Feral cats in tort enclosure at night

NancKj

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I hope it is ok ti start on new thread on my tortoise Ares not eating. I realized today that my neighbor's feral cats are pooping in various places in his outdoor pen. I used to lock him in his house at night, but have not been for a couple of months. So he is usually sleeping near, but not in his house. Is there any chance these nocturnal visits are stressing him out? Or cat poo making him sick? I know I am grasping at straws here. I only notuced the poo because it was hot, and I was watering grapevines, and I started to smell the nasty poo when it got wet
 

Tom

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I hope it is ok ti start on new thread on my tortoise Ares not eating. I realized today that my neighbor's feral cats are pooping in various places in his outdoor pen. I used to lock him in his house at night, but have not been for a couple of months. So he is usually sleeping near, but not in his house. Is there any chance these nocturnal visits are stressing him out? Or cat poo making him sick? I know I am grasping at straws here. I only notuced the poo because it was hot, and I was watering grapevines, and I started to smell the nasty poo when it got wet
Yes and yes. The visits are not likely stressing him, but they will eat feces and that very well could be making your tortoise sick. Cat poo is very high in protein and could also be carrying toxic chemicals if the cat has been recently wormed.

What size and species are we talking about? All tortoises should be locked up inside their temperature controlled night boxes over night to protect them from rats and other nocturnal animals.
 

NancKj

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Hi Tom,
Ares is a California Desert Tortoise. He has an outdoor enclosure and cinder block house I have insulated with insulation panels and dirt on the roof. Not exactly temp controlled, but keeps the house cooler in the summer. Plus some shade material over the house. He brumates in the gargage in a wooden box with timothy hay.
I have always been vigilant in locking him up at night. Past month I have neglected the lockup at night. Will not neglect again
 
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ZEROPILOT

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I have the same issues and since I'm conflicted about trapping or relocating the cats, there is a peace treaty at this time.
However, my issue isn't with feral cats. It's with cats owned by irresponsible neighbors that allow them to live in my yard and on my cars and use my yard as their litterbox.
I installed an ultrasonic motion detecting cat deterrent I bought on Ebay. But I'm still not convinced that it has made any difference. .
I'm now considering trapping and relocating the neighbors. It seems like the most humane (and satisfying) option
 

NancKj

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Hahaha!! I would like to do the same with a couple of my neighbors! These cats are the remnants of his colony. He does not have a pot to **** in, and very little sense... I trapped and neutered them all at my expense. Including a litter of kittens who were adopted out by my lovely local vet. So I do not begrudge the cats! I have 4 of my own, strictly indoor. But, if cat poo is making my boy sick, I will need to make adjustments to his enclosure. Including daily sweeps for poo
 

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It's time consuming and not fun, but you need to clean up the cat pop. There's a motion activated rainbird type sprinkler that really works well.
 

jsheffield

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In the past, I was able to dissuade a feral cat from setting up shop in our woodshed through the judicious application of ammonia delivered via squirt bottle...

J
 

NancKj

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Thanks Yvonne. Cleaned up most last night. Today will do a closer inspection. I am familiar with those rainbird wildlife deterrents. Will pick one up!
J, ammonia in a squirt bottle sounds like it would be very effective, tho a little harsh! The cats go in at night, when I am fast asleep. Dogs keep them out of yard in daytime
 

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As far as my own area cats pooping goes....I noticed that they prefer areas of loose sand. So I sprayed an area in the corner of my yard with ROUNDUP and it looks like that has become poop central.
They still sleep in and hang out in my enclosures, but seem to no longer poop there.
 
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mark1

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electric wire .....if it's feasible to use .......installed right it'll deter anything , can be put on a timer .... ........
 

OliveW

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I'm so glad my cats are afraid of tortoises! Thanks to the local crazy and mean gopher tortoise population.

However, I've seen one of our dogs eat our tortoise's poop that I shoveled over to the woods' edge. :oops: 🤮
 

NancKj

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Haha Olive! A crazy and mean gopher tortoise population!! Arizona perhaps? My friend tells me the wild tortoises she used to see in Arizona are WAY bigger than my guy, who weighs about 13 pounds!
 

NancKj

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electric wire is a very good suggestion mark1. Thanks!! There is only a very small area that needs to be protected. Most of the enclosure is surrounded by a 6 foot property line wall, and the side of the house
 
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This thread is interesting.

Other than poop, which torts like to eat, do the cats pose any other threat?

My neighborhood Hunter was poking around when I brought my DT home last month. I was worried he would stress her or…? I don’t know what cats do/don’t do to tortoises!! He was lounging watching her.
 

mark1

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I saw some on Amazon that were battery operated.
I'm curious to know if they're any good.
i've never used one with a battery , i use these gallagher 120v ones ..... i've used some cheaper generic ones , and having been shocked by them all, numerous times , i do like these best ..... they work on raccoons here ...... just got to figure out so they have to touch them while grounded to get in the pens...... grounded is why the chicken wire is at the top of the wood fence ......

DSCF9622.jpg
 

jsheffield

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This thread has me thinking about upgrading my outside enclosures with an electrified wire around the top... I'm leaning towards a solar/battery system I found on Amazon; it all seems cheaper than I'd anticipated, especially when compared to a killed/injured tortoise.

Jamie
 
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