We Lost 4 Cats In One Week by Mothball Poisoning

by Joyce Sammons (Hodges, SC, USA)

Scrappy and Whiskers

Two useful tags. Click either to see the articles: Toxic to cats | Dangers to cats

Scrappy and Whiskers

I’m writing this account of what happened to two of the most beautiful cats I’ve ever owned with the hope no one has to repeat this experience. Whiskers and Scrappy were brother and sister and I’d had them since the day they were born.

They were the only litter born by c-section because their mother went into labor and then the labor stopped. Whiskers was a beautiful long haired black and white male who loved being held. Scrappy was a long haired female calico who knew she was beautiful and strutted everywhere she went. I lived in a place where it was safe for them to roam the neighborhood. There were woods behind my home and lots of places where they could hunt and just enjoy being a cat.


Whiskers – photo by Joyce Sammons


One evening we found one of the cats we fed. Old Tom was a black male who came every day for a bite to eat. He was friendly and probably belonged to someone in the neighborhood. He was dead under my living room window. My husband and I checked him for trauma and there wasn’t a mark on him. We took him to the woods and gave him a proper burial.

A few days later we found Tom’s eating buddy Booger dead in the back yard. At first glance he looked to be enjoying an afternoon nap. Again there was no sign of trauma. We buried him beside Tom.

I wasn’t concerned about any kind of poison ingestion. The whole neighborhood owned cats and we all had an agreement not to put out rat poison because it would endanger our animals. The cats controlled the rat population and didn’t need any help from us humans.

Scrappy a moggie calico cat
Scrappy – photo by Joyce Sammons

It was the day after burying Booger that the unthinkable happened. Whiskers and Scrappy were both staggering and wouldn’t touch their food. They were too sick to walk but continued to haphazardly follow me from room to room. I scooped them up and carried them to the vet.

I explained about Tom and Booger and the vet diagnosed Whiskers and Scrappy with feline leukemia. I may not be an expert but I didn’t think it likely that two cats would die a day apart of feline leukemia and now two more were sick. The vet gave them a glucose IV and sent them home.

That night I made them a bed on the floor in my bedroom. The next morning Scrappy was dead but Whiskers seemed a little better. We gave Scrappy a funeral and buried him beside Tom and Booger.

A few days later Whiskers did a really great cat stretch. You cat lovers know the stretch I’m talking about. His head was almost on top of his front feet and his tail was high in the air. Then-he just fell over. I picked him up and took him to another vet.

The new vet listened to my story of how the other three had died and diagnosed Whiskers with poisoning. Since it had been so long since being ingested there was nothing we could do except wait. I fed him using a syringe and he slept in my lap. I cared for him around the clock for two days. Then he died. I still couldn’t believe any of the neighbors would intentionally harm a neighborhood pet.

So I started asking around. One of the neighbors had placed mothballs under her house to repel snakes. I live in the deep south and snakes can be a problem during the hotter months. I’ve always associated mothballs with the funky smell in grandma’s closet to repel moths.

As it turned out mothballs are an old folk remedy. Scatter them under the house and the snakes won’t go there. There had been a lot of rain that week and it turned out that was the problem. The cats had gone underneath their house and drank from a puddle where the mothballs had dissolved. Mothballs contain several poisons with very long names. All of the symptoms fit.

We had lost a total of four neighborhood cats in less than a week. Maybe more that I never knew about. If this article can save even one cat from this horrible ending it will be worth it.

Joyce


Hi Joyce… A great but very distressing article. Thank you for sharing.

I just looked up mothball poisoning and they are evil things it seems. I never knew. They are also poisonous to people and particularly children.

They contain the chemicals: naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene. Napthalene can cause: headaches, restlessness, methemoglobinemia, hyperkalemia, fever, anemia, lethargy, vomiting, anorexia, hemolysis, acute renal failure, seizures, and coma.

Paradichlorobenzene is linked to kidney and liver disease. (source: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/410536_3).

