cmdcorrola

I've seen the previous anti / pro cat thread before but this is real life and I'm looking for answers.

I have a baby daughter - very young.

Saturday morning, she is asleep in her cot.

I'm downstairs, and open the front door, go outside for a few seconds, then return inside.

After a few minutes, I hear a jingling upstairs so I go to investigate. It turns out that our neighbours (who we are good friends with) cat has snook in and taken a liking to the lovely soft feel of my daughters cot.

Now it has been known, that unfortunatley small babies have been suffocated by cats who, like the one in question here, have taken a liking to babies cots and the warm feel of wrapping themselves around a babies head.

So there is my situation. I need ideas of how I can enforce and make sure that this cat never ever enters my house again.

Speaking to the neighbours will not do as I will be relying on them to enforce the cat - they can make a mistake or forget to keep the cat in.

I need something for which I can take entire responsibility of.

Please don't turn this into another pro / anti cat thread. I am open to all suggestions, but of course only ones which are guarunteed to solve my problem.

STi wanna Subaru

iTrader: (1)

make sure all doors and windows are closed. what else do you need to do?

ajm

Well logically there are only two ways you can make sure the cat NEVER enters your house and they are:

1) Dispose of the cat, or...
2) Make sure your house is never left open

OllyK

I think you are worrying about an old wives tale.

http://www.snopes.com/critters/wild/catsuck.htm
http://www.fanciers.com/cat-faqs/behavior.shtml

However a simple solution is to ensure you shut the door to the bedroom behind you.

cmdcorrola

Ok - to those people who have suggested keeping doors / windows closed.

1) Its the summer - baby will not sleep if too hot.

2) Door to babys room needs to be kept open so I can hear crying etc.

Are you suggesting that on a lovely hot summers day, I cannot have my patio doors or windows open? Not the best suggestion really is it?

Old wives tale or not, this aint happening to my girl.

PS - OLLYK - your last link states that this is a myth, yet states that babies and children should NEVER be left alone with any animal.

CrisPDuk

I wouldn't get too worried about your child getting smothered, one of my sisters cats has guarded my nearly 4 year old niece since she was about 3 months old, including sleeping in her cot & bed, usually held in a headlock. God knows why he does it, she's positively evil to the stupid critter when she's awake

but as every one has said, just make sure doors & windows are closed and you have no cat to worry about.

As an aside, animals in general can tell the difference between an adult and a child, and are naturally protective toward any child they see as part of the family group.

Redkop

You can get fine mesh screens to use over doors and windows, normally used for keeping flies and wasps out. Also a fine cotton mesh to fit over the baby's cot, like they have for buggys etc.

OllyK

Err - fans, window netting (stops bugs too) and plug in baby monitors - jobs a good 'un.

Exactly - it's an old wives tale, which means it does not happen.

The 2 are not mutually exclusive.

Chip Sengravy

The world can't come to a standstill because you are worried about a gazzilion to one chance that there might me some harm to the baby. You cant tell your neighbours to keep the cat indoors, if they are anything like me they will tell you to go and whistle. There will be more than one cat in the neighbourhood anyway, will you track down all the other owners aswell and ask them to lock up thier cats?

I think its your responsiblity, you have your own reasons for being concernered which is fair enough, why not fit some kind of tempoary door outside the existing bedroom door with some mesh that will let air circulate, but not let the cat in? you could fit a spring closer aswell, that way it will never be left ajar.

PCatWork

Give the cat a good talking to next time it comes into your house. This does not necessarily have to be administered with your boot; throwing some water at it will help it to understand that it is not welcome in your house. Alternatively, get your own cat - it will defend it's territory against your neighbour's moggy.

jjones

are people so stupid they have to resort to the internet for advice on to keep a cat out of their house???

*looks forward to the best way of wiping your **** thread.

Freak

dont forget to go visit all the burglars in the neighbourhood too and ask them nicely to stay indoors

ScoobyDoo555

There are several proven methods, but the most common is either from front to back, or back to front. The real question should be how much paper to use?

Back to the topic though, get a dog - I've got one, and no cat come's anywhere NEAR the doors, let alone gets in.....

Otherwise, it's a case of being vigilent, and soaking the fukcer when you see it - it will soon learn.

Dan

ajm

LOL!

How about a "How can I stop my child coming into contact with 100% of all viruses and bacteria" thread?

You asked for a way to make sure the cat never ever comes into your house... what other solutions could there possibly be that meets a 100% effectiveness apart from phsically stopping it by way of a barrier, be it closing the window, screening off the window etc?

SiPie

Here here

cmdcorrola

Excellent replies..............**** taking, sarcasm, and the usual posts from Mr I'm a f*king clever tw*t

How interesting.

I knew the advice here would be 2nd to none.

Probably get slated for this as others do when they say the same, but I wonder why I bother coming to this site. I've never really posted much but been reading a few years and Christ have things changed.

Kiss my *** the lot of ya, all I am is a concerned new Father.

SiPie

Sorry, but you don't exactly help yourself by asking such a 'state the bloody obvious question'

Chip Sengravy

nobody's denying that you are concerned. Its obvious that the replies dont tie up with your line of thinking, so you get all snotty...

Its seems you must already know the solution, so why ask advice?

ScoobyDoo555

I would imagine that any "advice" you get on here would be used as part of an overall input rather than as a definitive answer.

I still stick by my advice - either get a dog (or a cat, even though IMHO they should be shot) or start exercising some "authority on the offending moggy.

Dan
*not in an ***-kissing mood*

Chip Sengravy

now now, don't be rude , its ajm, or Sir to you

CrisPDuk

Good lord alex, are you mellowing into old age not one mention of air pistols, poison or razor wire in either of your posts on a thread about your favourite topic

ajm

LOL! Cheers Chips!

I am concerned you are a father too... your genes really didn't need passing on!

ajm

To be fair I did point out that disposal of the cat was also an option... pending legislation change obviously!

Chip Sengravy

He wouldn't need to neccessarily "dispose" of the cat in the true sense.... Perhaps if it was caught while sniffing around his house it could be covertly relocated to another area altogether, Bristol for instance

SiPie

Too close mate..... If you are interested, I could get it couriered to Auckland for just over a tenner

Jap2Scrap

Now now, no need to get catty.

Redkop

Hahaha... yeah right! Delusional again Alex?