View Full Version : keeping cats and raccoons out
BigFish
03-21-2006, 8:21 PM
im building a pond in our front yard for my senior project and my mom dosnt want the pond to get raded by raccoons and cats but she dosnt want the electric fence to look ugly. is there any other ways to keep fish in a pond that looks good and protects it.
fishnutham
03-21-2006, 8:30 PM
a lawn chair ,6 pack and a 12 gauge :)
Honda12
03-21-2006, 8:57 PM
a lawn chair ,6 pack and a 12 gauge :)
That works. Or when building the pond make the side of the pond vertical or straight down also make sure that it is a least 3ft deep. If the pond slants inwards it will give the racoons, cats, and waiding birds like herons a place to stand. If it is straight down they don't hav a good place to stand. Also if it is at least 3ft deep it is to deep for the herons and such to land.
That works. Or when building the pond make the side of the pond vertical or straight down also make sure that it is a least 3ft deep. If the pond slants inwards it will give the racoons, cats, and waiding birds like herons a place to stand. If it is straight down they don't hav a good place to stand. Also if it is at least 3ft deep it is to deep for the herons and such to land.
i agree there is also a motion detecting sprinkle you could put by i dont know if it works at night but try to cover/hide the electric fence with some plants or ivy
gomezladdams
03-21-2006, 11:06 PM
I was going to suggest a bb gun but the shotgun would probably be more effective
fishnutham
03-22-2006, 12:13 AM
I was going to suggest a bb gun but the shotgun would probably be more effective
dont have to worry about aiming after the six pack probably hit the noisy neighbour too :D
illustrae
03-22-2006, 9:43 AM
I've read about people using a motion-sesor water jet system. They aren't cheap, but they supposedly make a good non-leathal deterrent. Though I wonder if the animals it's supposed to chase away just get used to it over time. And then of course, you have to remember to shut off the motion sensor before you go out to the pond or you'll get sprayed, too.
I'm not sure how fish-safe the stuff would be, but you could use cat-deterrent spray. They sell it for gardens, so it's plant safe, so maybe it would be safe enough to use around ponds.
rottbo
03-22-2006, 9:53 AM
the motion sensors work all the time dark or not i would suggest this or those electric fences they make for ponds are real small and arent really that noticeable,,, another goodway is to just keep a large alligator gar in it i want to see a raccon try to take that out
rallysman
03-22-2006, 10:13 AM
I like the shotgun idea. Maybe landmines?
fishnutham
03-22-2006, 10:18 AM
I like the shotgun idea. Maybe landmines?
whoo hoo ! now you're talking toss in some c4 and and some trip wires and a keg and we can have party and a roast from the fresh kill :D
never had racoon probably tastes like chicken.
guppy
03-22-2006, 12:52 PM
Cats and racoons don't feed in water over 30"
Just use an alligato or crocodile. :ROFL:
Just use an alligato or crocodile.
i agree with larger enough population of cats, racoons and birds there is no need to feed it
and as a bonus every 3 years a new pair of boots and a nice Alligator Sauce Piquant
Two words... Red snakehead! :devil:
ewurm
03-31-2006, 12:00 AM
Two words... Red snakehead! :devil:
Snakeheads would keep out predators and other fish! :ROFL:
RTCatz
03-31-2006, 1:35 AM
you can always put a mesh fence over the pond at night when the coons come out
fishnthings
03-31-2006, 4:06 AM
PIT BULL:D
Sampsin73
04-08-2006, 2:00 AM
You can put a fence across the pond or you can build a gate across the pond. My dad had the same problem and just bought some fence with small holes and put it across the pond
USMCtanker
04-08-2006, 2:06 AM
put an electric eel in there
zekni
04-13-2006, 12:08 AM
PIT BULL:D
I vote any kind of shepherd. :D I've known some pits who'd snore right through a raiding cat.
