Nuisance cat help

[Swolf]

I'm at a loss on what to do next and thought maybe PBC would have some good advice.
Someone in my neighborhood owns a fat orange cat that seems to think my yard it it's playground and personal litter box. Aside from the litter box issue my dog is trying to kill it (got a mouth full I orange fur once), I'm concerned it's going to kill the rabbits I'm suppose to be getting shortly (2 cages done, 2 to go), and it has absolutely destroyed sections of my vegetable garden.
I've put chicken wire under my garden (something I did not want to do) and it just stopped covering the leavings. I've sprayed vinegar around the yard and where he gets in to no effect. I've rented a live trap, hauled the thing to the pound, and for some nightmarish reason the damn thing is back.
Do I keep wasting my money on traps (I rented as opposed to buying the $60 trap)? Do I keep taking it to the pound? I'm frustrated beyond belief- I took him to the pound on the 1st and just saw him back today.

 

[_unoriginal]

First, I'd check your local laws and find out your legal options when it comes to animals at large and nuisance animals.

 

[shotgun_wg]

There are options available that are saved as last resort. U know what it is. At times u have to do what u have to.


Shotgun
Arkansas

 

[demo]

if some one took my cat to the pound,it would not rest well with me & last resort is Oi band from the 80's.As far as some times a man has to do what a man has to do,well there is a lot of truth to that two way street.I do not even own a cat,it's just the principle

you could try some try some predator scat and or urine before things get real poopy

 

[NobodyHere]

if some one took my cat to the pound,it would not rest well with me

Then keep it in your own damn house.

 

[shotgun_wg]

If u want a cat fine keep it at home. If it comes to my house and I know it's urs I will tell u to keep it at home. If that don't work is personally make sure it don't come back. That goes for any critter. Accidents happen. Once in a while happens. No biggie . Every day well u fix the issues or I will.


Shotgun
Arkansas

 

[Beki]

Ruining or eating the food in the garden that is being grown to feed my family, and possibly bringing unwanted parisites into my yard that could contaminate myself or my pets? Unfortunate for the cat that it has an irresponsible owner but, that wouldn't fly here.
I understand your frustration with renting the trap and paying for it with your own hard earned money, only to see the thing back at it yet again. What about just picture or video proof and documentation instead? Would that be enough for your AC to do something about it?

 

[Beatrix Kiddo]

id trap it, drive it to the other side of the town and drop it off... leave a bowl with some food out. It'll survive. If not, hey Darwinism.

 

[Beki]

id trap it, drive it to the other side of the town and drop it off... leave a bowl with some food out. It'll survive. If not, hey Darwinism.

But, then it becomes someone else's problem and it leaves the animal to reek havoc....

 

[_unoriginal]

id trap it, drive it to the other side of the town and drop it off... leave a bowl with some food out. It'll survive. If not, hey Darwinism.

But, then it becomes someone else's problem and it leaves the animal to reek havoc....

Not to mention it's not really the cat's fault his owner is an idiot. They'll just get another cat anyway... PLUS, depending on the area, OP may be fined for animal abandonment if someone sees her.

"Well officer, I'm not abandoning this cat... See, I stole it from my neighbor when the cat was outside and dropped it off out here to get it out of my garden."

 

[BCdogs]

id trap it, drive it to the other side of the town and drop it off... leave a bowl with some food out. It'll survive. If not, hey Darwinism.

I'm not sure about in the US, but here it's illegal to dump someone's animal. You're allowed to trap them on your own property but they have to be brought to a shelter. Just food for thought.

 

[Beatrix Kiddo]

I still think the cat has a better chance at survival out and about than at a shelter. Here, shelters won't even accept cats a lot of the time due to over crowding and if they do it'll most likely be euthanized. I'd break the law if that were the case.

 

[Swolf]

It's a sweet cat, fat and fixed and very likely someone's pet but it is taking food off my table and likely going to get killed if my dog gets hold of it.
I'm in the middle of the city- can't shoot it, can't let it loose. It seemed to do fine at the shelter, somehow made it right back to the owner. Wonder if I'm protected under livestock harassment laws if my rabbits are food...

 

[ShanaRowan]

I would be calling animal control and finding out if there are laws about loose domesticated animals. Even if there aren't, make a report and explain that it is harassing your livestock. If it was brought to a shelter and returned to its owner (presumably,) someone knows whose cat it is. Hopefully you can use this as a means to encourage/incentivize (is that a word?) this person to keep it contained.

 

[CrazyK9]

What county are you in Swolf?

 

[DancesWithCurs]

I'd take it to the shelter again. Hopefully while it's there it'll find owners that don't suck

 

[Swolf]

Pinellas County in Florida.
I'm going to try Beki's idea and see if I can film it. Thing spooks as soon as my door opens generally. Took 4 days to trap him last time but I'm going to see about renting the live trap again if the filming doesn't get AC off their butt (has anyone ever had a useful AC near them?)

 

[_unoriginal]

http://www.pinellascounty.org/animalservices/nuisance.htm

http://www.pinellascounty.org/animalservices/strays-feral-cats.htm

 

[CrazyK9]

I like how all anyone has to do is say "oh its a community cat" and its immune from at large animals ordinances and registration and what not.

 

[demo]

well