Moth ball poisoning in cats and dogs causes: vomiting, seizures and possibly smell of moth balls on breath. Increased heart rate. Liver inflammation (possible) and lethargy. Anemia, liver disease.

“Gastric lavage” can be administered if within 30-60 mins of ingestion. (source: Pet Education)

Mothballs can be abused by people and cause anemia and liver disease. Get rid of those moth balls if you have cats or dogs.

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We Lost 4 Cats In One Week by Mothball Poisoning to Cat Health Problems

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We Lost 4 Cats In One Week by Mothball Poisoning

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May 29, 2012Fast stray remedy NEW
by: Dark Rider

Acetominophen or tylenol as little as 250mg puts the vermin down in hours. Make some tunaminophen

May 24, 2012Buying some Mothballs Today NEW
by: Usurper333

Im soooo tired of having cats in my yard and climbing on my car. Not too mention the piss and shit that I have to smell and step in when I mow my yard. I am currently using a Red Rider BB Gun to shoot them with. It will not kill them as it is not that powerful however they are still coming back. So now Im putting out Mothballs around my property, Im soo sick of seeing cats in my yard, I hate em. If you have a cat and you let it roam in peoples yards then expect the worse, why should us folks that do not share youre love for felines have to put up with shit and piss in our yards. Im killing them.


May 24, 2012Buying some Mothballs Today NEW
by: Usurper333 Im soooo tired of having cats in my yard and climbing on my car. Not too mention the piss and shit that I have to smell and step in when I mow my yard. I am currently using a Red Rider BB Gun to shoot them with. It will not kill them as it is not that powerful however they are still coming back. So now Im putting out Mothballs around my property, Im soo sick of seeing cats in my yard, I hate em. If you have a cat and you let it roam in peoples yards then expect the worse, why should us folks that do not share youre love for felines have to put up with shit and piss in our yards. Im killing them.

May 16, 2012Some horrible people here on this site NEW
by: DGW TO: Cut the (Cat) Crap…..I wish someone would feed YOU a bunch of mothballs! You deserve it! You sound like a horrible, cruel person. I would much rather have a million cats around than just one of you!

Apr 15, 2012Update on Mr Pissy Paws NEW
by: Cut The (cat) Crap My braindead neighbours have finally worked out that keeping 2+ cats on a small balcony is a bad idea. She told me that the cats are causing too much trouble (no shit Sherlock!), especially now that one seems to have fallen from the balcony while trying to get over to mine!!!
Man, I did a great job of keeping a straight face 🙂
Even better, “Mr” Pissy Paws is/was pregnant! One thing I hate more than people who can’t look after their own pets, is irresponsible wankers who won’t desex their pets and then produce more poorly looked after vermin.
Now I will have to discreetly feign an interest to see if the world has been saved from another batch of unwanted animals.

 


Apr 12, 2012…Woah… NEW
by: Bystander Wow, I’m surprised at some of the comments here talking about how some people are annoyed with the problems that cats bring. Yes, I understand that they can be extremely irritating when they trespass on your property (I’ve experienced it myself) but it isn’t right to actually wish them bodily harm/death. Getting pleasure from wanting them to die from a three-story fall or by moth-ball ingestion is absolutely cruel. If anyone thinks this is funny, think again.

Apr 03, 2012Point Made! NEW
by: Anonymous Now can you see my point?
You (cat owners) are the main cause of all that happens to your cats. YOU are not respecting your neighbors, or your cats by allowing them to roam and dis-respect your neighbors. If your neighbor wanted a cat, let that be their choose, don’t push yours on them.
Your cat belongs to you and to YOUR property ONLY!!! Not to your neighbors!

