What to do to prevent curiosity from killing your cat. Biochemistry and engineering. Guest Post
So far we have tried to ensure that cats do not jump where they should not, or do not climb where they are not expected. But it will be equally important to indicate what to do so that cats do not run away where they should not.
I'm sure this question is really relevant for many. How to stop cats from jumping out of the window? Put bars? Yes. They are called anti-cats.
Anti-cats
It sounds like some kind of trapping device. But it's not quite like that. Anti-cat – is a reinforced net with fasteners (usually metal), which is designed to protect cats and other pets from falling out of the window (I'm not sure if this would work for hamsters). By the way, there are anti-cat nets for doors, etc. The materials and types of nets are different. Anti-cat nets can also be installed in gardens.
Types of gratings:
1) with large cells (considered the most reliable and can withstand the weight of a person)
2) made of stainless steel, with small cells (something closer to a mosquito net)
3) Petscreen. This is a mosquito net with a dense PVC fabric. Such a fabric usually cannot be torn by claws. It is worth making a reservation that such a net will not save large, fat cats (Maine Coons, for example). And there are quite a few craftsmen who can make a quality petscreen.
4) rope type. The net can be made of fishing line, nylon or reinforced with wire. The cat most likely will not chew or tear such a net. Cheap and cheerful. The owner of the cats can install such nets themselves.
If the anti-cat is of high quality, it effectively keeps cats within the house. Or does not let them into the house territory. It is impossible to tear the anti-cat, or chew it. 10/10.
We have considered options for regulating the flow of cats onto private territories, furniture and other inappropriate places. But there are also a large number of wild cats whose numbers need to be controlled. And there are more stringent methods for this.
Catch
Yes, cat trapping is still necessary. There is probably no need to remind you that they are carriers of infections. The most common one is ringworm. The treatment will then be long and tedious. The process of trapping is in most cases very gentle and kind. Extreme measures are taken only in the case of overly aggressive and angry cats or an emergency situation (when the cat's habitat, a basement, for example, can be demolished). Trapping is carried out by special organizations. In general, they act with gentle methods, calling, feeding, etc. But if the cat can pose a danger, then, obviously, more severe methods will be used, including baiting into a corner.
Poison Spray
Australian ecologist John Reid developed laser sight traps. This robot sprays toxic substances on cats (and only on them, no other animals). The idea is that cats should instinctively lick themselves and be fatally poisoned.
Reed set up four traps in total. And each of them had four laser rangefinders. The devices detect a cat and release sodium fluoroacetate. This substance is found in Australian plants. Therefore, local animals are more or less resistant to this toxin. But cats are not.
In the article I described various options for controlling not only cat infiltration and invasion, but also options for controlling the cat population. However, controlling the cat population is necessary for many reasons.
Some reasons were mentioned in this review, some can be thought about independently or read on the Internet and asked by experts (not couch potatoes!). The options for controlling cat leakage are assessed in this article subjectively and do not claim to be an accurate assessment. In the comments, we will be glad to read about your experience of regulating the behavior of cats. Perhaps someone has even compiled their own rating of repellents.
