Any ideas in how to keep or discourage feral cats from boarding your boat? They're becoming a nuisance in our marina despite efforts to trap and otherwise control them. I'm wondering if there are any measures that can be taken to either keep them off the docks so they can't get to the boats or, if that's not practical off the boats. Note that our docks aren't gated and, even if they were, I'm not sure they'd be cat-proof.
Feral Cats
- Thread starter Bob Camarena
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I know What You Mean...
...we get them on our boats in Shoreline Marina, Long Beach, CA. I never encountered them in Marina del Rey, probably because the retaining walls were poured concrete rather than rock, where they live and feed. And, of course, folks feed them too. We found we could not leave the dog food or water out in the cockpit overnight, and one of them got into someone's hatch and really made a mess of the v-berth. Additionally, they shredded my car cover which I wasn't ready to replace. So, I have nothing to offer but will be interested in the replies. Rick D.
...we get them on our boats in Shoreline Marina, Long Beach, CA. I never encountered them in Marina del Rey, probably because the retaining walls were poured concrete rather than rock, where they live and feed. And, of course, folks feed them too. We found we could not leave the dog food or water out in the cockpit overnight, and one of them got into someone's hatch and really made a mess of the v-berth. Additionally, they shredded my car cover which I wasn't ready to replace. So, I have nothing to offer but will be interested in the replies. Rick D.
I know that this will sound silly but I have
gotten unwanted cats to avoid me and mine with big sloppy spit balls and a piece of 3/4 pvc pipe. Chew up a big wad of paper, get it really sloppy, put it in the pvc pipe and use it like a bean shooter. If you are good you can hit the beast at 30 feet and he will spend the rest of the day licking his fur clean of your insult.
gotten unwanted cats to avoid me and mine with big sloppy spit balls and a piece of 3/4 pvc pipe. Chew up a big wad of paper, get it really sloppy, put it in the pvc pipe and use it like a bean shooter. If you are good you can hit the beast at 30 feet and he will spend the rest of the day licking his fur clean of your insult.
Get a new pet
Perhaps a mongoose or a ferret to live aboard the boat. That is what the Army Corps of Engineers did on the island of St. Thomas to combat snakes and someone did on most Hawaiian islands. I saw feral cats defer to a mongoose on Maui for some food left (presumably) for the cats by some do-gooder. Seriously though no one wants a mongoose or ferret living on their sailboat. That situation could be a lot worse than the occasional feral cat. I like the idea of leaving a can or 2 of cat food on land at the beginning of the dock. This would help train them that food can be found on land rather than on your boat although it sounds more like they seem to like the private, enclosed feeling they get on the boat as a den. Some other suggestions: - make sure your vessel does not have rodents - make it a less desireable place for them. They do not like unexpected noises like dogs barking or machinery (lawn mowers etc) so if you could rig up something that would turn on every hour or so that would play some discordant noises to a cat they would split. This might startle your dock neigbors too! - cats are sensitive to odors as well. Get some dog urine and leave a bit on deck when departing your boat. - emulate Joshua Slocum. Get some copper carpet tacks (or equivalent in copper) and rig up some strips of fabric with the points facing up. Secure these on the edges of your boat closest to the dock where the cats would board. - if you fish on your boat make sure to wash it down after every catch. - those windmill like seagull repelliing gizmos might help a bit. - leave at least one loose halyard. This will piss off your dock neigbors as well though. There it is. I have thought of nothing and I am all out of ideas. Good luck.