Apr 02, 2012yippee NEW
by: Anonymous thanks for all the info! I’ll definately go buy all the mothballs and spread them around the back and front yards. . . . sorry no meaness here! 🙂

Apr 01, 2012Thank you NEW
by: Cut The (cat) Crap This site is a great find. Mothballs and anti-freeze are fatal to feline vermin – excellent 🙂 Thank you for the information.
I live in an apartment complex where my ignorant neighbours keep a couple of cats in about 12m^2 of balcony. The place stinks of cat piss and shit, and if the wind blows from their direction I can’t even use my balcony. Worse still, these vermin hop to my balcony and dig up my potted herbs and vegetables and fill them with piss and shit – how on earth am I supposed to eat or enjoy these? Months worth of cultivation ruined!

I have complained to the retards next door who said they would fix it, but did bugger all about the problem. I erected a mesh barrier which has worked for about 6 months, but the vermin have just found a way though. So again, I have had to chase them away and then hose the cat vomit from my balcony.

Tonight, one of the 4 legged terrorists was back. Long story short, poor Mr Pissy Paws fell 3 storeys. I can’t say if it was fatal or not, but it was a pretty decent thud!!!
1 down, 1 to go.

What is the concentration of mothballs or antifreeze required for the desired effect?
This can be applied to the cat or the neighbours – I really don’t care anymore.

For the pathetic whiners who will go on about the rights of the cat, I am far more concerned about the list of diseases these filthy creatures harbour and could spread to me: Bartonellosis, Salmonellosis, Visceral larva migrans, Cutaneous larva migrans, Ringworm, Intestinal worms, Isospora, Cryptosporidiosis, Giardiasis, and Toxoplasmosis.

Thank you for reading.


Mar 31, 2012Not being meant as meaness NEW
by: Anonymous It’s not meaness, it’s simply to say to cat (pet) owners, just be a little more responsible. Don’t let your cat roam, it’s why she lost them.

We haven’t meant it to be heartless, just meant it to be careful not to let a new cat out if she gets one.


Mar 31, 2012good find! NEW
by: luvbaldkittys http://www.ebay.com/itm/HUGE-VALUE-24-OZ-MOTH-BALLS-REPELS-DEER-CATS-SNAKES-INSECTS-SCORPIONS-MOTHS-ECT-/160672766786?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2568d7db42#ht_1201wt_908

found a good deal. look how its advertised…..


Mar 30, 2012keep your cats inside NEW
by: Anonymous I can’t believe that you jut called us LOOSERS and say we should GO TO HELL….since you feel so strongly about our complaints then here is a thought….why don’t you and the owners of these pets who roam the streets and use our lawns as litter boxes get up off your lazy asses and get out their and start cleaning the S..T that your animals leave for people like me to clean…why should I clean up after your animals??? you want pets?? but you want your neighbors to clean up after them….get real people!!!! I don’t agree that people should knowingly use anything that will hurt an animal but really what do you expect???? why should I have to go out every weekend to clean up your cat S..T???? take responsibility or don’t complain if out of someone’s frustration they do something irrational!!!!

Mar 28, 2012So sorry for your loss of beloved pets, thank you for sharing. NEW
by: Anonymous I was about to put moth balls in my closet to protect my clothes from moths, and any other kind of bugs, then I saw your post. While moth balls smell awful, I was not aware of just how horrifically poisonous they can be, you are probably saving other cats lives by posting on the internet.

TO THE CALLOUS, “LOSER” CAT HATERS WHO WRONGLY CHOSE THIS SITE TO VENT THEIR INSENSITIVENESS, GO SOMEPLACE ELSE WITH YOUR MEANNESS!!!!
(MAYBE TO HELL)


