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?

I know you have a huge fear but maybe now is the time to get some therapy.

I agree.

I know you said you have had therapy before, OP, but trying again and beating your phobia is surely the way to go because cats are everywhere and always will be, wherever you live.

It id cruel and it won't connect yhe bad taste on it's skin with coming into your garden!

Yes. I hate this kind of thing.
It's not the cat's fault, how is it to know it has chosen a garden where a grown adult is scared of it?

The problem lies with you, OP. Time to deal with that phobia rather than resorting to cruel behaviour towards an innocent and largely harmless animal.

Don’t be so insensitive. She has tried to deal with the phobia and so far it hasn’t worked. Are you going to pay for another round of therapy?

I don’t have a phobia of cats but I don’t want them in my garden. So yes the cat being in the garden is a problem in and of itself.

This. So glad my neighbour decided to have an indoor cat and takes her cat out for walks on a leash. For the benefit of both her cat and wildlife she made this decision before she even had a cat.

Hose with a jet attachment. No need to actually hit the cat just aim the jet stream behind it and it'll be off like a shot. We used to have cats crapping in our garden. Not any more

Why would I pay for a round of therapy??

I think if you have a phobia of a very common, harmless animal that is allowed to roam wherever it likes and is prolific in this country then dealing with that is a better plan than trying to stop it coming in to your garden. Because whatever you try is unlikely to work long term.

That's what I would do anyway rather than blaming the animal or even its owners. It will be very hard to find a place to live in this country where cats won't be freely roaming.
And it is an irrational fear for an adult to have.
Sorry if it sounds insensitive, I am just being practical.

OP, I adore cats but they are cunning creatures and this one has decided your garden is her territory.

I have had some success keeping cats off plants with orange peel. I guess it depends on if you like oranges. It works with satsumas, tangerines, etc.

There’s also stuff from garden centre, I think it’s called Get Off and it’s like this gel. I do believe it’s based on citric.

My grandad used to put rubber snakes in his garden to keep them away. There must be some truth in this because there’s all these YouTubes showing cats leaping when they see cucumbers because they think they are snakes.

Other suggestions: put a model cat in your garden and when the offending feline appears play dogs barking to it on your phone.

Unfortunately, they are contrary creatures and seem to be attracted to people who don’t like them. Good luck, I hope some of these measures work.

Cat repellent: https://www.amazon.co.uk/sspa/click?ie=UTF8&spc=MTo2MDAyMDE3NDE3Nzg5NDE2OjE3OTIyMjQ1OTU6c3BfZGV0YWlsX3RoZW1hdGljOjMwMTM1MDY1NDg5NjgzMjo6Ojo&url=%2Fdp%2FB0HHHR5P1H%2Fref%3Dsspa_dk_detail_4%3Fpsc%3D1%26pd_rd_i%3DB0HHHR5P1H%26pd_rd_w%3DyZUpV%26content-id%3Damzn1.sym.081760f1-6197-4f59-a0b2-cb3dd73034a8%26pf_rd_p%3D081760f1-6197-4f59-a0b2-cb3dd73034a8%26pf_rd_r%3DEX2XD9TY944CRYNJHPYA%26pd_rd_wg%3DPySbK%26pd_rd_r%3Dcead6b19-67af-4cf4-810c-9fbe7c8288ad%26aref%3DzY6EzsMScH%26sp_csd%3Dd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWxfdGhlbWF0aWM&aref=zY6EzsMScH&sp_cr=ZAZ

Exactly. That's an awful idea. Water on its own is sufficient

You could try putting something like this in your garden - cats are territorial and won't encroach on another cat's territory if they think another cat is living there:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Garden-Control-Scarers-Repeller-Deterrent/dp/B01JA45YBG

Note, this was just the first result on Google, I can't vouch for this actual product or supplier but there are plenty similar available.

You said the neighbours just got it and it’s new to the area.
None of this suggests it is a feral cat

I don’t think complaining is going to get you anywhere. What do you think the owners are going to do apart from thinking you are a slightly unhinged.

Tiger or Lion poo around the garden is a possible solution to keep cats away

She said it was feral and they have taken it in.

If that was my cat I would buy you a super soaker… if it’s a feral cat it’s even more bolshy than domestic ones.

Could you manage direct eye contact with it? My current cat hates it and would run away.

This might be too extreme but you could put the fence toppers on designed to keep cats in, backwards to stop them jumping the fence, this won't work if you have hedges etc. Also consider a motion sensor sprinkler so it gets sprayed every time it comes in not just when you are there

Like this

My neighbour spent a whole weekend installing nets designed to keep their cats in and the rest of the neighbourhood cats out. It worked in that no cats have got in but their own cat escaped on the first day 🤣 He was a bit confused because he was sat on our shared fence trying to work out how to get home!!

This could be the cat that helps your phobia! It’s not a tiger it won’t launch itself at you. Just keep shooing it away, don’t be cruel to it it’s not the cats fault you don’t like them. Also to make your life happier get help for the phobia.

I have had 17 ferals/strays/abandoned cats in my garden in the 5 years since we moved here. 7 are currently living in the garden and the ones that are still a bit jumpy are being slowly converted to indoors cats as they will all be coming with us when we move. I've paid for more neutering than I ever thought I'd have to, and they all get fed, and medicated regularly. And only the one mama feral doesn't get regular brushing as she is still unable to be stroked at all. But working on that this winter.

They won't do anything to you. There is no need to be scared. Cats do not bite humans randomly, if they are scared they will just run away. The most they will do is rub up against your legs if they can get close enough. They are not like lions or tigers, they are gorgeous creatures all with independant personalities.

The cat probably won’t try and escape again though.

Surely for the price of that ugly thing the OP could get some decent phobia therapy and be done with her fear of cats instead?

Cats aren't dangerous to people so it's an irrational fear that can be overcome.

Taken it in from where given it is new to the area

Or get the vacuum cleaner out & keep running it, cats hearing is 6 times more sensitive than humans so any nasty noise will get rid of it.

I squirt fairy liquid at the cats who come in our garden, I have a very good water pistol that was from the pound shop! I had to resort to this in the end as I was pregnant with two toddlers and having to remove large amounts of cat poo from my garden and I was terrified of toxoplasmosis. To the people who say fairy liquid might hurt the cat, I couldn't care less.. better that than my unborn child or toddler come into contact with bacteria that causes blindness. People know what they are doing when they get pets that foul in other people's gardens.