• 0
Copy Link

Does the cat in my yard need help?

There are a lot of stray or outdoor cats in my neighborhood, and thanks to the previous owner of my house, they use my yard as home base. Last night, one of the cats ran around my house, poked its nose around my porch, and looked anxious for over 2 hours. Normally, the cats come and go more casually than this. We had a heavy snowfall a few days ago and I wonder if it needs help getting to something. Does it live under my porch? I hope not, because it snowed over the weekend and if the cat had a nest under there, it's been abandoned for a pretty long time. I never feed or encourage the stray cats, but I don't want them to suffer, especially if it actually belongs to my neighbor. I have no idea who has outdoor cats and some cats have huge territories, so it doesn't make sense to ask around. Should I help? How could I help? I don't know what it wants.

  Topic Pets Subtopic Cat Ownership
3 Years 2 Answers 2.1k views

Sarah C

Knowledge Areas : Crafts, Making and Tinkering, Horror, Literary Fiction, Magical Realism, Thrillers

Reputation Score: 656

Related Questions
Answer this Question

Submit An Answer

Answers ( 2 )

 
  1. Jess H. Brewer 1718

    It wants in, of course.  But remember this:  If you feed it, you own it! 

    UTC 2020-12-16 09:42 PM 0 Comments
  2. Shawn Tylka 140

    It's possible the cat was looking for a warm or safe location. There are some good tutorials on cheap and quick winter homes for feral cats, like this one:

    https://youtu.be/IkrbepAkxL8  These "homes' keep the animal safe during poor weather. 


    As Jess said, if you feed it it's yours. So you need to decide if you want a new pet - even if it is an outdoor one.  


    If you don't want the kitties to hang around your yard there are some ways to discourage them. 

    • Cats have a strong sense of smell and taste. There are some commercial sprays you could use but even better to discourage unwanted cats you can use natural repellents to sprinkle on flowerbeds or gardens: moth balls, ammonia soaked rags, ground mustard, cayenne pepper, citrus peels, coffee grounds, and citrus-based sprays. Reapply repellents after heavy rains or long periods for the best effectiveness.
    • Motion activated lights, sprinklers and some noisemakers have been known to scare the cats away. 
    • Humane traps are available at most hardware stores and you could trap them and take to a shelter. 

    Good luck. 

    UTC 2021-03-04 09:02 PM 0 Comments

To answer this question, you must be logged in.

Create an account

Already have an account? Login.

By Signing up, you indicate that you have read and agree to Sage's Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy