Gotta get rid of Chako
I’ve got to stop Chako (the stray cat) from coming around. It’s just become too much. I’ve mentioned in the past that I strongly dislike cats, but people take me at being “curmudgeonly humorous.” But I’m not kidding. I don’t like cats.
I felt sorry for Chako because she is missing her front, right paw. And she doesn’t meow. Just stares at you indicating she’s hungry. So she was able to tug at sympathy strings.
The neighbors are up in arms about her though because not only did she create one litter already, but she leaves messes all over the place.
Kokita-san, the neighbor who really likes her and got me involved, is getting huge arguments from her husband to stop feeding her and there is general unrest in our small neighborhood corner.
I’ve still been sneaking her food, and it seems like it’s just me now (except when Kokita-san is able to sneak her some food).
The last couple of days Chako has gotten enough courage to climb my stairs so I had the “clever idea” of just leaving food for her at the top of my stairs, which is out of sight of my neighbors. In return, I opened the door this morning to find a pile of cat droppings on my staircase landing.
I’m not feeling so well myself lately and when I saw the mess Chako left I said to myself, “Enough is enough. The charm of her pathetic story has worn off. It’s time for her to seek greener pastures.”
There is no “cat rescue” willing to come and get her. And no way I can safely (for me) trap her and take her anywhere – which would just be to her death anyway. I’ve asked all my friends and posted notices here on facebook, but nobody wants her.
Sorry if I sound cold, but I’m just at the limit of what I could do and just want Chako gone.
In the past, when the neighbors first complained I tried a powder meant to keep cats away with wasabi in it. The smell was strong enough to keep ME away, but Chako didn’t seem to mind it at all.
Does anybody know of a harmless, environmentally friendly “home recipe” (maybe some combination of spices?) that cats HATE and Chako will just leave when she encounters it?
Thanks,
doug
You definitely should get rid of Chako if she is pooping on your doorstep. Cat feces often harbors pathogens that are harmful to people, like toxoplasmosis. Be careful when cleaning up the mess.
I have heard that mothballs can work as a cat repellent. Since they can be eaten by the cat, dogs, and even kids you should put them in some kind of a container like a can with holes that has the lid secured with duct tape. I hope they have both duct tape and mothballs in Japan 🙂
It turns out what I thought were a pile of her droppings was just a small pile of dead cicadas!
Still, she apparently makes a nuisance like that with the neighbors.
They probably have mothballs here.
A small pile of dead cicadas sounds more like it. From my longtime experience living with cats, I can say that they are not likely to shit in the same place where they eat.
That’s what I thought too. I haven’t seen Chako this evening yet.