Mar 24, 2012Take Resposibility for your Pet! NEW
by: Anonymous It is all about taking responsibility. I am amazed at the people who allow their cats to roam the neighborhood daily, even for a limited amount of time, and then lament that somebody poisoned them? Did they come into your home and poison them? My guess is no, and you should consider that YOUR OWN ACTIONS got your cats poisoned because you allow them to roam free in the neighborhood. I love all animals but I am deathly allergic to cats. That is why I don’t own one. I should be able to work in my own yard and flower beds without encountering their urine or feces, or hair that has been rubbed off on my plants. I should be able to sit out on my deck without having cats stalking my bird feeders. In our city, all loose pets are against the law, yet some cat owners seem to think that allowing their cat to roam the neighborhood is more important than the neighbor’s privacy or well-being. The fact is that our laws now require that pet owners be responsible with their pets and not allow them to roam free. By the way, whatever happened to common courtesy, which for reasons that escape me, cat owners seem to expect for their roaming cats and yet do not extend that courtesy to the neighbor having to deal with the wandering feline? Wake up cat owners. The rules are not different for cats and dogs. If a dog came into your yard and injured your cat, you would hold that dog and owner responsible, as you well should. A parent does not allow their child to sit in the street and play and then cry outrage when the inevitable happens. Perhaps moth balls are not the acceptable method of deterring cats, but if you are breaking the law and allowing your cats to roam, then you are freely relinquishing control of the fate of your animals to other people, and have no right to complain. Common sense dictates that you do not have the right to force other people to discipline or control your pet on THEIR property, and then complain about their methods. If your cat is not on your property and it encounters danger or injury, then YOU are responsible, first and foremost. Let’s put the blame where it belongs. If you want to keep your pets safe, then keep them in your home.

Mar 21, 2012keep your cats inside NEW
by: Anonymous I am sorry to hear about the loss of your cats however I have to agree with the fact that you should have kept your cats inside your own home. I have a cat as well and she does NOT roam the streets..I clean up after her in my own home!!!! I recently had the front of my house redone, I spent a small fortune, even had to put up gate around the front because I had a problem with the dogs in my neighbourhood using my front lawn to take care of their business because my neighbors are too damn lazy to take them out and do the poop and scoop…now that the gate is up I have cats taking care of their business out there!!!! I have thought about moth balls but I don’t want to kill them I just want them gone!!! does anyone have any suggestions??? what I may do is the next time I have to clean it up outside I may just dump it at my neighbors front door!!!! so annoyed!!!

Mar 21, 2012Instead NEW
by: Anonymous In reply to the last comment. Tell the animal control instead. The lethal injection they’ll give is probably more humane. Ingesting mothballs is an awful way to die, and what if a child found one instead of a cat. They will kill anything that eats them.

Mar 13, 2012I Hate Cats NEW
by: Anonymous My NextDoor Neighbor Started Feeding A Couple Of Stray Cats About 3 years Ago Now We Have About 15 Cats At AnyGiven Time. We Told Him To Stop Feeding The Cats Him And His Wife WillNot There Answer Is We Cannpt Let Them Starve. I Have Outdoor Carpet On my Porch And It Is Nasty From The Cats Allways On It Pissing And Shiting On It Now We Have More Babies. I Am Sick Of Them.Because They Are Nasty Folks That Don’t Mean I Have To Be Nasty. Someone Told Me To Get Some Coyote Piss They Will Think It’s A Big Animal Around.Its Nothing Wrong With Being A Animal Lover But Don’t Feed Them Your POrch And Leave The Many Trays Outside Take The Cat’s Inside And Keep Them I am Fed Up Can’t Take It Anymore Mothballs Soundsgood Whole House Has Allergies Now

Mar 10, 2012@kittypoo please respond thank you! NEW
by: Anonymous @kittypoo – do you know who i would contact in my local area to report a neighbor using mothballs with intensions of harming any kind of animal that steps foot in their yard? i would also like them to be informed that it is illegal use and how dangerous the use of these mothballs are especially in an open area where anything/one such as children could come into contact with them. i am thinking i would contact my local animal control or aspca? i dont want any trouble with the neighbors so i would rather have an organization/ company call them. spring is coming and this is the time of year they usually start. it drives me absolutley crazy. especially since i have a dog. any info, advice or help you could offer me i would greatly appreciate! thanks!

Mar 02, 2012Kiity Poo NEW
by: Anonymous Kitty Poo, first of all you need to learn how to spell before you post something. It just shows us that your brain is as small as a cats. Maybe we need to throw moth balls at you.

