Cats are sneaky and mischievous creatures and can wreak havoc on your property. Sometimes shooting them can seem like the only option, but have you ever considered if this is legal? To avoid any dire consequences, let’s do some research first.
It is illegal to shoot cats or to harm them on purpose, even if it’s on your own property. This is considered animal abuse and can lead to jail time and a fine. To get rid of a cat legally, talk to your local animal control office for their suggestions or services.
However, there are many other options to consider when trying to get rid of the cats that come into your yard. There are many humane ways to take care of a cat problem.
In this article, we will go over simple ways to either deter cats from your yard or send them to a shelter.
Let’s get started!
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Here’s a Quick Pro Tip!
There are many ways to get rid of cats that do not include shooting them. You don’t even have to call animal control. Instead, you can put up some deterrents around the parts of your yard that they like.
Here are some deterrent products we recommend from Amazon.com:
1. Homarden Cat Repellent Outdoor Mat: These blend in with the grass around your garden and flower beds. They contain sharp parts that keep the cats and dogs away from the barrier of the garden or flower bed while not harming them.
2. Heyouou Ultrasonic Animal Repeller: This detects motion to turn on, and it is solar-powered. It is not harmful to animals. It uses high-pitched sounds and flashing lights to deter cats and other animals.
3. Halfeary Cat Repellent Spray: This repellent is safe to use and is simply a smell cats don’t like, so they don’t go where you spray it. It keeps them away from anywhere you don’t want them.
Cats look cute and can melt our hearts, but they can cause a lot of damage and frustration.
In this section, we will go over if you can shoot a cat or kill it in any way, along with some other options to get rid of cats.
You cannot shoot and kill a cat on your property or anywhere else, at least in the US. It is considered a crime for animal abuse. You can be sent to jail and have a heavy fine you must pay.
Instead of shooting a cat, you can trap it and send it to the shelter. Or, you can put up deterrents that are very inexpensive, including sprays that have scents they don’t like.
You cannot purposefully kill a cat in your front yard in any way. You also cannot harm them. Both are considered animal cruelty, and you can be sent to jail and fined. You should call animal control instead.
If it is your neighbor’s cat that is causing the issues, talk to your neighbor. Tell them it is better to have a cat indoors to protect the birds and reduce the overpopulation of cats.
If they do not want to bring their cat inside, you can spray vinegar infused with rosemary around where you don’t want the cats to roam or dig plants up.
You cannot harm a cat in any way on purpose. This is considered animal abuse. If you kill or harm a cat, you can be sent to jail and/or fined. You might scare off a cat by shooting a gun up, but your neighbor might think you’re trying to shoot the cat.
If you want to stop cats from killing birds, simply put up a short rabbit fence around areas that birds like. This way, while the cat is coming over the fence, the birds will have time to fly away.
You can also spray a nontoxic deterrent of smell cats just don’t like
It is illegal to kill any cats at any time or harm them on purpose. You can face jail time and a fine for killing a cat. If the feral cat is causing issues, call animal control and ask what can be done about it. But if they are no help, contact your local government.
You can also trap a cat in a harm-free way and then take the cat to a shelter. If you do, make sure you check the trap every hour because you don’t want them trapped for too long.
Also, do not leave the trap out at night because you will attract possums, raccoons, and such.
There are more laws now to protect animals from harm and to protect people’s pets. If you have an animal that keeps harming other animals and your plants, then read on. In this section, we will talk about the steps you can take to be rid of pesky animals in a legal and harmless way.
Cats are protected by the law. If anyone purposefully harms or kills a cat, it is considered animal cruelty. If you notice someone mistreating a cat, call the local authorities. If the cat has been hurt, take them to the vet immediately.
If you can, take photos and videos of the offense. The courts will need evidence to prosecute.
At the moment, this might be difficult, but to stop the offense from happening multiple times, you will need evidence.
If you kill or harm a cat on purpose, it is considered animal cruelty and is illegal in the US. You can face a fine and jail time. If you have an issue with a cat, call animal control or 911. They will remove a problem cat for you.
If it’s your neighbor’s cat that is causing the issues, you can still contact animal control but talk to your neighbor first if possible or let them know animal control has their cat afterward.
If there are no severe issues from the cat that need immediate attention, you can use some deterrents to keep them away.
