A home for their hearts Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 My dad got my kids a swing set for Christmas. One of the ones that has a tower and underneath the tower you can put sand but it doesn't have a lid. I had been using an old plastic pool cover to cover it. Once in awhile the kids would forget to cover it but nothing bothered it. Our neighbors have an outside cat. It roams the neighborhood and is in and out of people yards all the time. It likes to scratch up our trees and I'll occassionally find a dead mouse or bird, but it has never done it's duty in our yard. Well a couple of weeks ago there was a stray cat hanging around our yard. It was on the weekend and I told the kids if it's still around on Monday I was going to call animal control. It didn't have a collar and was acting very hungry. We didn't feed it and I told my kids to leave it alone. Well come Monday the neighbor kids, the ones who own the other cat, said there parents said they could keep it until the owner comes for it. Well they never posted any signs or to my knowledge put anything in the newspaper. They have a fenced in backyard and for the first few days the cat didn't know how to get over the fence so it stayed in their backyard. Well now it can get over the fence, I found cat poop in our sandbox three times. I decided that was enough and painstakingly removed the sand down to the dirt. I figured that would be the end of it, but no! There is now three piles of poop in it! I'm about to pull my hair out. The neighbors are gone this week and I'm half tempted to call animal control and have them come pick up the culprit! I do not want to be cleaning up after other peoples animals. Is there any way of getting it to stop?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennC Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 Is there any way of getting it to stop?! Cat. Trap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OH_Homeschooler Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 Get a lid for the sandbox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueridge Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 Get one of those heavy plastic tarps that are used to cover odd-shaped things like wood piles and jet skis and lay it on top of the sand box area. Now, did that family provide for that new cat while they are gone, or is it just wandering? If that is the case, it would be humane to call animal control (IMO). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hockey Mom Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 Here is a link of several ideas you could try. Of course, it all hinges on what would be safest for your children too. I have dogs. They are a great deterrent for keeping cats out of my yard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A home for their hearts Posted July 28, 2009 Author Share Posted July 28, 2009 Get a lid for the sandbox. It's impossible to get a lid for it, the swing set doesn't come with one. I guess you are suppose to make your own which is what I was trying to do with the old pool cover. :glare: The cat had even gotten under the pool cover one day when it was on the sand box and did his business! I'm thinking that the neighbors have provided for the cat while they are gone. Everytime they leave they never bring their other can inside they still leave it out. Supposedly their yard barn has a kitty door for the cats with food and water and a litter box. I've never seen this though since I've never been in their back yard. Since they would obviously leave food and water for the other cat I'm sure the new one is taken care for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A home for their hearts Posted July 28, 2009 Author Share Posted July 28, 2009 A puppy! I would be very tempted to call animal control. I am very very tempted to call animal control. The only thing that is stopping is it may cause bad feelings between us and the neighbors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 It's a cat. You can't tell a cat what to do. ;) You either have to cover your sandbox or else he'll do what he wants to do. I don't think it's the neighbor's fault and it's not the cat's fault (it's acting normally). I wouldn't call animal control. Either cover the sandbox better or put in a taller fence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 I would probably just try to cover the sandbox, b/c if it's not this cat, it's going to be another one. Uncovered sandboxes get nasty very quickly, anyway, and ants, fleas, spiders and many other critters will also find them. They are really only safe to play in when they are reliably covered, imo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ncmomo3 Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 We made a screen frame cover for ours for that reason. It was easy and did the trick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 Cover your sandbox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionfamily1999 Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 Hose it. Spend this weekend with the kids in the yard, whenever the cat tries to come in the yard, spray it. Or, if you like squirrels, you can use a wrist rocket and shoot peanuts at it, that's what we used to do. They learn just like anything else will, but you have to be consistent. You can also try the chicken wire under the sand trick. Just when the kids are not there, when the cat tries to dig, it gets caught in the wire (ouch). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 (edited) We live in the country, so goodness knows what could get into our sandbox. We have a tarp over ours. I just cover it at night or one of the kids does. We anchor it with bricks. Edited July 29, 2009 by LibraryLover Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A home for their hearts Posted July 29, 2009 Author Share Posted July 29, 2009 We had been covering it and anchoring it with heavy toys but the cat still managed to get to it. I threw the cover away when I found feces stuck to it! Yuck. It's no longer a sandbox, there isn't sand in it anymore. I thought taking the sand away would do the trick but it hasn't. I guess I'll need to go buy a tarp to cover the ground with to see if it keeps the cat away. Yes I agree it is our responsibility to cover the now empty sandbox, but I also think it's the neighbor's responsibility to keep their animals in their own yard. Our yard isn't fenced in, it is open and we shouldn't have to put a fence in just to keep out the neighbors animals. Once again it