure.

My INDOOR-ONLY cat got out of the house Saturday and I haven't been able to find him. He's somewhere terrified, starving, and freezing, but just because he happens to be outside does not mean that someone should kill him. He's a member of my family and I love him very much. He's not a "problem" to be resolved by killing him or hoping that he's killed.

Jannab,

Here is a product that 'will' work.

My DM's indoor/outdoor cat was attracted to DM's bird feeder & bird bath and loosing 'her' birds wasn't something DM was going to put up with. Since she had a large area I purchased 2 of these units for her. She set them up and never lost another bird to her cat. The cat would lie and watch them outside the units boundaries..........and even the neighbors cats wouldn't go near the feeder.

Here is a link that might be useful: CatStop