Perhaps a mongoose or a ferret to live aboard the boat. That is what the Army Corps of Engineers did on the island of St. Thomas to combat snakes and someone did on most Hawaiian islands. I saw feral cats defer to a mongoose on Maui for some food left (presumably) for the cats by some do-gooder. Seriously though no one wants a mongoose or ferret living on their sailboat. That situation could be a lot worse than the occasional feral cat. I like the idea of leaving a can or 2 of cat food on land at the beginning of the dock. This would help train them that food can be found on land rather than on your boat although it sounds more like they seem to like the private, enclosed feeling they get on the boat as a den. Some other suggestions: - make sure your vessel does not have rodents - make it a less desireable place for them. They do not like unexpected noises like dogs barking or machinery (lawn mowers etc) so if you could rig up something that would turn on every hour or so that would play some discordant noises to a cat they would split. This might startle your dock neigbors too! - cats are sensitive to odors as well. Get some dog urine and leave a bit on deck when departing your boat. - emulate Joshua Slocum. Get some copper carpet tacks (or equivalent in copper) and rig up some strips of fabric with the points facing up. Secure these on the edges of your boat closest to the dock where the cats would board. - if you fish on your boat make sure to wash it down after every catch. - those windmill like seagull repelliing gizmos might help a bit. - leave at least one loose halyard. This will piss off your dock neigbors as well though. There it is. I have thought of nothing and I am all out of ideas. Good luck.
Cats
Cats are very skilled at keeping vermin off of boats out of barns and generally de-ratting things nicely. Some people hate 'em, some love 'em; all told they just follow their nature. Which is more than most people can say. Your local humane society probably has live traps for a small weekly fee. They will take them in for free if you use their trap and euthenize them when they are brought in (feral cats seldom make good pets).
Cats are very skilled at keeping vermin off of boats out of barns and generally de-ratting things nicely. Some people hate 'em, some love 'em; all told they just follow their nature. Which is more than most people can say. Your local humane society probably has live traps for a small weekly fee. They will take them in for free if you use their trap and euthenize them when they are brought in (feral cats seldom make good pets).
Feral cats are vermin!!!!
We had some at a medical school where I worked. Idiots kept feeding them and the population grew until they became a health hazard. Finally the medical school had them trapped. They carry rabies and other diseases and they eat almost any snmall animal. Live trpping and taking to animal control seems like the best approach. Most places you would get into trouble for killing them yourself. BTW I like cats as pets and my daughters have had several over the years. But as an environmentalist I look upon feral cats as a plague on small animals and as a health hazard.
We had some at a medical school where I worked. Idiots kept feeding them and the population grew until they became a health hazard. Finally the medical school had them trapped. They carry rabies and other diseases and they eat almost any snmall animal. Live trpping and taking to animal control seems like the best approach. Most places you would get into trouble for killing them yourself. BTW I like cats as pets and my daughters have had several over the years. But as an environmentalist I look upon feral cats as a plague on small animals and as a health hazard.
this could go on for a while Higgs!
Higgs: "Put metal plates on your deck that are plugged into shore power. Cats are scum anyways." "Dogs are pita (pain in the a..), but they will get rid of the cats. Then you can introduce coyotes to get rid of the dogs." Are you a naturalist too! How do you get rid of coyotes? Maybe a cougar or two! Then how do you get rid of the cougar?.............
Higgs: "Put metal plates on your deck that are plugged into shore power. Cats are scum anyways." "Dogs are pita (pain in the a..), but they will get rid of the cats. Then you can introduce coyotes to get rid of the dogs." Are you a naturalist too! How do you get rid of coyotes? Maybe a cougar or two! Then how do you get rid of the cougar?.............
Getting rid of cougars (for Steve)
Getting rid of cougars is pretty easy. Just build a subdivision or two in the middle of their habitat. How do we get rid of the subdivisions? That's easy too. Sell the houses with minimum-payment mortgages and no money down and wait for everybody to default and... Wait a minute, that's already been done!
Peter H23 "Raven"
Getting rid of cougars is pretty easy. Just build a subdivision or two in the middle of their habitat. How do we get rid of the subdivisions? That's easy too. Sell the houses with minimum-payment mortgages and no money down and wait for everybody to default and... Wait a minute, that's already been done!
Peter H23 "Raven"Peter
Peter: Obviously you have not gotten the news that the cougars DO NOT MOVE when the houses are placed within the habitat. They just hide and eat the neighbors (one at a time) after the other critters move out.
Peter: Obviously you have not gotten the news that the cougars DO NOT MOVE when the houses are placed within the habitat. They just hide and eat the neighbors (one at a time) after the other critters move out.
