Neighbor feeds stray cats

debbie321

Fri, Oct 19 2018, 11:04 am

My neighbor has a cat that lives in her house. She noticed a stray cat and started putting food out for it. Im not an animal hater, But this stray sits in my yard, on my kids toys, goes thru my garbage and makes a mess. Sukkos time, it hung out near my sukka, waiying for us to open the door. It follows my kids when they come out. Now it has a friend
This one has no fear, lives in my yard amd makes a mess. 1 of my kids is scared of animals amd runs away. Another 1 loves animals, and is too young to understand, so he tried to chase it to pick it up...and it is wild!!
I spoke 2 my neighbor and asked if they could stop feeding it.they wont. I explained the issue is it waits in my yard for them to feed it, and is all over my toys, my grill, when I go to my yard( which is alot) ots there..any suggestions?
Someone told me to put black pepper in my yard, the cat will hate it... looking for other ideas..

amother

Green

Fri, Oct 19 2018, 12:47 pm

debbie321 wrote:

Outdoors is outdoors.... Not sure you can protect your grill from cats or birds or earthworms any more than you can stop it from getting rained on. It's outside.

I understand you obviously have a distaste for cats but I can tell you, as a cat lover and outdoor cat feeder, that you are unlikely to have any luck in dissuading your neighbor.... Car lovers are extremely determined and committed....

amother

Plum

Fri, Oct 19 2018, 3:00 pm

ugh I think its a real problem
stray cats breed stray cats
hygiene -- can spread disease
feces
and that and food out and garbage torn open can lead to other issues too
you can google remedies there are hardware stores that sell sprays of animals (like predators or dogs) and the like to discourage unwanted animal intruders

as a dedicated and committed animal lover who is feeding the cat does your neighbor want to take it to a vet and pay to get it vaccinated and neutered or spayed?

is there animal control where you live? if its about the outdoors then yes many animals are captured or otherwise discouraged from making a home and nuisance in someones elses yard.

I've been in neighborhoods where they take over, howling screeching all night, and so on -- and thats not about being a cat lover.

amother

Honeydew

Fri, Oct 19 2018, 3:16 pm

This may not be PC, but it solved our problem with the stray feeder. I live in NYC, where the city couldn't care less about them. Last year, somebody who doesn't even live on my block began putting out food and drink for the cats along the curbs on my block, including in front of my property.

When DH went out one night and saw them doing it, he confronted them, and they claimed that it's city property, and he has no right to object, to which he replied that if he ever sees it happen again, he will put out identical containers full of antifreeze, which will poison and kill the cats. Before you scream at me, DH did not do this and would never do this, but the threat did the trick, and we never saw any more feedings in front of our house again.

debbie321

Fri, Oct 19 2018, 5:20 pm

amother wrote:

Its my next door neighbor. Not frum but we are their only connection to yiddishkeit. As in the husband makes jewish jokes with my husband

Im tempted to do this. Spraying them didnt work. I wemt outside 2 apray pepper in am area ot walks thru, and it didnt run...its getting too comfortablr
Tho for the sake of cat lovers, not gonna post if I actually do this...
Thanks every1

amother

Babypink

Sat, Oct 20 2018, 3:16 pm

We have the same problem. It's horrific. There is a man who puts of water bowls and bowls of wet cat food all around our building. It attracts all the stray cats in the neighborhood. Its yerushalyim so we are talking a ton of cats. The stench is unbelievable. The yard is filled with fleas and ticks. At night we hear the screams of cat fights. Neighbors have taken him to court but there is no real way to stop him. The only solution is for us is to move.

amother

Crimson

Sat, Oct 20 2018, 7:15 pm

amother wrote:

Be careful with this, because that might be Tza'ar ba'alei chayim. Also anti-freeze is incredibly attractive to not only cats, but other dogs... and you could face a major lawsuit if chas v'shalom a child saw and got into that poison. I wouldn't take that chance in a million years.

amother

Honeydew

Sat, Oct 20 2018, 7:52 pm

amother wrote:

That's why I wrote that we didn't do this and never would do it. But the cat lover doesn't know this, and the threat scared him off.

A_Mother_First

Sat, Oct 20 2018, 11:34 pm

debbie321 wrote:

Please do not use antifreeze. It is a slow, terrible death for any creature that was created by G-d (no matter how annoying it may be to have around). In addition to violating Torah laws of Tzaar Baalei Chaim, it is also a FELONY in NY state.

A few practical suggestions on what to do instead:

1. Explain to your neighbour that she needs to remove the food bowl after each feeding so that it does not attract additional animals, including raccons. If the cats soil your backyard it is also her responsibility to clean after them.
2. If she wants to feed strays, it is her responsibily to pay someone from one of the many NY rescue groups to come and do TNR (Trap, Nueter, Return): humanely trap the cats, take them to a vet and get them fixed and vaccinated. Doing this will ensure two things: a. It will prevent generations of cats from being born in your backyard. b. it will ensure that the cats do not have rabies and other diseases that may be transmitted to your children. If she tells you that the cats have already been 'fixed', see if they are ear-tipped and ask to see a rabies vaccination tag proof as well. Cats who have been through the procedure are ear-tipped. If they are not, chances are they are not fixed.

( Halacha wise: It may be more of an issue to nueter a male cat than to spay a female. But she can get a non-Jewish rescue person to come and take the animal to a vet, and that may solve the problem.)

She is not doing the cats a favor by just feeding them but neglecting every other aspect of their well being or yours. You may not be able to 'get rid' of the cats' presence entirely, but there are steps that can be taken to minimize any related inconvenience. On the positive note, you are less likely to have mice and other rodents in your yard or home with the cats being around. I hope this helps.

A_Mother_First

Sun, Oct 21 2018, 9:46 pm

MrsDash wrote:

Just call animal control. What’s the big deal over here? Worst case scenario, set a trap for the strays and bring them to the shelter yourself. Problem solved.

If you are bringing to a shelter, please bring to a non-kill one. At ACC in Brooklyn or Manhattan, the cats are most likely to be killed if they are not adoptable (not 'friendly'; e.g. do not allow petting).

Personally, I would not want to feel responsible for the death of an animal. They did not choose to be born on the streets and have a harsh life.

amother

Goldenrod

Sun, Oct 21 2018, 10:41 pm

MrsDash wrote:

Just call animal control. What’s the big deal over here? Worst case scenario, set a trap for the strays and bring them to the shelter yourself. Problem solved.

You can’t catch feral cats without a trap. Also, they will be euthanized at the shelter. Better to convincer the neighbor to have them spayed/neutered. That is the smartest, kindest, most helpful way to fix this situation.