How to Get Rid of Stray Cats

Figuring out how to get rid of stray cats humanely from your yard can help you protect your property and backyard birds. Homeless feral cats, also known as community cats, differ from stray cats, but any type of outdoor felines may cause damage to gardens, breed litters of kittens, initiate territorial attacks with other cats, transmit diseases, and kill countless birds per year.

With care and proper use of cruel-free deterrent and repellent techniques, you can reduce the visits to your yard while helping to control the feral cat population in your neighborhood.

Stray Cats vs. Feral Cats

There's a distinction between a stray neighborhood cat owned by a neighbor that occasionally wanders into your yard and a truly feral cat that does not have an owner or home. A wandering or stray outdoor pet may wear a collar and sometimes will be notably sociable with people.

Feral cats are quite skittish around people and will have wilder behavior than a house cat. The methods used to get rid of stray cats may differ, depending on whether you're dealing with a true feral cat or just a wandering stray pet.

10 Ways to Get Rid of Stray Cats

Remove Food Sources

Feral cats will stay in any area where food is plentiful. Avoid feeding your pets outdoors and cover trash scraps securely to deny unwelcome cats an easy meal. Do not add any meat scraps to a compost pile. Keep grills and barbecue pits clean to avoid enticing smells.

Remove Shelter

Board up holes in old sheds or garages, under decks or porches, or in simple shelters such as woodpiles or window wells to avoid providing shelter to feral cats.

Use Pebbles, Eggshells, or Chicken Wire

Cats are known for their love of relaxation and making a yard uncomfortable can discourage visitors. Fill flower beds and areas where cats tend to lounge with sharp pebbles, eggshell shards, or a layer of chicken wire so the ground will be uncomfortable.

Keep Unaltered Females Indoors

Unaltered males will be attracted to any female cats in heat. Pet owners who spay their female cats are less likely to attract wandering males. Unaltered females should be kept indoors during their heat cycles.

Use Commercial Repellent

Cats have very keen senses of smell and taste, and commercial repellents are available to discourage unwanted cats. Commercial repellents work by using odors cats find unpleasant as a deterrent. Some commercial repellents will use the scent of predators like coyotes to keep cats away. Reapply repellents after heavy rains or long periods for the best effectiveness.

Use Natural Repellent

Natural repellents to sprinkle on flowerbeds or gardens include moth balls, ammonia-soaked rags, ground mustard, cayenne pepper, citrus peels, coffee grounds, and citrus-based sprays. Remember to reapply repellents after heavy rains.

Use Motion-Activated Ultrasonic Sirens

Old-fashioned scare tactics can discourage cats from visiting a yard regularly. One method would be to use a motion-activated ultrasonic siren, which uses a startling sound that turns on when the device detects a cat's movement in front of its sensor.

Install Motion-Activated Sprinklers or Lights

Motion-activated sprinklers or lights can scare cats out of your yard and prevent them from coming back. These work in the same way as the motion-activated ultrasonic sirens, meaning they're triggered to turn on when movement is sensed, either with a brief burst of water or lights.

Add Fence Deterrents

If cats are jumping on a fence in one area, add fence deterrents. One option is an empty coffee can filled with marbles. Simply place the canister in the desired area in a way that it will fall and scare the cat when it jumps up on the fence. Another option would be to use sensitive bells or wind chimes that would make noise when the cat causes vibrations.

Install Cat-Proof Fencing

Cat-proof fencing is a type of barrier that is specifically made to deter cats. Some good options for cat-proof fencing include installing cat-proof netting that they are unable to climb and rolling bars at the top of your fence so they aren't able to scale it.

Contact the Owner

If it seems likely the stray cat is a domestic pet that just happens to be wandering, you may already recognize the pet, or it may have a collar and identification tags that allow you to contact its owner. Be reasonable but firm about the problems their pet causes in your yard. Pet owners have a responsibility to control their animals, and most owners will respect this. You may, however, need to firmly indicate that calling animal control is an option if the problem continues.

Call Animal Control

Most communities staff animal control specialists who will address wild animals or loose domestic animals that are causing danger or nuisance. The degree of involvement varies depending on your community. Some agencies will actually take measures to trap and remove a true feral cat; others will come to pick one up if you have trapped it yourself.

Use Humane Traps

Spring-loaded humane traps can be effective for catching feral cats that can then be turned over to wildlife control officials or local shelters and rescues. Place traps in areas where the cats frequent and bait them with appropriate food or appetizing scents. Be aware, though, that you may trap a different creature, such as a raccoon or opossum.

Work With Neighbors

A feral cat's territory usually extends well beyond a single yard. Talk to neighbors about the problems with feral cats and encourage them to take similar steps to discourage unwelcome visitors. Neighborhoods that work together generally have fewer problems with feral cats.

Techniques to Avoid

No matter how problematic feral cats may be in the yard, certain techniques should never be used to keep these unwanted visitors away, including:

• Poisons or any toxic contamination
• Shooting, even with non-lethal ammunition or pellet guns
• Inhumane traps, including glue traps
• Aggressive dogs

These techniques are difficult to control, and using them against feral cats can violate local laws. Furthermore, because these methods are unpredictable, using them can have negative consequences against unintentional targets such as neighbors' outdoor pets or other wildlife.

It is always wise to take steps to protect backyard birds from cats by choosing safe birdhouses and feeders, avoiding ground feeding, and providing safe cover for birds to take shelter. By protecting the birds and using different tactics to discourage any feral or stray cats, it is possible to keep feral cats out of your yard and ensure birds are safe.

What Causes Stray Cats?

Stray cats are drawn to yards where the creature is able to find food, water, and shelter. Bird lovers who have positioned birdhouses, bird feeders, and watering stations may find that neighborhood cats come in droves to hunt birds.

How to Prevent Stray Cats

Preventing stray cats from spending time in your yard is largely a matter of denying them the habitat they prefer. It is important to use several techniques to keep feral and stray cats out of your yard. While one tactic may be effective against one cat, using several techniques can be more effective to keep other stray and feral cats from moving in when the first cat has moved out. Other options include:

• Landscaping that discourages cats: Sharp foliage with strong odors, thorny bushes, stinging plants, and sharp-edged mulch can all be part of a bird-friendly landscape that discourages cats.
• Supporting community programs: Trap-Neuter-Return-Monitor (TNRM), which is supported by the ASPCA, and feral sanctuaries care for feral cats in humane ways. These programs may help reduce the feral cat population over time.
• Supporting local adoption shelters: Care facilities can provide cats with a safe, healthy home rather than permitting strays to run loose. The more support these facilities have, financially or through material donations and volunteers, the more cats they can care for.