Guard Gators
On the bayou we just let the gators guard the boat. Keeps all cats, dogs, ducks, and small children from messing with the boat.
On the bayou we just let the gators guard the boat. Keeps all cats, dogs, ducks, and small children from messing with the boat.
We have no Rats or Cats
My present marina is free of rats and cats. I have seen racoons and skunks nearby. A cat would make a tasty meal for a racoon. But Chuck might have teh answer. Wheeler lake has a few gators I have seen them while kayaking. They might cruise the docks from time to time. Wheeler also has or at least had a 126# catfish they would eat a cat or small gator. There are probably coyotes around too..at least they have been seen in the county. Cats are fairly low on the food chain and large concentrated populations can only exist where they are protected and fed. Probably if the idiots at your marina would stop feeding the things they would move on or starve. Either way eliminateing their food would solve the problem. My main concern about feral cats being fed is that you make an unnaturally high population of predators that eat all the little critters. I like all the little lizards and birds. Cougars are in trouble!!!! People go crazy with worry about a cougar being seen but dogs kill far more people especially children. It does seem that people want to move into wildlife habitat and then they decide the wildlife must go. Alligators are the problem in the south. People want waterfront property next to beautiful wetlands. Then they want all the gators gone just because they eat a few dogs... If you don't like gators then don't build a house near a swamp!!! When I take my dog where there might be gators I keep him out of the water. I don't expect all the gators to be killed.
My present marina is free of rats and cats. I have seen racoons and skunks nearby. A cat would make a tasty meal for a racoon. But Chuck might have teh answer. Wheeler lake has a few gators I have seen them while kayaking. They might cruise the docks from time to time. Wheeler also has or at least had a 126# catfish they would eat a cat or small gator. There are probably coyotes around too..at least they have been seen in the county. Cats are fairly low on the food chain and large concentrated populations can only exist where they are protected and fed. Probably if the idiots at your marina would stop feeding the things they would move on or starve. Either way eliminateing their food would solve the problem. My main concern about feral cats being fed is that you make an unnaturally high population of predators that eat all the little critters. I like all the little lizards and birds. Cougars are in trouble!!!! People go crazy with worry about a cougar being seen but dogs kill far more people especially children. It does seem that people want to move into wildlife habitat and then they decide the wildlife must go. Alligators are the problem in the south. People want waterfront property next to beautiful wetlands. Then they want all the gators gone just because they eat a few dogs... If you don't like gators then don't build a house near a swamp!!! When I take my dog where there might be gators I keep him out of the water. I don't expect all the gators to be killed.
funny thing about racoons
There is a state park that is across the bayou from us. There are alot of racoons that will come over to the marina to pillage. Racoons usually come out a little after dark. I have seen them throw sticks into water where the gator usually hangs out to distract him while they swim across to get to marina. The racoons are our biggest nusiance. They love to slide on the deck of our boat. Many times we have returned to the boat after a racoon party to have the decks just caked in mud. The gators just kinda hang out. Last weekend I was painting toe-rail from dingy while "Sam" just watched not more that five feet away. He is about five or six feet long. What worries me is that he is not scared of us. But he has been around for the last two years not bothering anyone. We have many gators around and the only one that bothers me is the granddaddy that is about ten or eleven feet long. He is truly impressive while gliding by about ten feet away. He lives up in the swampy area and does not come by often.
There is a state park that is across the bayou from us. There are alot of racoons that will come over to the marina to pillage. Racoons usually come out a little after dark. I have seen them throw sticks into water where the gator usually hangs out to distract him while they swim across to get to marina. The racoons are our biggest nusiance. They love to slide on the deck of our boat. Many times we have returned to the boat after a racoon party to have the decks just caked in mud. The gators just kinda hang out. Last weekend I was painting toe-rail from dingy while "Sam" just watched not more that five feet away. He is about five or six feet long. What worries me is that he is not scared of us. But he has been around for the last two years not bothering anyone. We have many gators around and the only one that bothers me is the granddaddy that is about ten or eleven feet long. He is truly impressive while gliding by about ten feet away. He lives up in the swampy area and does not come by often.
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