Any cat lovers here?

[MuchoReverbo]

I need cat lovers help!!!

I just walked back inside my house after getting ready to wash my Chevrolet 2500 Cargo Van that I use occasionally for various hauling and utilities work. It comes in handy. It also has a trailer hitch and I use it for towing but not every day.

I hadn't driven it in about 3 weeks and when I went to use it yesterday to go pick up some stuff from ACE Hardware I noticed a nasty smell inside. Smelled like something was dead or spoiled or something. Really strong. So I rolled down the windows and aired it out as I was driving but after I exited the hardware store and drove back home it still had a really strong odor inside. I thought maybe there were some dead mice or something under my hood or underneath somewhere.

So today when I had some spare time I decided to really give it a good cleaning. I backed it out of my driveway and parked it on a slope with the back doors open so when I sprayed inside the water would roll out the back. I emptied the inerior out and got my pressure washer loaded with Simple Green and sprayed the entire interior out clean as a whistle.

Next I moved to the engine compartment. I popped the hood and when I lifted it up I about had a heart attack! There were 3 kittens living in my engine compartment on top of the engine! They must have been riding in it the previous day too because they didn't leave when I was driving in my driveway. Just rode along.

One black kitten jumped out and ran away but the other two stayed on top of the engine. So I got my pressure washer and put the low pressure nozzle on it and started to soak the engine down. The other two kittens finally ran off too but I had to spray them to convince them to go.

So I cleaned up the engine compartment and hopefully the smell will be gone. They must have basically been using it as their litter box. I've seen the mother cat roaming around too so it's an entire family.

My question to you cat lovers is, what can I do to keep them out without hurting them? I'm definitely not going to adopt them. They are feral cats and I don't want a whole family of them.

The only positive I can see is I probably won't have any damage to my wiring under there from mice if there are cats living there but I can't handle the smell. It's terrible plus who wants to be driving around with a bunch of cats under the hood?

What can I do to keep them out?

It's one thing after another with critters out here in the countryside of Tennessee. I have to contend with; mice, snakes, moles, racoons, possums, turtles, herons, river otters, stray dogs & cats. It's never-ending!

 

[Celadon]

I may not suggest the proper things…

But as an avid contributor to this forum, may I suggest some type of a rescue association in your area, or perhaps live traps, then getting the little ones to a place that will give them an opportunity.

Hopefully others will give you solutions better than mine, there are way valuable people here with knowledge beyond mine to help you.

Best to you and your situation.

 

[devnull]

The one brown tabby has gone from a recluse to all over me over the past week to the point where I can't dish up the wet cat food, I'm very happy for this transformation and with a little more socializing and visit to the vet she will be ready for the adoption events... like anyone wants to adopt another boring tabby.

Yes "plain" cats are not the easiest to adopt out.

Shame, as you would hope it might be personality based.

Owning a cat is a responsibility, not wanting to deal with it, totally unacceptable. Rowan has certainly been a handful, but I know she is mine, through thick and thin. She has finally found her forever home— Always on her terms.
This past 23rd of the month was her 1 year anniversary with me.

@ARC Tech-109, your frustration is well warranted, but you knew how to get the motor started—
Guess it’s tough to gauge what care those fosters will receive once they leave.

Thanks for all you do, and your unselfishness for our furry friends. Means a huge amount!
Celadon

Heres what Rowan thinks of hoomans:
View attachment 3771469

I had a few black cats before I got a tabby. I found her on Craigslist. Her owner lived in a sorority house and had to keep the cat in her room. She decided this wasn't a good living arrangement for the cat so she decided she needed to let her go. I recall thinking that the cute little kitten had outgrown the cute factor after she grew to an adult, but kudos to the woman that had her to realize that she would be happier somewhere else.

That was Alpha, and she was a fantastic cat.

I was never interested in white cats either. When I heard that the black kitten I was interested in was part of a package deal because she and her white sister Rain were bonded as they described them, I figured 'why not?'. So I got both. The one thing that stuck in my mind was how there were two kittens in another cage while I was at the adoption agency that were playing and having fun and totally unaware of what was going on around them. The two I adopted were cuddled together and looked at you with suspicion when you got close to their cage. I think these two would have been potentially a difficult adoption.

I've come to the conclusion that the color of the cat really has nothing to do with the enjoyment you experience.

As for the behavior side of it, you really can't judge a cat by your initial experience with them. I don't blame them for freaking out when they're taken from somewhere and brought to a totally new, unfamiliar environment. Usually they'll settle down and are fine.

Also, I'm not too judgemental toward the foster hosts mentioned - perhaps they just don't have the resources or time to deal with a more challenging cat. I would hope that's the reason, anyhow. These are cats that need help.

I agree with how cats are a responsibility. I take that responsibility seriously, too. When I get a cat it's for their whole life.

ok, I'll get off my soapbox now.

 

[devnull]

Now that I'm done bloviating, I came to the conclusion that the pulley string toy that I bought for my girls is potentially not a good idea after all.

Now don't get me wrong - they love that toy, although they haven't been playing with it as much lately.

It was turned on and they were playing with it when I heard the sound it makes when the string has been pulled off which happens all the time, especially when they get aggressive. Usually it's just a matter of putting the string back on the pulleys and letting them do their thing.