Mar 02, 2012Kiity Poo NEW
by: Anonymous Kitty Poo, first of all you need to learn how to spell before you post something. It just shows us that your brain is as small as a cats. Maybe we need to throw moth balls at you.

Feb 29, 2012kitty poo NEW
by: Anonymous I love cats. i love them all! big, small, and fat or tall i love cats. a cat will only poopy in your garden if he hates you! after saying awful things about cats i wish all the neighbors would poop at your house! as a matter of fact i will press charges on anyone who uses any chemicals that arnt bio degratable and that are hazards to the health and well being of us,our animals and our earth. and i will through them scumballs along with the mothballs in the litter box! by the way if you end up in prison for dumping these mothballs proven not legal to use outside around housing,children,humans pets, water sources,,, most other prison inmates LOVE CATS! you better love cats too! or i wouldnt want to be you in jail… CATS RULE!

Feb 27, 2012Cats pooping NEW
by: Meeeeeow NOT This simple CAT OWNERS clean up your cat litter trays regular and YOUR CAT will start using it more than your neighbours gardens … 🙂

Feb 25, 2012moth balls hmmm NEW
by: tigerhunter I never thought about moth balls…hmmmm ggood idea. I normally do the throw the ball so it chases the ball them blow it away with the 30odd6. Just wastes bullets I will have to try the moth balls thanks for the advise

Feb 20, 2012sorry NEW
by: Anonymous oops sorry guys i didnt see my comment show up and wrote another one similar that will show again. i will let yous know what happens after i contact some kind of spca or animal control in my area. thanks!

Feb 20, 2012animal abuse? please help!! NEW
by: Anonymous i think it is so terrible what happened to your cats. ugh my heart breaks to hear stories like this. it is not fair that this has happend to innocent animals. i think the people who put those mothballs outside should be in trouble. you should have reported them. people should not be able to put mothballs out in their yards or use them in any other way than directed on the box. according to the internet, it is illegal. i think mothballs should not be made anymore. some states they are banned and i think all states should have them banned. in all reality they have no use and there are so many alternatives that are not as dangerous. i have a problem with my neighbors putting them out in their landscaping because of cats that wander the neighborhood. well i have a dog and i worry every year that he may rome into their yard if he sees another animal by accident and step on eat or lick one of the mothballs. does anyone know if there is someone/ a number i could call to report this? i believe this is like animal abuse because it is common sense that mothballs are poisonous and will/ could kill an animal or person. please anyone respond with a comment and let me and anyone else know if there is anything i can do to prevent this. thank you!!

Feb 19, 2012Thank God! NEW
by: Anonymous I hate cats! Thank you for sharing a solution to my problem with a neighbors cats. You cat owners need to keep your nasty cats in your home,away from other peoples property. I doubt these cats will have 9 lives.

Feb 19, 2012YES! NEW
by: Anonymous Yes you can, you can report it to animal control.
If it is illegal, you can most diffenently put a stop to it!
Good luck, let us know how it turns out.

Feb 19, 2012mothballs illegal if misused? NEW
by: Anonymous that is terrible what happened to these poor cats. i feel so bad that they suffered such an awful way to go. people can be so stupid. people need to research things before they do things. what i dont understand is, how is it right that mothballs are even allowed to be used by putting them in your yard for any innocent animal to come in contact with? well from what i have researched, it is illegal. it is illegal to use mothballs in any other way than indicated on the box it comes in. mothballs in my opinion should stop being made. there really is no use for them. they are just a posion that can cause serious harm to anything/anyone they come in contact with. my situation is i have a dog and a non fenced in yard. my next door neighbor is uses mothballs every spring/summer to keep rodents out of their landscaping. it greatly bothers me because even though i dont let my dog into anyone elses yard, he is a dog and may see a another animal and run into my neighbors yard by accident. now what if my dog came in contact with these mothballs? i worry every year. i dont know how to tell my neighbor that it is not safe for the neighborhood kids or animals. does anyone know if it is possible if i could call my local town and have my neighbor reported or be notified that the mothball use in her yard is illegal or should come to a stop because of the danger it poses? if anyone has any advice for mmy concern please comment and tell me. thank you.

