Stephanie, you got a good thread going. And let me put in my 20 cents. Having been a pet owner for all of my life, and now having lived in the city for the last 20 yrs I have seen how careless people can be with pets. Sometimes to train an animal one has to use measures that might seem extreme to others. The soft BB's worked and it was his pet that he was training. I doubt he is that bad of a shot that he would miss a rump. And, it worked with little harm to the dog. And the neighbors garden is the winner. I have put rags soaked in a vinegar solution in areas that I want to protect from the countless stray cats that wander thru my yard/garden. We have indoor cats and two of them spend time outdoors on a leash. They are happy to lounge in the sun and watch me work. Or they explore in my jungle of plants/rocks/and garden junk. My illiterate neighbors (they are such, believe me, and from the number of 'guests' either they are very popular or do some kind of selling business. To keep their younguns happy they got them a kitten for Christmas a year and a half ago. Once the kitten got old enough to fight back against the mauling, it was soon let outdoors for longer and longer periods. Now, it is a pest. But they probably don't care. Last year I was friendly towards it and felt sorry for it and even set out food for it (and still do). But it has become an unwelcome guest and will even come up and fight with my leashed neutered cats. So, now I keep a spray bottle with a 10% vinegar solution. The first time I got it wet and even a bit the second time. Now, all I have to do is hold the bottle and it turns tail. Same thing happened with training one of my indoor cats from bad behavior. All I do now is make a 'swish' sound holding my hand out and it knows to stop doing something. There are rules that they must follow. Now in the garden where I don't want that neighbors cat at night (and to all the other countless feral cats around) I place a small piece of rag soaked in that vinegar solution from the bottle. I have noticed that they avoid this area. I can't stop this cat or the others from 'cruising' my yard but I seem to have been able to prevent them from lingering in the front or in newly planted areas. The back I don't care about. And in the alley is where I put some food occassionally. (My elderly neighbor has been doing this for years, especially in the winter). I have noticed a lack of birds this year. And my favorite cat got out a torn screen once and spent 3 days 'lost'. He came back the third morning while I was out (late eve's and early a.m.) searching the neighborhood. I never knew there were that many B&W cats (Tuxedos I guess) around this area. My guess is that many started from the playful kitten that soon got let out or outright abandoned. They bred and there is enough abandoned sheds, garages,etc for them to breed more litters. Probably keeps the mice and rat population in check but they also kill birds and other mammals. Such is city life for them and me. Flinging the liter over the fence makes about as much sense as me flinging the occassional beer can back over. It don't work so now I add them to the recycle bin but I still fling the bottle back. The worst offenders moved a year ago so this hasn't been much of a problem since. And, I found that giving tomatoes to the top dog (The big Mamma) kinda keeps the peace. She's ok but her kids are rather feral themselves. BTW, the ones that moved left their beloved pet kitten (then a cat), behind to fend for itself. It disappeared a few weeks after they abandoned it. I don't know why, perhaps it lost a fight? Animal control don't patrol for feral cats. There are too many. What progess have you made? If you are still flinging the poop over the fence, I would add that if you would add it to some clay cat litter and place it (perhaps in the dead of night) in one location near your property line, the cat might start to believe that this is where it is supposed to go. Then just keep dropping the poop there, no need for more litter. It might just get the hint that probably escapes the humans.

We had a pet food store/groomer in our old neighborhood that did the Furminator treatment. It makes a HUGE difference, especially during that twice a year coat blow. It involved a shampoo to loosen the follicles, a turbo dry, and major brushing or comb through. Well worth someone else doing it with the amount of fur it removes from the dog! We also feed RAW. Best decision in our dogs' cases and really reduced the amount of shedding overall and skin conditions we were dealing with. A lot of pet owners are aware of the non-shedding or lesser shedding breeds or that there are some to look into. None of them attract me, personally. Reading that "get a _____" was a little irritating. Doesn't help those who love the breeds that DO shed and would like to reduce it in their homes.

