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My last tenant is gone and took a few of her cats with her. Unfortunately there are about 15 to 20 left that want to come in the house and when they can't they hang around outside leaving their waste and smell all over the lanai. Scaring them off doesn't work.
I called Humane Society. They said I can rent a cat trap for $50 deposit and trap them and bring them in one at a time. Holy cow, I only have a few days til I gotta go off island, and 400 miles of driving back and forth for 20 strays is insane. This would take days even if I got five traps as they are pretty skittish.
So how the heck do I get rid of them? They've torn up the house screens when they get in the house and then scramble to get out, they left waste in the house, dug their claws into the window trim on the way out, it's getting ridiculous. And the renter was evicted so no chance of responsibility for any of this fiasco.
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First off, poor kitties!
One idea: make sure they can't get back into the house. research cat repellent, invest heavily, and use liberally around the lanai and house.
Alternate plan: hire someone to set the trap and take the cats to the pound or sanctuary.
People like your tenant who accumulate and then abandon animals are just revolting.
><(((*< ... ><(("< ... ><('< ... >o>
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ummm. Just secure the home (catproof that buggah) and leave! Let nature do its thing.
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If there is a concentration of cats it is because someone is feeding them. If there is nobody to feed them they will dissipate. However, someone will undoubtedly start feeding them for the same reasons that the original tenant did.
I personally think that something very proactive should be done. You described one method. Trap them, one by one if necessary, and remove them. Taking them to the pound is one way.
There rely is no such thing as cat repellent. Furthermore the cats are there because they were fed there. From the perspective of the cats they are trying to not starve. Merely repelling them is no more humane than just telling the homeless to move along. Even if you found a magic cat repellent that was effective enough to drive starving animals away from a food source, why would you feel good about using it? If I sound like a bleeding heart cat feeder you are not considering all the options. I am saying the cats are already screwed. Find something effective and get to it. Trapping and taking them to the humane society is not even the most humane option in my opinion although it may be the most defensible in the court of public opinion, plus it is pretty humane.
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When I worked at a humane society we would encounter this type of problem once every few years. Where I worked it was within our charter (due to city funding) that problems like this one fell onto the humane society to solve. I'm not surprised that the Big Island humane society can't really help you because its outside of the services they offer.
One property had roughly 80 cats to deal with (if you see 15 to 20 cats its probably more than 15 to 20) and we were able to trap most of them in a few days. The cats you are dealing with aren't completely feral so they won't be too timid about traps and are accustomed to eating cat food. We would set out about 5 traps at a time, baited with canned cat food (the fishy varieties work best), and check them every 2 hours. Usually the traps were all full every two hours for the first couple of days. The more skittish ones were more difficult to trap (though hunger eventually takes its toll and brings them in) and some cats will be impossible to trap. But those will eventually fade away on their own. Less so much here without a brutal winter.
All that being said, almost all the cats brought into the Keaau humane society are euthanized. I'm NOT suggesting that you euthanize the cats on-site, but if that is going to be the outcome regardless, please make sure that the method used is humane and legal.
ETA: accuracy
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quote:
Originally posted by terracore
All that being said, almost all the cats brought into the Keaau humane society are euthanized. I'm NOT suggesting that you euthanize the cats on-site, but if that is going to be the outcome regardless, please make sure that the method used is humane and legal.
ETA: accuracy
Did not know that. Pretty much takes away any reason to take them in then. If they're only going to be euthanized anyway.
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Straight Lysol works as a "don't poo here" repellant and knocks down the stink
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quote:
Originally posted by Seeb
Straight Lysol works as a "don't poo here" repellant and knocks down the stink
Mahalo. Thats worth a try.
Best solution I've found online is a motion detection triggered sprinkler system since they hate getting wet. However the sucker is like 90 bucks on Amazon.
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Please don't take them to the Humane Society.
Try contacting:
Hui Pono Holoholona / PAWS Pono Animal Way Sanctuary
PO Box 943, Mt View HI 96771
(808) 968-8279 email@hphhawaii.org
www.hphhawaii.org
They actually live up to their name.. i.e., Sanctuary. A donation would be very appreciated. But really they are pretty damn selfless in their efforts to actually do good.
Good luck.
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If the yard is fenced borrow someone's dog for a week.
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