Just put a hippo in there.. :ROFL:
tattoodaddy
04-13-2006, 7:37 PM
steel traps out to the side baited with sardines and ritz crackers....won't take long to thin out the coons and cats. :naughty:
BlueNote
04-14-2006, 2:18 AM
I have a new 8000 gallon pond, and I got lots of coons as I live by a major river, and I like my coons, nothing wrong with them, but I know before in my smaller pond they would still get the small goldfish in 3 feet of water, they just sit at the side and catch them. Not sure what kinda coons you Americans and others have, but the ones here are mighty big, and when they bring the entire family for a picnic, you are in deep sh*t.
But I vote for the electric fence, thats what I am putting it, a thin wire is easy to hide, but I am using an electric fence meant for horses not coons, and I think after a shock with it, they won't be coming back for more, lol.
BDawg364
04-14-2006, 2:25 AM
yeah, but if you leave it on during the day by accident, a horse-type electric fence would do a number on a neighborhood kid trying to get his frisbee out of the pond.....
i must admit i would pay to see that though......is that bad?
yeah, but if you leave it on during the day by accident, a horse-type electric fence would do a number on a neighborhood kid trying to get his frisbee out of the pond.....
i must admit i would pay to see that though......is that bad?
Oh the mental picture! :ROFL:
doeth72
04-19-2006, 1:13 AM
lots of great ideas that kinda make my pond protection look lame.
I've got a sheet of 3/4" clear perspex that sits about 1" below the water level. Ive drilled a lot of 5/8" holes in the perpex and you cant see it at all. I use to loose lots of fish to egrets and cats, but haven't lost any fish for a long time.
cheaper than shotgun shells anyway!
Fabio's Dad
04-19-2006, 4:19 AM
That's an awesome idea.
Scottfree
04-20-2006, 8:23 PM
lots of great ideas that kinda make my pond protection look lame.
I've got a sheet of 3/4" clear perspex that sits about 1" below the water level. Ive drilled a lot of 5/8" holes in the perpex and you cant see it at all. I use to loose lots of fish to egrets and cats, but haven't lost any fish for a long time.
cheaper than shotgun shells anyway!
What is perspex???
waldend
05-10-2006, 11:20 AM
You can also get various shelters that will help give them a place to hide in. A short piece of PVC pipe is a cheap alternative.
softturtle
05-10-2006, 2:33 PM
first off, is it above ground or in ground?
In ground ponds only have a few options. electric fence - net cover - motion squirters
Above ground has a few more- all of the above - 3' deep water - overhanging ledge (coons can't get a good position for fishing) - lower your water level (coons can't reach the water, although you might find a coon floating in your pond one morning)
You use one or a combonation of these and I think you'll have a better chance at keeping some of your fish. But having fish outside opens up all kinds of predatory problems so theres always a chance of loosing some animals.
Bassman89
06-01-2006, 2:12 PM
a case of cold ones and a double barrel 12 gauge
Aras118119
06-01-2006, 7:23 PM
Try putting small cups of household ammonia around the perimeter of the pond i have used it before when cats were bothering my pond and it worked within a few days.
MikeVance
06-02-2006, 12:17 PM
Electric fence, but use a single strand around the perimeter, it will stay out of site and give any unwanted visitors a surprise. I wizzed on one when I was in high school(drunk and staggering); leaned against a post on my buddies farm and attempted to relieve myself :shocked: Wow what a buzz kill.
:headbang2
raven77
06-14-2006, 5:14 PM
cats? I never heard of cats bothering a pond...
(I am new though)
amesbien
10-28-2006, 1:23 PM
I lost a beautiful orenji ogon butterfly koi to something overnight, basterds.
dannyboy
10-28-2006, 7:27 PM
not sure if anyone has mentioned this yet, but a deer scarer?
those bamboo things that are water powered and found in ornamental japanese gardens
blacksmith37
10-30-2006, 10:25 AM
Lots of great ideas; my $0.02. I have a serious electric fence; it does not keep out cats,racoons, armadillos, etc; coons may cross in the trees, others mostly go under. There are alway branchs falling on it , brush growing into it and draining some power (I have to "walk the line" every week). And deer running through it when it zings them.
However, I have lost many, many more fish to snakes than other perdators ( my yard is too wooded for air attack). How do you control snakes? I like the shotgun, but I think it would damage the liner .
flagtail
10-30-2006, 11:11 AM
For cats try this, heard it works on racoons also.
