There is a new cat on my block.

[wildeyed]

I just started seeing her a few weeks ago. I am not sure who owns her. But here is my question, how can I stop her from killing all the small animals in my yard? She is quite an accomplished hunter. A few days ago, she killed a baby chipmunk. Minutes ago, she trotted past with one of my favorite cardinals dead in her mouth. I really loved watching that cardinal and his mate eat the seed pods from my flower garden.

I know the cat is obeying instinct, I don't blame her for doing what comes naturally. But it is upsetting to watch the carnage everyday. Is there anything to be done here?

[purr]

1. They make cat repellant that you can spray around your property..

I forget what its called, and theres some natural plants that cats avoid that you can plant to keep them out.

[Lorien]

2. Catch her and put a collar with a bell on her

worked really well with Jasper, the feral cat I inherited when I bought my home years ago (caught a flying squirrel days after I moved in, and I couldn't take the carnage either).

[wildeyed]

5. Excellent idea!

I will try to follow her home, see if I can find her owners. Then I will offer to buy a collar with a bell on it. The local wildlife will thank me, I'm sure.

[friesianrider]

8. If you're able...

If you can find her owners, it's also really important to make sure she is spayed or neutered. The last thing you want is 5 more hungry cats running around killing the local wildlife! :) Also with the collar, make sure it is the "breakaway" kind.

I am guessing she is not owned by anyone though - *most* cats who are fed sufficiently and regularly won't bother the wildlife (at least, my feral colony doesn't). I feed them twice a day and have three bird feeders within 50 feet of where they hang out - never had any dead birdies since the cats were eating regularly.

[wildeyed]

9. Maybe she is a stray.

I live in a fairly stable neighborhood, and we haven't had any new neighbors recently, so I was surprised to see this adult cat show up and make my front yard her territory. She looks pretty well fed, so I assumed she was a pet. But maybe she is just a really good hunter.

There is another adolescent black cat in not as good shape that my husband spotted. I told him to try to feed the kitten if he saw it again so we could try to help.

Maybe I will leave some food on the front porch for both of them. Problem with that tactic is, we will probably attract raccoons, too.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. Cats loathe the smell of orange peels, if that's any help.

[BrklynLiberal]

6. Yes! I read that too!! Cover your yard with orange peels.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

7. Or start up an orange grove...

[IndyOp]

4. If you can find out who owns her -

maybe even leave polite notes in neighbor's mailboxes asking them who owns her - maybe they would be willing to put on a collar with a bell, like Lorien suggested. They probably don't know about the carnage and might prefer that their cat not dine on wildlife. (That would be my feeling about the situation - it is all good fun for cats to watch and chase, but I wouldn't want them to catch anybody).

:hi:

[demnan]

10. Offer her some dry cat food and fresh water

If she seems more interested in that than hunting you know she needs a home and you can try to rescue her, otherwise someone owns her. Charley used to hunt around my bird feeder, that's how I found out he was outside and hungry.