cats and how to keep them away

[imported_tuffluck]

i`m leaving my apartment and my garage to visit my parents for a few days during christmas. unfortunately, i have to park outside there. i don`t mind being outside so much, but i definitely mind the facts that they have 2 cats. although they have a lot of land and i`ve never personally seen a cat on my car when i go home, i have seen paw prints on the other cars in the driveway.



so...since i just recently polished my car with a PC, i`m not really wanting to get many cat scratches on my car - for the obvious reasons. i`ve been thinking of getting a car cover from pep boys and using that, but i don`t want to scratch my dark blue paint either.



i`ve heard cats hate the smell of ammonia since their urine has mostly ammonia in it, so i was thinking of maybe opening a bottle and setting it near my car. ha! i don`t know how well that would work, but i need some remedy to either keeping them away from the car, or keeping them from scratching the car.



suggestions?

[zzyyzx]

a shotgun works well.... just kidding. I like cats, no really, I do. Unfortunately, I don`t think there`s an easy way to do it. There are things called Scat pads, but those could get expensive. You could try laying old comforters over the car if they won`t scratch it. A car cover would help keep prints off the paint, but I don`t know how much good it would do against their claws. Unfortunately, I think it may be a no win situation temporarily.

[splattj]

Contact paper, sticky side up. Cats won`t jump on another car again after a couple of experiences with that. I would spray-tack the contact paper to a blanket and set it on the hood/trunk. That way when the cat freaks out it won`t scratch up the hood. $10 at WalMart + a blanket will get the job done.

[thedarksyde]

There is stuff called NO! At the paint store that is meant to repel cats, but I dont know how well it works outside.



I have 2 cats with a cat door to the garage and I put my cover on my car always. Its the only way that works.

[imported_tuffluck]

so how do you put your cover on without scratching the paint?

[imported_wblynch]

Just wax it really good and the cats will slide right off.

[imported_tuffluck]

i really don`t think that`s what i want to happen though...



i`m really concerned for the hood. what if i just pop my hood open? i don`t think they`ll get on the other parts of the car.



the other alternative is the car cover and then putting a comforter on the hood portion underneath the cover, or on the top of the cover. i don`t think that`d be a bad idea either. the only thing i dislike about the comforter idea is the fact that it`s comfiness will attract the cats moreso. hell, i just don`t know.



maybe cats are scared of new cars in their territory? like i said, i don`t think they`ve ever gotten on my own car while i`ve been at my rents house, but every time i fear they will.

[imported_tuffluck]

if i use QD after a 250 mile drive instead of washing the car, that`s probably not the best idea either, is it? if i do the cover route, i don`t want to scratch the paint, but i also don`t want to have to lug all my washing stuff to my parent`s house.

[hftw Audi 6]

Man at least you can prevent it b 4 hand this happened to me earlier this summer! A stray who had been around my neighborhood was on my roof and wen i scared it away it scratch the whole roof of my car where it jumped from! :angry I haven`t been so mad in quite some time! lol

[jeff5614]

Don`t open the hood, they`ll just get on the warm engine block and sleep. Then when you start the car, kitty in the fan blade and or belts and your parents will be less than happy.

[Bill D]

I`m pretty sure one time a while ago one slid right off my Weathershield car cover

[imported_tuffluck]

but i don`t think you want them sliding at all...that`s when their claws come out.



all the car covers i saw today didn`t seem insulated enough. it seemed that if a cat put his claws out, they`d go right through that cover.



what about a thick comforter on the hood? as long as the wind doesn`t blow it off, even if a cat gets on, that`s pretty much going to do the job, right?



the thing is, if the cats have no intention to get on there in the first place (something i`d never know), then the comforter is only going to attract them.

[Carl Anderson]

I`ve had this problem and I think I`ve solved it with the scat pad I purchased though Griot`s Garage. What I do is place a towel on the hood of my M3, and then place the scat pad over this and arm it. I keep the towel and scat pad in my trunk for convenience. I`ve been doing this as needed (I don`t do it when it is pouring down rain), and I really think at this point I have the local cats trained.



A temporary solution would be to use the lower fitted mattress pad fitted sheet. This will hook over your hood and attach around the front bumper. I think this will prevent damage for the few days you need it. You could add a towel under the mattress pad for insurance.

[Bill D]

Well, you probably would need the two cover set up . The cat only put 2 small punctures in WS top cover while it apparently tore holes in my gf`s Noah, at the time she only had the one cover

[imported_tuffluck]

you don`t think it will attract cats since it`s soft?