is their animals not our they should keep them on their own property. The neighbors who own these animals have a fence and for the first few days they kept this stray cat it stayed in their yard. Now it has figured out have to jump the fence and now does it's duty in our yard. :glare: These neighbors are next to our house either, they are across the street. Their cat, not the stray, is always in everybodies yard on our street. It's a pretty good cat but I still don't enjoying it coming to our yard. I'm sure if a it were a dog out roaming the neighborhood the neighbors wouldn't be that happy, and the dog would have probably been taken in by now. Sorry just need to vent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A home for their hearts Posted July 29, 2009 Author Share Posted July 29, 2009 We made a screen frame cover for ours for that reason. It was easy and did the trick. How did you do this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennC Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 Yes I agree it is our responsibility to cover the now empty sandbox, but I also think it's the neighbor's responsibility to keep their animals in their own yard. Our yard isn't fenced in, it is open and we shouldn't have to put a fence in just to keep out the neighbors animals. Once again it is their animals not our they should keep them on their own property. Sorry just need to vent! I understand your need to vent. I also disagree that you have a responsibility to make your children's toy (sandbox) inaccessible to them. In our county their is NO DIFFERENCE legally between a dog and cat as far as keeping them in the owner's yard. However, a lot of people have the attitude that it is jus a cat. I don't think that. We have a humane animal trap. It catches cats without hurting them. You can buy one at your local outdoor supply - depending on your location. We have many different farm supply stores. What I have done is - put an empty tuna can in the trap. Put the trap in or next to the sandbox. I am NOT baiting cats. Typically, spending the night and morning in the trap convinces the cat not to return. However, a repeat offender is dropped of by me at the humane society. I have no remorse about this. If your neighbor does not contain the animal it is at risk of disease from eating random dead things, being hit by a car or being 'stolen'/adopted by someone else. One time of seeing my toddler put cat feces in his mouth was too many for me. Not to mention the risk of toxoplasmosis when I was pregnant - many times. I tried the spraying with water trick - never was fast enough and even then it wasn't much of a deterrent. There are items you can buy from a gardeners supply - but why should I have to fork over the $$ to control someone else's animal. The cat trap is humane and effective. Another thing you could try if you still hate my idea:D is get some chain link fencing and lay that over your sandbox. it is heavy, won't blow away and is somewhat easy for an adult to move. Our sandbox has always been too big. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5KidzRUs Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 I would take this VERY seriously. Consider the health issues: http://www.populararticles.com/article40136.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keptwoman Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 What we did for this was got a strong piece of windbreak fabric, on one side of the sandbox we stapled/nailed it along the side, at the other end of the windbreak we attached it to a long piece of wood. Covering and uncovering the sandbox was just a matter of grabbing the wood (which was light enough for a 3yo because it wasn't a thick piece) and throwing it off the sandbox, or back over it when they had finished playing. The wood attached to the windbreak was heavy enough to stop it blowing around. The bonus of this method is that it still lets the rain into the box to give the sand a good regular rinse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ncmomo3 Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 How did you do this? Dh made a wooden frame out of some scrap wood. It was thin/light weight. He placed a section of wire screen (like for a porch) between 2 pieces of wood for each side.You could probably use chicken wire or something like that. The sandbox was about 6x5 or so and the frame was just slightly larger than that. I don't know if I have explained it very well. hth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 I understand your need to vent. I also disagree that you have a responsibility to make your children's toy (sandbox) inaccessible to them. In our county their is NO DIFFERENCE legally between a dog and cat as far as keeping them in the owner's yard. However, a lot of people have the attitude that it is jus a cat. I don't think that. We have a humane animal trap. It catches cats without hurting them. You can buy one at your local outdoor supply - depending on your location. We have many different farm supply stores. What I have done is - put an empty tuna can in the trap. Put the trap in or next to the sandbox. I am NOT baiting cats.Typically, spending the night and morning in the trap convinces the cat not to return. However, a repeat offender is dropped of by me at the humane society. I have no remorse about this. If your neighbor does not contain the animal it is at risk of disease from eating random dead things, being hit by a car or being 'stolen'/adopted by someone else. One time of seeing my toddler put cat feces in his mouth was too many for me. Not to mention the risk of toxoplasmosis when I was pregnant - many times. I tried the spraying with water trick - never was fast enough and even then it wasn't much of a deterrent. There are items you can buy from a gardeners supply - but why should I have to fork over the $$ to control someone else's animal. The cat trap is humane and effective. Another thing you could try if you still hate my idea:D is get some chain link fencing and lay that over your sandbox. it is heavy, won't blow away and is somewhat easy for an adult to move. Our sandbox has always been too big. :iagree: Their animal = their responsibility. period. Cats don't stay in my yard anymore. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phathui5 Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 Ew. Have you talked to the neighbors? Their cat shouldn't be out if they're away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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