They run a close second to canines as ‘man’s best friend’ but even feline fanciers agree that while cats may be clean and companionable as housemates, their yard and garden manners leave a lot to be desired.

Good fences may make good neighbors, but it seems outdoor cats do not. A 2003 survey of gardeners in the UK found that cats ranked second only to rats as the most despised mammals in the garden. More recently, a quiet neighbourhood in Chantilly, VA found itself in the middle of a controversy over what many of the residents called, “the cat problem”.

Depending on who you ask, the Chantilly neighbourhood was over-run with outdoor cats—many of which were feral. Even those who admit to liking cats agreed that they were tired of the cats chasing birds, attacking other animals and depositing feces in yards and gardens throughout the neighbourhood.

“My biggest annoyance was that the cats had been using my yard as a litter box,” said resident Rick D’Amico. “I was unable to cut my grass, plant flowers, or do yard work without stepping in a pile of cat feces. In addition, they were jumping on my vehicle and scratching the paint.”

D’Amico said that some of the feral cats in his neighbourhood were also very aggressive—attacking his dog on several occasions and even lunging at people who were walking by. By the time he connected with Alley Cat Allies---a national organization that advocates for stray and feral cats--he admitted he was at the end of his rope.

Alley Cat Allies has been working with residents and the property owner in D’Amico’s 500-home neighbourhood to provide feeding stations, no-cost spay and neuter services, adoption services, and CatStop ultrasonic cat deterrent devices to frustrated residents. Home owners and representatives from Alley Cat Allies agree that the devices--which emit a burst of ultrasonic sound that can only be heard by cats—are working.

“Shortly after installing the CatStops, I noticed that no cats were coming anywhere near my garden or lawn,” D’Amico said. “And the sound emitted from the Cat Stops does not harm the cats; rather just gives them a safe warning to ’keep away’.”

“The CatStop has really helped to make the cats a non-issue in this neighbourhood,” said Alley Cat Allies communications manager, Elizabeth Parowski. “It has helped to alleviate tension in the community so that we can have future, productive discussions about stray and feral cats.”

CatStop, which has been available in the United States for six years, was recently approved for sale in Canada. The device uses motion and infrared sensors to detect activity within 20 feet of its placement and emits a loud, ultrasonic sound audible only to cats. It can be used in gardens, yards, children’s sandboxes or any outdoor areas that require protection from cats.

Contech is a designer and provider of animal control and wellness products and non-toxic pest management products for home and garden, forestry, landscape, agriculture, and commercial applications. Safe and effective solutions such as the CatStop outdoor cat deterrent continue to reinforce the company’s reputation as a leading innovator in the pet and garden industries.