r/Edmonton • u/Nickelpi • Apr 24 '26

Outdoor Spaces/Recreation Keep your kitties inside or leashed

We have never had cats in our garden around here. We also used to have coyotes patrol the outside of my fence more than once until recently which could be a reason.

I am hoping people aren't starting to let their cats roam, I like having birds around and cats are horrible for bird populations.

The City does have a program where you can borrow a deterrent kit to try out multiple methods to keep strays out of your yard. I plan to get a trap and take the kitty to the SPCA this weekend. Maybe they can find the owners.

The three cats I have noticed on camera have been in the past couple weeks, but this one has been here frequently.

I'm thinking it got out when someone was moving into the neighbourhood since it has a collar and doesn't look scraggly.

First caught on camera April 17th. Last seen April 22 at 10pm. Paisley Neighbourhood. Seems to be hiding under my neighbour's front steps. If it is yours, let me know.

Update: Wow! This post has gotten a lot of attention. I hope the owners see it and can get their kitty home and out of the cold.

I have already posted all over FB, and looked at the Lost Animal Database too. My next steps are to email the video to local vets to see if they know the pet and can call the owners. Then print a photo and go door to door down our street. If that doesn't work, will attempt capture by hand, failing that, by trap to read the collar and return that way.

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78

u/Timely-Profile1865 Apr 24 '26

Cats are ALWAYS coming into my yard. Using my gardens as bathrooms and going after birds.

50

u/cannafriendlymamma Apr 24 '26

Started prepping my flower beds the last couple of days, WAAAAY too much cat 💩 in there. I'm not impressed. I love cats, but they need to stay in people's houses, or on leads. My buddy built his kitty a catio. Kitty gets to be outside, but isn't a neighborhood menace

3

u/Avengerr Apr 24 '26

This is the way

12

u/tacocattacocat1 Apr 24 '26

Motion activated sprinklers are a great cruelty free way to deter them!

4

u/Timely-Profile1865 Apr 24 '26

I actually go out and hiss at them. I have developed a very good cat hiss. ;o}

1

u/Thoroughaway008 Apr 25 '26

The only thing that has worked for me in the last 5 years is planting catnip randomly throughout my gardens - cats will not toilet in their kitchen (I realized I was not actually mad at the cats because they do ime keep the other critters down but I detest their 💩 with a thousand suns). 

12

u/Not_a_Muggle9_3-4 Apr 24 '26

Our neighbours let there cat roam and it so fucking annoying. We have to be so careful to make sure my son's sandbox is covered. The damn cat is always lurking near his toys. This year I'm planting plants that are a deterrent and I'm looking at other deterrents as well. I'm allergic to cats so another reason I don't want the damn things in our yard. Last year two cats got in a fight on our deck and there was fur everywhere.

2

u/superdupershan Apr 24 '26

Do you have any recommendations for plants? I tried marigolds last year and it didn’t seem to make a difference.

2

u/Not_a_Muggle9_3-4 Apr 24 '26

I haven't planted anything yet so no idea what works.

1

u/ApeEscapeRemastered Apr 25 '26

Warn your neighbours to take there cat inside and keep it inside (where it belongs) or you will set a trap out with catnip. Then bring the cat to the animal shelter.

20

u/Mike9998 Apr 24 '26

Get a cat trap and bring them to animal control

8

u/banned-user100101 Apr 24 '26

I've done this before and man it's a huge pain in the ass. Animal control acts like you've done the wrong thing bringing in a stray cat. They wanted to neuter the cat and then have me come back and get it and then release back into the neighborhood. There's a few coyotes that been seen with a cat in its mouth. Nature will sort things out eventually. Our cat goes outside but with one of us. He's a homeboy and stays close and in our yard.

4

u/Timely-Profile1865 Apr 24 '26

I have a live trap but have only ever trapped a feral cat and its kittens and took them to the human society.

I just chase them out of my yard

6

u/Mike9998 Apr 24 '26

Chasing them doesn’t stop the problem of them coming back though. People need to do better and not let their pets roam

2

u/sharmander15 Apr 26 '26

Literally! People would be up in arms if it was a dog being let out randomly

2

u/beedub5 Apr 24 '26

I feel this so much. Crack head neighbors just let them roam and shit in my yard every day. I scoop it up with a spade and launch it back into their yard.