Catpoop in the sandpit

[eggs]

I know there has just been a thread about getting rid of cats that poop in the yard, but I have a more difficult problem that I hope you can help me solve. The neigbour's cat is pooping in the kids' sandpit. Because the kids play in the sand, I can't use any hot pepper sprays, or it will get the kids too. An additional problem is that I live in Sydney, Australia, which is under strict water restrictions due to drought, so spinkler systems are currently illegal. Beyond capturing the cat and driving it many miles from home, I am stumped as to what to do.

I'm thinking that I may need to attach some kind of physical deterrent to the tops of my walls to prevent the cat entering my yard at all. I have high (above head height) timber fences all around my yard. The cat poops in my yard during the day (I cover the pit at night), but I can't keep going out there and covering the pit every time one of the kids comes inside to get a juice, or show me a boo boo or what the heck ever. What to do?

Is there some kind of sticky substance I can put on top of the walls that will hold the pepper, but won't come off if it rains? I don't want to put spikes or anything up there that could be a hinderance to soemone like the fire dept in an emergency.

Ideas, anyone?

eggs.

[Joseph Meehan]

Build a cover for the sand box.

[Terry]

Suggestion: Read somewhere that cats don't like the camphor smell of mothballs? Scatter a few in the sand box/pit and around, and try it? Also we've had some success by frightening and chasing cats aggressively and noisily away. They then learn to go somewhere else to do their business where they are not chased and barked at by humans, who also throw things at them such as jugs of water, bits of wood etc. Want to hear my imitation dog bark? The whole point being to make as much noise at the cat as reasonable the moment it comes into the 'wrong' area. I heard of one guy who played recordings of barking dogs through an extension speaker, placed in his back yard, from his stereo; don't know how well it worked. Terry in Canada.

[Suzie-Q]

-> I know there has just been a thread about getting rid of cats that poop

-> in the yard, but I have a more difficult problem that I hope you can

-> help me solve. The neigbour's cat is pooping in the kids' sandpit.

-> Because the kids play in the sand, I can't use any hot pepper sprays, or

-> it will get the kids too. An additional problem is that I live in

-> Sydney, Australia, which is under strict water restrictions due to

-> drought, so spinkler systems are currently illegal. Beyond capturing

-> the cat and driving it many miles from home, I am stumped as to what to

-> do.

->

-> I'm thinking that I may need to attach some kind of physical deterrent

-> to the tops of my walls to prevent the cat entering my yard at all. I

-> have high (above head height) timber fences all around my yard. The cat

-> poops in my yard during the day (I cover the pit at night), but I can't

-> keep going out there and covering the pit every time one of the kids

-> comes inside to get a juice, or show me a boo boo or what the heck ever.

-> What to do?

->

-> Is there some kind of sticky substance I can put on top of the walls

-> that will hold the pepper, but won't come off if it rains? I don't want

-> to put spikes or anything up there that could be a hinderance to soemone

-> like the fire dept in an emergency.

->

-> Ideas, anyone?

I agree with the person who said "build a cover." Here in the states if you buy a plastic sandbox it comes with a cover for just this reason.

I've seen covers that are as simple as a frame with some window screen. Or you could use plywood (or similar) if you're handy with tools.

[KB]

What you need to do is pour some household amonia on the wood (provided it is wood) around the sand box. Otherwise, sprinkle the amonmia around the ground near the edge. Cats hate this- it repels them. THis can also be used in the flower beds etc. Blood meal can have the same effect (get it at the garden store- its used as a fertilizer and its inexpensive). I can almost guarantee the amonia will work!

KB Missouri, USA

[Dan Hartung]

A cover can be as simple as a drag-off sheet of plywood, of course. I've also seen prop-up varieties, where the cover also acts as a sun or wind screen, but you probably don't want your kids under something like that these days. (1970 was a different story!) The niftiest one I've seen was counterbalanced like a bridge -- whatever position you tilted it to, it would stay.

[JerryMouse]

Get the kids a new kind of sand shovel. This one has slits.

It can be found in the cat section of your local pet store.

