Cats

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Emmfor

Emmfor

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I'm not a lover or a hater when it comes to cats, but there are lots around here. Previously they gave wondered through our garden to the jungle next door (neighbours garden is ridiculously over grown, grass up to the waist!). They never hung around in our garden.

The piggy's came home just over a week ago and up until today we haven't had a cat come near. The girls were in the run this afternoon and I popped in to sort the children out leaving the back door open. When I returned a large cat was sat right next to the run and worryingly cocoa was out of the shelter having a run around! I scared the cat off, but it came back four times in the next hour. So I decided to put the Girls back in their hutch.

Then tonight, my hubby has come in from his evening smoke to say that two cats are in the garden. They were just sat there, which is odd as they don't ever hang around here. I'm not worried whilst the girls are in the hutch tonight, the hugger is over it and that makes me feel happier. But I want to discourage the cats. Have you any advice. The girls are only 7 weeks old, so still quite small. I imagine a cat could have away with the if it really wanted!

On a positive note, hubby showed a small amount of interest and concern tonight which I mm ever thought I would see, he only agreed to having the girls if the children and I were responsible, but I think he's quite liking them!
 
Cats hate water, a good soaking spray from a hose pipe is best it soon puts them off hanging around. If no hose then a powerful pump up water pistol, or if you can get close enough a plant sprayer, cup, saucepan. This sounds a bit cruel but water won't hurt them just gives them a nasty shock. I caught neighbours cat sitting on top of my apex run and got her full in the face with my plant sprayer, she still comes round and sits a respectful distance from the run just looking. I don't discourage her completely now as my garden is her territory and she keeps the other cats moving on (at least 10 use us as their road to somewhere).
 
As a cat owner myself, I can tell you water as suggested above does work, but cats are persistent and not very clever when it comes to getting the point, so they'll keep coming back even if you soak them with a hose, mostly because they'll come back when you aren't around and think they can get away with it again. They could still seriously injure or even walk off with a full grown adult guinea pig, so even when your girls are older you will need to be vigilant. Make sure your hutches and run are secure and have no gaps big enough for a cat. I'd even consider putting some perspex or something else clear around the bars of the run if you can so they can't get their paws in but wont shut out the guinea pigs light. I'm always concerned for guinea pigs eyes when cats can poke at the guineas!

Cats also generally (there are some exceptions) don't like citrus or banana, our cats are actually visibly afraid of banana skin, quite weird.So getting those scents around on the bars and stuff would possibly do wonders. But make sure your guineas can't lick it off, if its essential oils or anything like that, lightly grating a lemon and rubbing the abrased skin on the bars could work, but then... ants. so, eh, tricky!
 
a friend of mine recommended grating CoalTar soap around my boarders. Apparently they don't like it and it puts them off. I'll try anything. Don't want anything to happen to the piggy's!
 
I agree with @Olivitree , I'm afraid it takes quite a lot to deter a cat - I would just concentrate on cat-proofing your set up rather than wasting time finding different ways to stop cats from entering your garden.
Also just to let you know - bananas don't phase my cat at all, she will happily play with a banana skin... :roll:
 
Obviously i need to clone and distribute my cats, both of the are frightened of guinea pigs! Cat proofing is going to far more effective long term. A wooden framed run with a secure lid and small mesh is essential. More often that not, once the piggies are used to the cats and vice versa they will ignore one another mostly. When your little girls are in their run, give them a bowl of water rather than a bottle so they dont have to go right up to the mesh and be more tempting to batting cat paws!
 
@katie-elizabeth haha, excellent example of the exceptions, I think the bananas might just be our cats, they are fruit scared cats. Citrus is a bit more commonly disliked among cats, but yes, cat proofing is a lot more successful than cat deterrent... unless you want to get a motion sensing air, sound or water repellent device but that's going to upset your guineas as well I expect!

@zombieprincess thats awesome haha, definitely worth getting a guinea pig scared cat cloned! Saddly our cats are afraid if they are out of the cage, suddenly they lose the charm of being a toy they can try to bat if they go by the bars and are suddenly a lot more worrying, so we still keep the cage up high and luckily they don't like stand on cage bars so we have no problems. Salem does try to sit ON them occasionally when I'm cuddling them however, I think he may be jealous. >.<
 
@zombieprincess @Olivitree my cat runs off when we get the piggies out for laptime! Although she is fine with them whilst they are in the run or cage - she'll sit and watch them or lie next to them (or on top of the cage!) the piggies don't mind at all, they are used to her being around :)
 
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