How to keep cats out of your garage?

In reply to Marjorie Suddard :

Brilliant! 
 

It does require you knowing that the cat is there, but once you see it there, you can fire up the leaf blower. I can't imagine needing to repeat this. 

mtn said:

Specifically, one of these: 

 

My brother has two GWPs. They see cats as varmints that must be killed. 

My dog is like this, but it backfires.  Then you find yourself trying to chase your dog down.

Although one day I was eating breakfast and looked outside to see my dog barking up at a tree.  The neighbors cat was precariously perched about 25 feet up.  It was pretty amusing.

alfadriver said:

In reply to wae & Driven5 :

We've decided that's the next step.  I can reuse my groundhog trap.

Not a bad idea either.  This can be catch and release but...  

The core idea seems to be make other places look more attractive or generally make your place seem unattractive.  The blower and noises as mentioned are things to make the place unattractive.  Even just one evenings worth of lost personal freedom while being trapped in a humane groundhog trap could also be the means of making the place unattractive.  

Outside of firing something loud up every time we go to the garage, I've also contacted the local humane society to see if they have suggestions.  

Saw an article in the paper pointing out the differences between cat and dog ordinances here.  If this were a dog, there is real responsibility in lack of control.  Not so much for cats.  Even though the odds of a rabid bat encounter is much higher with cats. (which is the source for dog control laws).

At least the idea of trapping a cat for the night should make it not want to come back.

The loud noises won't just scare the cat away--they usually respond very promptly to that kind of aversion therapy by changing their behaviors. A good twofer might be trap, point it toward exit, fire up blower, open trap and bid permanent good-bye to cat's company.

alfadriver said:

At least the idea of trapping a cat for the night should make it not want to come back.

Nope.

I've trapped the same cat(s) over and over again with the same trap. Sometimes during the same day. Cats cannot resist a trap. Or a box.

Have you spoken to the neighbour?

Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) said:

..A motivated cat is pretty difficult to discourage...

for training indoors cats to avoid things like jumping on the counters, there are motion activated compressed air cans (brand name in the photo):

...and plastic mats with imbedded wires (Scatmat),

 

...which would be my suggestion.

I had a cat that loved to play with the air can and would just jump over the scat mat.  Unless it was unplugged, then she'd sleep on it.

Marjorie Suddard said:

Our cat kept sneaking into the garage from the house whenever we went out, prompting fun cat-and-human games while we tried to cajole and shoo him back inside--usually from the furthest reaches of the Edsel's generous underneath. This went on until I had the bright idea to swing the door to the house wide open and then start up the Shelby. Couple stabs of the gas and Luke went shooting back into the house. Now when he sees the door to the garage open, he heads the other way fast.
I would think a leaf blower and open garage door would also do the trick. No need to blow at the cat--the noise should do it.

Margie

Sounds like Alpha needs to buy a Shelby.  You know, for the humane treatment of the animals...

In reply to Mr. Peabody :

I have.  And they really have done nothing.  

APEowner said:

Marjorie Suddard said:

Our cat kept sneaking into the garage from the house whenever we went out, prompting fun cat-and-human games while we tried to cajole and shoo him back inside--usually from the furthest reaches of the Edsel's generous underneath. This went on until I had the bright idea to swing the door to the house wide open and then start up the Shelby. Couple stabs of the gas and Luke went shooting back into the house. Now when he sees the door to the garage open, he heads the other way fast.
I would think a leaf blower and open garage door would also do the trick. No need to blow at the cat--the noise should do it.

Margie

Sounds like Alpha needs to buy a Shelby.  You know, for the humane treatment of the animals...

I have an Alfa.

alfadriver said:

APEowner said:

Marjorie Suddard said:

until I had the bright idea to swing the door to the house wide open and then start up the Shelby. Couple stabs of the gas and Luke went shooting back into the house.

Sounds like Alpha needs to buy a Shelby.  You know, for the humane treatment of the animals...

I have an Alfa.

 

then you must change your name to Shelby.

In reply to Brett_Murphy (Agent of Chaos) :

I think I can put something like that in one place.  Every other ones are areas that birds feed off the ground, and they would get it.

In reply to Brett_Murphy (Agent of Chaos) :

Yep, turnah81 is the foremost expert in feline repulsion  technology.

In reply to alfadriver :

I think you can adjust the sensitivity of the motion sensor, too. I know the ones for game cameras can filter out things based on size.

There's a commercial version of the motion activated water sprinkler.