At 09:59 AM 9/9/97 -0700, Diane de Ryss wrote:

> We have a constant battle with cats coming
>into our backyard.

Me too! They use the flower beds for litter boxes. I laid chicken wire OVER
the flower beds (plants grows up through it). Aesthetically unpleasing, but
they can't dig there. They still come around and spray though. My sister
suggested mothballs in a plastic bag with holes punched to let the aroma
out. Jury's still out on effectiveness, and I worry if there may be some
toxic concern.


>I
>don't begrudge my neighbors having cats for pets, I just wish they would
>stay in their own yards.

It's tough when you want to keep good relations with your neighbors, so they
don't encourage their kids to egg your house around the end of October, or
aim their fireworks at your roof in summer. I'm already the oddball in my
neighborhood, I don't think cat complaints would help.

>
>We have blocked many cat entrances under the fences, but have left one
>side fence open underneath since we are also occasionally visited by
>raccoons (we'd like to continue to give them a safe place to sleep).

I seem to have reduced the cat traffic in my yard just by chasing them when
I see them. The bolder ones get rocks pegged in their direction (not aiming
to hit them, hey! I have a cat too, but he stays inside). I'm establishing
my territory. My security lights don't pop on in the middle of the night
as much as they did two years ago. When I have a full fence, I hope things
will improve a little more.


Michael B. Brown
Puyallup, Washington
H-253-841-4281
W-253-841-8733
C-253-208-9588
borealis at borealis.seanet.com

"...I am glad I shall never be young without
wild country to be young in." -Aldo Leopold

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