[Jeff Wisnia]

I wonder why so many people will rush to offer answers which indicate that either they didn't bother to read your whole post. Or, maybe they're just language learning disabled and couldn't get the information in the plain english in the second paragraph in your post. It clearly indicated you *have* a cover and know how to use it, but can't expect your little kids to put it on every time they leave the vicinity of the sandpit.

I'm beginning to agree with the older educators here who keep telling us how bad the illiteracy problem has gotten here in the USA. Thirty percent of the people who replied to your post told you to "get a cover" for your sandpit.

Jeff

[bitzah]

...i agree ..totally ! AND applaud your comprehension skills Also.. I could say that 95% of the respondents saw the text "Australia" and stopped right there. Their response then centered on helping out a poor 'upside down barrrstud'...we (Aussies) get this patronage All the time,, luckily we are of convict stock (thick skinned) and are thus not easily offended/ shocked (non-electric)

cheerio

BTZ

[Anonymous]

Take the cat for a LONG ride.

[eggs]

Actually, there is a camphor laurel tree growing in the sandbox,so this darned cat obviously doesn't care about the camphor smell. I would also worry about the kids (3 & 2) eating them.

aggressively and

business

Yeah, I'm the regular shreiking shrew, but I was hoping to find a more dignified way to do this! I've been yelling at that cat since the neighbours moved in about 4 months ago, and it still keeps coming back. Maybe I could rub some of those mothballs along the top of the fence? They are waxy and mightstick ...

thanks, eggs.

[eggs]

I have a cover for it that I put on in the late afternoon when the kids are finished for the day, but the cat gets in there during the day. We right in the city, so our yard is small and the kids play in the pit on and off all day - it is a big pit, maybe 6X6. It is a pain to pull the cover on and off 10 times a day. I guess I'll just have to suck it up and start doing it.

thanks, eggs.

[eggs]

They already do this. "Look Mum!! I found cat poop!!" as they run into the house clutching it in their little hands. It is actually the kids handling it that I want to avoid.

Thanks anyway, eggs.

[eggs]

deterrent

snip excellent description on how to electrify cats

I am not interested in frying the cat. Well, that's a lie, I *am* interested in frying the cat, but don't really want to set up a visible cat frying apparatus. I'm going to try the amonia suggestion and mothballs on the fence, but if they don't work I will probably rent a cage from the city to trap my problem and, if tagged, take the cat back to the neigbours and show them the evidence of my problem. If that doesn't solve the problem, then I guess I'll have to hand the cat back over to the city whith the cage.

These neighbours are 3 doors down and are not "eye contact" neighbours, even though we have tried to be "Hi there!" friendly since they have moved in. They have a large labrador and a cat in a small two bedroom row house with a heavily overgrown yard (no outdoors space), so maybe the cat is heading to our yard to escape the dog? Don't know.Anyways ...

thanks for the informative post!

eggs.

[Jim Yanik]

"eggs" wrote in news:uFfLc.9393$K53.8865@news- server.bigpond.net.au:

Build a remote controlled cover!

[default]

Why screw around? Build a screenhouse around/over the thing. Use the screenhouse to prop up your grape arbor.

[ken]

Build a remote control dog?

Have the same prob with the rototillered backyard garden.....every morning I get up and survey the entire yard for new "additions" as our spoiled "I get to live inside with the humans" dog (for some unknown reason) will eat it....UCK

Funny story..about a month ago I hear a noise out back around 9-10 PM, look n see a dark shape on the fence near the birdfeeder/birdbath, so I check it out and see a large possum having a drink AND a cat about 5 feet away, just watching it.....No doubt thinking "That is the biggest f**king mouse I've ever seen!" When our dog sees all this, she goes totally ape shit

[bitzah]

snip

..you misunderstand the purpose. No-ONE is "frying cats",, its an educational tool. Doan knock it till you at least try it. No-one here can solve YOUR problem untill YOU listen. Its all just text, otherwise:-(

Cheers BTZ

[Philip Lewis]

Here is an idea i havn't seen suggested... How about a large screenhouse over the pit? They aren't that expensive and would provide the kids a bit of shade as well...

[Bert]

As kids we always just tossed most of it into the neighbors yard ourselves, but always saved one or two turds in a corner of the sandbox, in case any girls come by, then someone would use the shovel to throw it at them!

We never involved our parents.......

Bert

Bert.