That's an adorable image, faron : ) Our cats don't go outside, but our neighbor's wonderful, dear, sweet cat does. He loves us and we have a place set up for him on our porch with a blanket-lined box if our ... neighbor decides to leave him out all night when it's cold. If we pull into our driveway, he runs out to say hi to us and get petted. If we're going to our car and he sees us, he hops in when we open the door and asks us where 'we're' going. He's a complete love. Re not getting killed? I'm really not sure how they survive except by luck. Coyotes are few and far between here, and not a lot of swooping room for raptors. I don't think he kills birds because he's just not the stalking type. The recent research showed that I think up to 80% of cats are stalkers -- this guy is one of the other 20%. Our other neighbors left their unneutered male cat when they moved to FL, just abandoned him about 7 years ago now. He's turned into a fright, a feral who sprays our patio door and literally throws himself against the glass to attack our cats whenever he sees them on the other side. Only trauma could have caused this kind of change in him. We had to get curtains because of him (I vastly prefer open glass, since we don't have a privacy issue there), but still our cats will just duck under them at times. He's survived a fairly long time for an outdoor cat, so you know he's learned to prey on birds (or mice or something) and fight to protect himself : ( I *dread* the idea that our dear neighbor cat might encounter him one day. That's my biggest fear, more likely than coyotes or raptors.

I learned this the hard way, but it is good to.know. I purchased a 100% wool 10 x 13 rug for my living room. One of my cats did not like the.other using the litter box so she started going on the rug. I found a recipe online to remove the odor. It helped a lot but didn't stop.the cat. Each time I saw a,wet place I blotted.it, then literally poured whire vinegar and hydrogen peroxide on the spots. I had to put something under afterwards to.dry the floor and absorb liwuid from the rug. Then when I had my upholstery cleaned, I had them clean the rug. Only after I paid them did I ask how they clean wool.rugs (my sister pays souch to.have hers picked up, cleaned and returned.in place. WELL, I was completely shocked to.learn the carpet cleaners WASH WOOL.CARPETS. So after that did what they said they do. My husband took ut out to the drive way, and I washed it front and back. It has to be turned to dry thoroughly, but don't leave the top with direct sun for several days like I did. I had a bit of fading. So, you do have this option if you really like the warmth and feel of carpet under your feet. Not all wool rugs are as expensive as some pay for the orientals. Mine was 900. compared to almost 4000. ,my sister paid. Hers has to be a lifetime.purchase. Mine does not, thankfully. Also,.in.my bedrooms, I bought the padding that has the liquid barrier layer. Also, another tip I got :, If you do decide on carpet, before installing, wash your subflooring (if not particle board) with white vinegar and hydrogeox peroxide,,When dry sprinkle combo of baby powder and baking soda. Sweep that up so to leave sime in the wood grain. Then again sprinkle a light layer.all.over and install carpet over it with.the pet type padding or the fur babies will.smell where they went before. It will be chore with 4 of them, but u k buy baby diapers and cut a hole for the tail. Then u should take all if them.out together removing the duapers at the doggie door and coax them out with a treat. When u take off the diapers, note which.one already wet their diaper. Then as each goes you should praise them by name and give another treat. You can reuse the dry diapers using painters tape wrapped as round. The orig tape wint endure. You may find by checkin who.used the diaper that all 4 ate not the culprits. I.have two dogs, two cats and all but the newest puppy rings a bell hanging.on the door to.let me know. Then they all go out together. But that puppy comes running to.me to see if I am coming, so she's om her way. I do also have a doggie door, but.only..one cat uses it. I also.keep a pee pad on the bath floor for when I am gone. I.learned a long tome ago, you have to use some of your not really free time to train puppies /dogs. Skip.one tome taking them out on a schedule (for a while) and you are causing the problem. The become accustomed.to going at certain times. You have to.gradually extend it from every hour until a couple of times a day. Hope ALL this helps some.