Re: OT: cats terrorizing my iris bed!

>we have a couple of cats that wander the neighborhood (argh!) and they are
>using my iris bed (and other beds too) as kitty litter boxes.  they are
>digging up some newly (fall) planted iris!  this was annoying when it was in
>the perennial beds, but the iris are so shallow, they are much more vulnerable.
>
Gena, I am having similar trouble with a homeless stray tabby who is also
terrorizing my housecat by trying to attack him through our windows. He
jumps up on window sills. My poor little cat lives in a constant state of
panic, which is making him sick.

Have you tried catching the cats and attaching notes to their collars? If
they don't wear collars, you might invest in some for them. Staple the note
into a small thin bundle so the cat will not snag it on foliage and rip it
off. Tell the owner the problem you are having, give your phone number, and
see what you can work out. It is almost impossible to circumscribe a cat's
territory without the introduction of other cats into it, which means
fighting, but the owners might alter the cat's routine by locking it in at
night, and not letting it out until it has used a litter box.

You also might try setting up a sand pile a little ways away from your
plants. Let one cat use it, and the others will come right behind. Keep it
relatively attractive and they will favor it over your garden.

Are these homeless stray cats? Stray cats are dangerous. They contract
viral diseases easily passed to beloved pets. I think (and I am a cat
lover, folks, so don't misunderstand my intention here) that stray cats
should be rounded up, tested for disease and euthanized if they test
positive. A house cat that tests positive can be placed in another home
where the animals are already infected, but a cat used to life outdoors
will not adapt as a housebound pet. And you simply cannot let him run about
infecting others. Feline leukemia can be a horrible, horrible death fraught
with convulsions and bleeding.
Feline leukemia is so rampant here our Humane Society shelter (which will
harbor a healthy animal for years until it finds a home) euthanizes all
homeless strays.

If the cat won't let you catch it to put a note on its collar, you may be
able to rent a live trap from your Humane Society or Animal Control.

Please don't harm someone's dear kitty for pooping in your irises, but if
these are strays and fighters, off with their heads!

Just some ideas.

celia
storey@aristotle.net
Little Rock
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