This time was a little different. Choco had managed to wrap the string around her body a few times, including around her neck. When she couldn't get free she ran into the bedroom trying to escape. Luckily she stopped before going underneath the bed and came to me when I approached her. That's when I realized just how much she was tied up in the string.

I realized that there is danger that a cat could strangle themselves with the string, and that I need to get rid of their beloved toy.

It's unfortunate, but it's a risk that I'm not willing to take. I'll have to find something else that's not a potential threat to their life.

 

[Vusbagen]

 

[MuchoReverbo]

I have them "strutting" all over the place now. I'm being overrun with feral cats.

I guess I could try using my two river otter/raccon traps to trap these cats and take them to the animal shelter to get them fixed since it is illegal to just "relocate" them. Plus there would probably just be another batch move-in their place.

But I think I'm going to try to deter them with some stuff I found on the internet.

• Spray repellent

• ZeroCat™ Ultrasonic Outdoor Cat Deterrent

If nothing else works I guess I'll have to get a dog.

 

[orsen]

there are numerous agencies here for that.
i worked in a recycle yard for a while, that had a cat problem.

the rescue team came with long cages and baited them at the very end.
when a cat went in a volunteer would drop a divider in the cage and rebait.
they could get 4 or 5 cats in one cage.

this method worked, but took days.

.

 

[Celadon]

@MuchoReverbo
Well, another option is to make them a sort of home, away from your truck etc, then you would then have a great team of mousers, on your side!
We used to take plastic storage tubs and cut 2 holes, entrance and exit front and side, lined with an old blanket. helped the strays in the cold of winter.
=-=

 

[Celadon]

@YY1 All the cats well, and out of the infirmary ?

Hey Charlotte, and Mr White

 

[Volvo242GT]

New toy...

 

[Volvo242GT]

 

[Bushikan]

New toy...View attachment 3773894

We got something similar. Gus loves it.

 

[ARC Tech-109]

Not exactly kitty related but a something for Volvo 242GT

On the left my 764GLE E-code with the D24TIC & M46+OD and the right my kid and his 245DL also equipped with the D24T & M46+OD trans. Sadly this one was T-boned behind the rear pass door by a drunk semi-truck driver but Michael survived without a scratch while the interior of of my 764 "dissolved" over the years, the diesel engines of both survive today and I still have the trans from my 764.




Someone being a silly boy

 

[YY1]

I would say to @MuchoReverbo -

At least consider trapping and spaying/neutering them.
If not yourself, then with the help of a rescue.
3 can tun into 60 or 120 in a few short years.

ALL of ours have been either ferals or 1st generation "friendlies".
A large percentage of feral kittens CAN make good, loving pets.
Of course there are those that take a long time to "sweeten up" and some do only marginally, while a small percentage never do.
The younger they are exposed to human interaction, the better the odds.

We have adopted out dozens and dozens of kittens from feral colonies.
56 from the last one, and only about 6 were not people-y enough to catch, and stayed in the colony after TNR.

 

[Cubdriver]

Pixel:

-Pat

 

[MuchoReverbo]

Well I called the county Animal Control today and they said they are overflowing with cats and don't want anything to do with them. They said they could take some dogs but no cats and they don't even offer to "fix" them anymore.

 

[YY1]

See if there's a local cat rescue.

We have several that assist with TNR.

"TNR" is a good search term, along with your location.

Do you have a local SPCA chapter?

 

[YY1]

"Animal Control" in most areas, is a 30-90 day "kill" "shelter".
Meaning if the animals are not adopted after between 30 and 90 days, they are euthanized, and sometimes sold for medical training.

 

[RVT1K]

My favorite neighbor was actually my neighbor's cat Sassy.
She would come over to visit almost every day often when I came home from work. I would be backing down the driveway and Sassy would be crossing the street to flop and roll around in my driveway. I would scoop her up and bring her in the house. She would roam around, rubbing on everything and "bonking" her head on tables and the like. Then I would give her some snacks and let her out.
This went on for years and years.
She had other friends who she would regularly visit in the neighborhood and she would even "greet" people walking past the house. Sassy would also sometimes follow her owners as they took walks like a dog. One of my other neighbors used to say she was going to write a book about Sassy and call it "The cat that thought it was a dog".

When we sold the house, I told the buyers about Sassy and how she would probably be confused -she was getting really old by now- and to please be patient.

About 6 months or so after we moved, I got the sad news that Sassy had passed away.

I still miss my favorite neighbor.

 

[MuchoReverbo]

"Animal Control" in most areas, is a 30-90 day "kill" "shelter".
Meaning if the animals are not adopted after between 30 and 90 days, they are euthanized, and sometimes sold for medical training.

I had a friend that worked at an animal shelter in PA back in the 1970s. They would euthanize the dogs & cats after a period of time if they weren't adopted. He showed me this big freezer where the dead critters were stacked like cordwood inside it. I asked him what they did with them he said the farmers would grind them up and use them for fertilizer.

So they were put to a good use I guess.

I think my only option might be to adopt a mean dog to scare all the cats away. Maybe he can also take care of the racoons, river otters, and herons too.

I don't mind one or two cats. I actually like cats, but not an entire colony of them breeding like rabbits stinking the place up.