Q&A for How to Get Rid of Cats

You can actually buy pet doors that are microchip enabled, so they only open for your pet. Another option is to get ones that open with a magnetic collar on your cat or dog.

Try spraying the outside of the doggie door with white or apple cider vinegar. All cats are different, but most cats hate the smell, and it is nontoxic.

Cats naturally attack smaller animals. The cat will attack, kill, and eat your pet rabbit. Make sure that your rabbit is in an enclosed area or inside at times you are not around him.

I recommend you close your garage, or close the space where the cats are coming in from.

Garlic will not, but orange peels or lemon skins are good options because cats hate citrus. Most cats also don't like fruit smells.

We had the same problem and there is usually a hole or gap in the attic where cats can enter. We went up to our roof, which scared the cats out, and then closed the hole up.

Try spraying the other cats with a hose if possible or have a spray bottle ready to spray them. Consider bringing your outside cats inside if you sense a fight will break out.

If she can't afford to surrender them to a shelter, I suggest trying to adopt them out yourselves. Use local Facebook groups, local free advertising platforms, town bulletin boards, posters, craigslist, etc. Just include a phone number and pictures and offer the cats for free to good homes.

It's not mean. You might feel bad about leaving them out there, but many strays could bring diseases and fleas into the house. Most strays are pretty capable of taking care of themselves.

See How to Kill Fleas and Ticks on Cats .

You can either call animal control, or have a house inspecter open up the roof and he/she can help remove the cat.

Next time you replace your mulch, try lava rock instead. It lasts forever while keeping its color, and cats won't mess with it.

A good first step would be moving the car so the cats no longer have a place to live. You could also spray the area with a commercial cat repellent. Or, if you know what the stray cats are eating, remove their food source.

First, try talk to the owner about the problem you have with their cats. If they are not receptive and the cats are violating health codes, you may be able to file a report with your local city officials.

You should take them to your local shelter since you cannot properly care for them. The shelter will spay and neuter them before they are adopted. If you don't do this, the cats will continue to reproduce and you will have more and more. Do the right thing.

Block off any gaps in your home's foundation with chicken wire. You'll also need to remove whatever food source the feral cats have access to.

You could either stop letting them in your car, or put towels down on the areas they use. If they do end up doing their business in your car, immediately remove it, clean the area (preferably using cold water), and use lemon juice and/or diluted vinegar to get rid of the odor. (All cars are different, but as a warning, the padding on your seats may become stained from using this method. Make sure that these products will not harm the seat covers.)

Check for a collar. If no, then she could be stray.

I have found that spraying the area with Clorox bleach works and naturalizes the smell. Just spray (it will foam up) and let dry.

Leaving food out will always attract other cats.

Try putting up cat-proof fencing around your property, or installing a motion-activated water sprinkler system. You could also get a dog to chase the cats off, or borrow a friend's dog for a few days.

If you have carpeting, sprinkle baking soda over the area that smells bad, then spritz undiluted white vinegar over the baking soda. Wait until the baking soda dries, then vacuum it up. Repeat if necessary. If you have hard flooring, spray undiluted white vinegar, or a half bleach, half water mixture (if it's safe for your type of floor), and let it set about an hour. Mop it up. Repeat if necessary.

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If you suspect that the cat is a pet, you could take a photo and post some "found cat" fliers. Or, humanely trap the cat, and take it to your local animal shelter. They'll re-home the cat.

Remove any sources of food or shelter that the feral (or stray) cat could be surviving on or living in. You could also invest in a cat-proof fence to keep the unwanted cat away.

Try to get some glass bird feeders. Spray the cat with water or sprinkle the grass with small amounts of pepper.

No. Find something else, like lavender oil. Garlic can be toxic to cats. Another option is just cleaning up the pine needles.

Are the cats feral, or do they belong to a neighbor? If feral, you can trap them. If a neighbor's, talk to the neighbor about containing their pets. Just be careful not to let the cats inside otherwise.

Kindly ask your neighbor to stop and explain the situation.

Your first step should be talking to your neighbor. Once she realizes that the cat is causing problems for you, hopefully she'll keep it indoors at night.