I know this is off topic but....

[IcePro]

Some people believe cruelty to animals leads to human violence.

Here I thought having guns lead to more violence.

Solution get rid of all the cats = no more cruelty to cats = no more violence.

The best of all we get to keep our guns

[CANOPY SAM]

Holy Cats! Sorry folks, but I kinda gapped out that I'd posted this question a while back.

I appreciate all your kind and thoughtful ( ) advice.

To be clear, I'm sure it's the neighbor's cat(s). He lives right next door, has several cats going freely in and out of his garage (which faces my barn) only a rocks throw from my building, and we see his critters crossing our property, and digging in my kid's sandbox from time to time!

I've thought many times about simply making the cat(s) "disappear", for lack of a better description, but like several others here, I don't think it's quite that big of an issue to cause seriously BIG waves between my family, and our "next door" neighbor.

I'll continue to see if I can identify the entry and exit point(s), which should be made a bit easier with all the snow, if and when the darn wind stops blowing up here. However, as many of you know, what is often the case with these pesky critters is that once they've "marked" an area, even if it's outside the door, they keep coming back and doing it again!

That's where I was kind of hoping for a "chemical" solution to the problem. Something the cat(s) would find offensive, frightening, threatening, whatever, and cause them to stay away, without creating an offensive smell in place of another.

BTW...I'm not completely averse to quietly eliminating the cats. I have a great birds eye view of the barn from my deck, and it would be very easy to do with my neighbor at work. Trouble is, we have other neighbors within gun range of the place, and to make a clean kill shot would require a small caliber rifle...which I just simply would not endanger other people or property over a cat.

I truly apologize if this sounds offensive to some, but please keep in mind that these animals are not wanted on my property. Technically and lawfully they should not be here. They are causing issues with my buildings, and possessions, and "fouling" my children's play area, which ultimately could result in sickness to my kids, and even my own animals.

Please forgive me. I'd like to find a peaceful solution to the issue, and not be forced to terminate any animals lives just because their owner isn't responsible. We currently have a good relationship. To ask him to contain his cats, would almost certainly invite him to ask me to contain our dog, which I don't really want to do - he's not causing any problem with the neighbors.

I'm just not sure what else to do, and my new boat, and other equipment, means too much to me to spend the entire summer smelling like cat spray!

[Jmnhunter]

just as someone state before, cats do not belong outside, keep them inside; you guys hear the new study realeased by the USFWS? over 4 BILLION birds and small mammals are killed by outdoor and feral cats every year

I would trap them canopy, with a connibear or foothold

[nofishfisherman]

Please forgive me. I'd like to find a peaceful solution to the issue, and not be forced to terminate any animals lives just because their owner isn't responsible. We currently have a good relationship. To ask him to contain his cats, would almost certainly invite him to ask me to contain our dog, which I don't really want to do - he's not causing any problem with the neighbors.

I'm just not sure what else to do, and my new boat, and other equipment, means too much to me to spend the entire summer smelling like cat spray!

You're probably right that asking him to keep his cats off your property might not site well if your dog ever (even very rarely) roams onto his property. Thats also a good resaon to avoid extreme measures that eliminate the cats permanently. I'd be afraid that your dog might become a target for him.

My only suggestion would be to explore some sort of chemical scent. It might take some experimentation but once you find one that works I'd spray it along the property line to hopefully keep the cats off your property to start with. Do you think the cats might react to your own dogs scent? You could try training your dog to pee near the property line creating a little buffer the cats wouldn't want to cross. You could try something like coyote scent, although I'm not sure what your dog would think of it.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Not real sure if this would work, but you could try putting down some yote urine at various entry points. Yotes and cats don't get along well. Your dog might not like it but with any luck it would only be a temporary thing.

If you and your neighbor are pals, how's aboot one day while you're both outside sharing a cold one saying something along the lines of, "Man does my barn and boat ever wreak of cat piddle, and I don't even have a cat. Any clue where it's coming from?"

I know what I would do, but I'm not gonna go there.

Good luck man.

[nofishfisherman]

One other thing I shoudl have mentioned. Cats will continue peeing in the same spots. The smell acts as a marker for them and they'll use the same sport over and over.

I would lay down the scent deterent and also clean everything as well as you can. There are products out there that break down the enzymes that cause the smell. I've used Natures Miracle before and its works great. You can get it at any big box pet store. Usually one good cleaning is all it takes, in your case if its a well used spot it might take a few extra cleanings but it should work to get the smell out. Hard part will be to find all the spots as I'm sure its more than one.

[JONOV]

Have you thought of either a sling shot or red rider type of bb gun? Not something with enough power to break the skin, but it might provide the negative reinforcement you need without noise, or the risk to human life and property. Also, not sure how feasible it is, but cats hate walking on chicken wire. Lay some down around the border of building/wherever you think they're getting in.