2 parts cayenne pepper
3 parts dry mustard
5 parts flour
Simply mix together and sprinkle, around the pond.
Another method is go by your local sporting good store, and pick up some predator urine, and spray around also, i.e fox, coyote, wolf.....
Good luck
kakojones
11-03-2006, 2:07 PM
If you can find it (not even sure if its on the market anywhere anymore) bob cat urine will keep most anything small and furry away, except of course other bobcats. If you find any, just put it around your pond. probably 5-10' away from the pond.
neonmadness
11-10-2006, 1:29 PM
if your ponds big enough get an arapaima or aligator gar, would a huge silver aro work?
nativelover
11-11-2006, 4:01 PM
get a caiman....or an alligator.
just think, takes care of the stupid cats and gets rid of the noisy naighbore kids....:lol:
nativelover
11-11-2006, 4:05 PM
Lots of great ideas; my $0.02. I have a serious electric fence; it does not keep out cats,racoons, armadillos, etc; coons may cross in the trees, others mostly go under. There are alway branchs falling on it , brush growing into it and draining some power (I have to "walk the line" every week). And deer running through it when it zings them.
However, I have lost many, many more fish to snakes than other perdators ( my yard is too wooded for air attack). How do you control snakes? I like the shotgun, but I think it would damage the liner .
get a pig. pigs hate snakes and when they get bit it doesnt seem to fase them...really cool to watch a sowl protect her piglets from a cotton mouth. when they get bit the poison just oozes out for some reason.
Tongue33
11-14-2006, 11:36 PM
im building a pond in our front yard for my senior project and my mom dosnt want the pond to get raded by raccoons and cats but she dosnt want the electric fence to look ugly. is there any other ways to keep fish in a pond that looks good and protects it.
Just buy a fairly mature RTC and you won't even notice their were ever cats or racoons :) Might not be so fun to clean up the big Turds LOL but hey...
Kin Corvida
11-15-2006, 5:25 AM
Perhaps you could build a short wall around it? I've an above-ground pond but there really isn't anything worth fishing for in there at the moment unless my cat wants one prawn with long claws...
A pic from one of my other posts. Here's me kitty on the ledge, nothing doing with the inhabitants. The wall makes it hard for her to reach the water (which she doesn't try anyway), there are no wild raccoons in SG and its my dog more often than the cat which usually keeps birds (if any) away.
53628
Kin
portabuddy
11-16-2006, 3:06 AM
I'll be putting up a electrified fence up, forget the cats and doge its the birds i gace to wory about. lol
Fishpaste
11-26-2006, 11:01 AM
Fake female Racoons and cats ( or visa versa ). Males or females will approach these and then detonate releasing millions of needles into the bodies of the wrong doers.
Either that or a Gattling guns up to you. Like from Aliens.
DeLgAdO
11-27-2006, 1:01 PM
cats? I never heard of cats bothering a pond...
(I am new though)
cats dont bother pond
they are affraid of water
tx_bandit_01
11-29-2006, 12:31 AM
Put a chicken wire net-cage around it , it work for my pond that i keep koi in
mikekenzo
02-26-2007, 7:03 PM
watch your fingers!
rocketdoctor
03-17-2007, 12:41 PM
Im going to be building a pond with lots of racoons around and also kids who will want to play near it so electric, alligators definately out of the question I have tried the sprinkler system for plants is extremely annoying an inefficient.
Ive heard that if you put shelfs for the fish to hide under as well that would keep the racoons out as well?
cats dont bother pond
they are affraid of water
Tell that to my best friends cat who lives outside and hunts the neighborhood bringing back small koi, lizards, and mice frequently. The cats loc.
Raccoons are too smart of animals for this to be a problem where you set something up once and don't have to worry about it again.. sorry. Good luck.
nativelover
03-17-2007, 3:18 PM
get a flathead catfish...dont feed it for a month and see how long them critters last at the pond!
you can get small (first pic) and they get huge! (second pic) that ones about 2.5ft but they get alot bigger
redzebra24
03-17-2007, 3:23 PM
cant u just make the pond really deep?