Keeping a cat out of boats in a boat yard

[zed4]

Hi all,

We have a cat at work, it was a stray that we’ve been taking care of for the last few years. I suppose it’s now “our” cat.

A couple of the staff members look after it, feed it etc. It gets let out at night as it sets our alarm off if it’s left in. It has a little outside cupboard with a bed and food, in which it lives at night.

We are a boat showroom and yard and the problem I have is that the cat often gets inside the boats and sleeps. It leaves fur, muddy footprints and sometimes even blood all over the upholstery. It can’t get into any of the locked cabins, but it can get inside boat covers and sleep on any of the outside seats, sunbeds etc. So, any ideas of how to keep her out of the boats? Obviously I try to keep the covers on as tightly and as secure as possible, but it still finds a way in a lot of the time. I don’t have power on the boats to use a cat scarer, and I can’t put in a big cat scarer on the outside of the building, as she won’t come back during the day and the other staff members won’t be happy!

Anything I can use to keep the cat out of the boats only?

Cheers,

Dan

 

[Rorifett]

Is it possible to set up the Scarecrow things at the access point to the boats? Has batteries but needs a hose connected.

 

[MrSossidge]

IMO I'd be inclined to take the cat to the cats home. It's a noble thing that you've all done by feeding it etc but if it was my business, I'd want the cat gone. If the other staff members aren't happy, offer them the cat to take home.

 

[JimmyMac]

Find someone nearby with a garage and pop it in there, I have heard that works

 

[simonlewis]

Buy the cat it's own boat to sleep on/in.

 

[zed4]

Excellent responses!

Unfortunately, it's not my business, but I do look after the boats in question. The cat has to stay, apparently. Annoyingly, I found a neighbours cat in one of the boats the other day!

Don't think I'd be able to get water to the boats unfortunately.

 

[zed4]

Do those pellets and the like work? I could leave a dish of this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...as2&tag=scaredycat-21&linkId=ZXMBHRCRMVQD42NY in the boats if it did

 

[IronGiant]

I think a lot depends on the cat Any of these products have people who say it worked brilliantly and others who say it was useless. For £10 it's probably worth a go, but I'd take note of the reviews that say it works best in piles and when damp. Or try those £14 battery operated ultrasonic scares. Or buy both and put lion poop in one and the scarer in another and see where the cat goes.

 

[Rorifett]

Don't think I'd be able to get water to the boats unfortunately.

? what kind of boats are these?!

 

[zed4]

? what kind of boats are these?!

I can get the boats to water! Just not the water to the boats! They're on trailers BTW

 

[Trollslayer]

Buy the cat it's own boat to sleep on/in.

And it will sleep in the box the boat came in.

 

[gibbsy]

TV/DVD combo playing Jaws on a loop.

 

[johntheexpat]

Get a dog, to keep the cat away at night.

 

[m4rky_m4rk]

Hi all,

We have a cat at work, it was a stray that we’ve been taking care of for the last few years. I suppose it’s now “our” cat.

A couple of the staff members look after it, feed it etc. It gets let out at night as it sets our alarm off if it’s left in. It has a little outside cupboard with a bed and food, in which it lives at night.

We are a boat showroom and yard and the problem I have is that the cat often gets inside the boats and sleeps. It leaves fur, muddy footprints and sometimes even blood all over the upholstery. It can’t get into any of the locked cabins, but it can get inside boat covers and sleep on any of the outside seats, sunbeds etc. So, any ideas of how to keep her out of the boats? Obviously I try to keep the covers on as tightly and as secure as possible, but it still finds a way in a lot of the time. I don’t have power on the boats to use a cat scarer, and I can’t put in a big cat scarer on the outside of the building, as she won’t come back during the day and the other staff members won’t be happy!

Anything I can use to keep the cat out of the boats only?

Cheers,

Dan

Not much you can do it seems. The only effective cat deterrents I have found are water jets, 100% effective, and high frequency sound, 80% effective, as long as the cat has good hearing. The rest are hopeless, too much work and frequently expensive. With any its not set and forget. You have to move them around so the cat is never sure where is safe and where is not. They always find a chink.

Who pays clearing up the mess and damage?

I would not be happy buying a boat that was used as a cat house.

I used to stay at a friends house occasionally but now I don't. I haven't found a way to tell them that the guest bed pillows smell of cats bum.

 

[zed4]

FYI, it's this boat in particular she likes at the moment. It's quite nice inside with the sunbed etc!

Not much you can do it seems. The only effective cat deterrents I have found are water jets, 100% effective, and high frequency sound, 80% effective, as long as the cat has good hearing. The rest are hopeless, too much work and frequently expensive. With any its not set and forget. You have to move them around so the cat is never sure where is safe and where is not. They always find a chink.

Who pays clearing up the mess and damage?

I would not be happy buying a boat that was used as a cat house.

I used to stay at a friends house occasionally but now I don't. I haven't found a way to tell them that the guest bed pillows smell of cats bum.

No one pays per se, but either myself or my engineer do end up cleaning the interiors usually.

I'll try the deterrent pellets and gels, I'll leave a bowl in the boats and see if she stops. Like you say, I'm sure she will get used to them.

The boats aren't filthy by any means, but occasionally I go in and find one seat covered in black fur and a few dirty paw prints across the deck. The one particular boat (a Bayliner) she likes has a slightly torn cover which she can get in through, so I'll see if my local cover maker can repair that. In the meantime I've put a sheet over seats inside, so at least she can't make a mess of the upholstery.

Unfortunately the other staff members (office staff) won't allow us to give up the cat. In any case, I saw a neighbour's cat in one boat the other day, so we'd still have to get rid of those!

 

[rousetafarian]

Just be grateful you don't have a locked garage door to compound your issues

 

[m4rky_m4rk]

No one pays per se, but either myself or my engineer do end up cleaning the interiors usually.

That's a cost but it sounds like you do not mind so much.

Unfortunately the other staff members (office staff) won't allow us to give up the cat. In any case, I saw a neighbour's cat in one boat the other day, so we'd still have to get rid of those!

Maybe they should help with the cost in money and time for the extra cat protection measures and clean up.

 

[zed4]

That's a cost but it sounds like you do mind so much.

Maybe they should help with the cost in money and time for the extra cat protection measures and clean up.

Yes, it is a cost for both mine and my engineer's time, you're right.

 

[Deleted member 498601]

Unfortunately the other staff members (office staff) won't allow us to give up the cat. In any case, I saw a neighbour's cat in one boat the other day, so we'd still have to get rid of those!

Bloody office staff! Dan, you have to explain the situation in a language that they can understand:

'I understand that the cat is not an asset that's part of your real estate, but I am unhappy with having to spend so much bandwidth cleaning up it's mess. Please remove the cat, by close of play, or I shall remove it, by swinging it round by it's low hanging fruit.'

[dusts hands together]

There. I think I'm getting the hang of this office speak after all. Tidy.