Im scared of cats and now there's one in my garden permanently!!

[90sWasAmazing]

Im scared of cats, I actually have a huge phobia. Luckily I haven't had to deal with any where I live but a neighbour at the end of the road has one and it keeps appearing in my garden. It was on my windowsill. It's freaking me out.
How can i get it to move on? It runs away bit then 5 mins later its back.
I sprayed some water from a spray bottle which it ran but then came back sitting by the front door. Any suggestions? Im really nervous of it and am scared to go out and dreading coming back!
I dont have any food out or anything, why is it even here?

When I moved into my house my neighbours had a feisty ginger who ruled my garden as well as his own. After he passed my garden evolved into the neighbourhood cat toilet so I had a number of cat scarers around the garden which kept them away. It wasn’t a cheap do as they are quite expensive and if any part of the garden was uncovered they found it. I used the RSPB ones in the hope of not upsetting wildlife as I had a number of visiting hedgehogs as well as birds.
Then a lively cat hating dog came to live with me for about three years and I had no further need of cat scarers, no cat ever poked a whisker into my garden while he lived here. He left about a year ago (with his owner) and I have just started to find the occasional cat venturing in. Unfortunately the hogs stopped visiting also 🙁

When cats are outside, they each have their own territory around the area, it is totally natural. It appears that part of this cat's territory is your garden.

The general advice is to use a large super-soaker water pistol every time you see the animal, and it will soon get the idea that your garden is not a pleasant place to be.

This is cruel. What if it makes the cat sick? I think just a water spray and maybe some cat pepper.

How do you feels about getting a dog if you're fear of cats is so bad. It could be a deterrent to neighbourhood cats.

" your"

We did have a dog a labrador for 14 years who probably helped. He died early this year. I thought about getting another one but really we dont have the time to put into a dog right now. Kids are doing their own thing more but require taxi driving everywhere, I couldn't get one just for the car situation, well unless the water spraying doesnt work!!

Not what you asked at all (!) but I’ve found hypnotherapy rubbish for dealing with phobias- I really feel like it’s daylight robbery the therapists taking our cash! Apparently CBT is meant to be better, but I can’t advise from experience on that one as of yet unfortunately.

It does harm the cat. Washing up liquid can cause gastrointestinal problems if ingested. Harming a cat or any animal is a criminal offence. Also actually squirting water on the cat could get you into bother too.

Spray some vinegar in your eyes and let us know how you get on with it.

Can't understand why anyone would spray a cat with washing up liquid. Spraying plain water is perfectly adequate to deter cats. They really don't like it but it doesn't harm them.
It used to disgust me when some cat owners actually smacked their cats when the owner perceived it's behaviour to be naughty. So dangerous for the cat and so unnecessary when spraying with plain water is so effective.

DON’T do this it’s cruel

@90sWasAmazing how does this phobia show itself

poor cat. Hope it learns to keep away.

I will definitely just use water!!!
I cant walk past them, I just panic, get palpations, really irrational thoughts like the cat is waiting for me to pounce on me or attack me. Obviously completely off the scale crazy but I dont know what to do about it. Ive had it since I was a child.
Thats why I was looking for some advice, to help deter it

Put a few drop of citronella in the bottle too. Citronella is harmful to cats but only in high concentrations. A few drops in a bottle of water will not do any harm but the cat won’t like it.

I feel for you OP. I have a visceral reaction when I see a cat. Posters making light of this are bloody rude! It's OK to be scared witless by a spider but not someone's beloved cat!
If one dares to come into my garden I stamp my feet and shout at it. Not squirted one yet. As much as I don't like them I wouldn't use washing up liquid or harm one though.

No, if you just use water the cat will just try and dodge it next time. If the water contains soap then the cat will remember and more chance of it not coming back. I speak from experience. If you let your cat wander then you have to accept that people will use any unpleasant but non harmful deterrents they can. I feed birds in my garden. The wild birds are more important to me than your cat. I do not want them killed.

I've tried all sorts of deterrents from electric noise makers to scented sprays but the one thing that actually works is dried lavender. I sprinkle it liberally all over after mowing and I haven't found a single cat poo since then. So maybe put some lavender plants in a window planter where it likes to hang out? Alternatively they don't like funny textures under their paws, so you could put some rubber spikey mats on the windowsill. I'm thinking of the sort of thing you put in your shower tray to clean your feet on.

girliepop
Exactly, and the cat will injest it when cleaning it's fur.
I can't believe people are actually suggesting to use washing up liquid!

My two cats hate the spikey plastic mats you can get off amazon (I use them outside my kids’ rooms at night as one of my cats has an obsession with banging and wailing at their doors when they’re trying to sleep).

Yetone
We have to accept that people will be cruel to animals? Are you for real?

The OP has already said that she won't do this.
Do you know that animal cruelty is a criminal offence?

I'm afraid it is now your cat. This is how cat law works.

On another note, they don't like tin foil or citrus so some orange peel around the garden might help.

But it is yours now.

Continue with water but get a sprayer where you can swish and shake the water around before you spray near the cat. It will start to react to the sound and run before you even get chance to squirt it

Sorry but nothing would persuade me to do that to a cat..

I feed birds in my garden as well and occasionally have cats camped out in it trying to catch them. And on about two occasions they have unfortunately killed birds. But more often than not the birds are alert enough to fly away and not come back for a few days.
When it comes down to it I've also seen ravens, crows and magpies and seagulls occaionaly attacking and even killing other birds and it's nature taking it's course.

There's a thing called silent roar sold by b and q which supposedly deters cats with the scent of lion's dung. Worth a try?

I am not being cruel. There will not be much soap on a quick squirt. Don’t you think killing birds is cruel? I do, especially when it is not always a quick death.

Unfortunately for you cats are very contrary, and seem to have a magnetic attraction to people who don’t like them