Feb 18, 2012Um NEW
by: Anonymous Pretty sure this is only to make people aware the dangers of moth balls.. Nothing more.

 


Feb 09, 2012poisoned NEW
by: carol My poor cat Joffiel was found dead in a bin he had been poorly and gone out, i believe the guy art the back of my house was involved…found out recently from another neighbour at back of my house that the guy died recently in a car crash. Made me wonder,

Feb 07, 2012Beg your pardon! NEW
by: Anonymous I did get my pets like that.
One was an abandon kitten in a litter under a house that they moved off and keft them, the other one we found roaming the shopping center parking lot in the dead of winter with pneumonia (she is a mix breed indoor dog that is now 12 years old).
What I was trying to say is that I DO feel for the two cats, that is a horrible way to die, but you HAVE to take some responsibility for your pets and keep them safe. You CAN’T let them roam and get onto someone else’s property and destroy, it just not being responsible as a pet owner or as a neighbor.
I am so sorry for your loss but just think about it, if you had kept them indoors they would not have been hurt, they would have been safe.
There are a lot of folks out there that just don’t care and WILL hurt our pets (family members) and we have to step up to the plate for them, they depend on us to do so.

Feb 06, 2012So Sorry for Your Loss NEW
by: Lisa Dear Joyce, my heart goes out to you. Our pets aren’t just animals, they are part of our family!
I am sickened by the cruel, vicious comments made by some people. Animals have as much right to be here as we do! Instead of complaining and killing, why not try to do something positive and contact your local shelter and ask how you can help! I read a sign the other day that really made me stop and think. This is what it said: “I can only hope to someday be half the Man/Women that my dog/cat thinks I am.” Unlike humans animals love unconditionally,
we could learn a lot from them! Remember, God does not like ugly!

Feb 06, 2012I TOTALLY AGREE! NEW
by: Anonymous Well said Sara, I totally agree, it is our responsibility to our cats to take care of them.
Letting them run lose is not how you do it.

(Keep your cats at home. NEW
by: sara)

 


Feb 05, 2012Keep your cats at home. NEW
by: sara First, I must say that I am sorry for the cats because their lives were taken..not by those using moth balls…but by those cat owners that refuse to be responsible and keep them at HOME!! I know that the cat lovers are now saying that felines are creatures that must be allowed to run or you are being cruel to them. Bologna! Keep your cats inside your home where they are safe from harm, both from man and elements. You should not feel anger toward anyone but yourselves because they lost their lives due to your thinking that everyone just loves cats and wants them using their yards, gardens, etc as their own personal litter box and, most of all, that everyone wants to see those claw marks scratching down the hood of their car’s paint. I have a new car and do not have a garage. The people that recommend the use of a car cover clearly do not actually experience the problem, because a car cover will not protect paint from the claws of a cat. Granted, there are cat repellent devices that may repell a cat, but WHY SHOULD THOSE THAT DO NOT OWN THE CAT HAVE TO PAY FOR THE RESULTS OF THOSE THAT DO OWN A CAT???? If my dog were allowed to run loose, he would surely be poisoned, picked up by animal control and killed, etc. or I would be fined because he was running freely. Cat owners wake up and realize that “you” are the problem!!!

Dec 30, 2011Sorry for your loss
by: Anonymous To Joyce, so sorry to hear of your loss. your cats were beautiful. Some of the people making comments on here should be dragged out & shot.

Dec 30, 2011To: I’m glad i found this
by: Anonymous What a nice thing to post, up you cruel heartless dick. I hope you die a slow painful death just like these beautiful cats had to.

Nov 28, 20113 cats atifreeze soaked meat equals death
by: Anonymous My neighbors gave three of my cats antifreeze,first cat went into seizures in 4 hour it convulsed ten times,flipped out,I guess its insides were being melted,second cat my 11 year olds cat which likes to cuddle and give nose kisses,,died the next day ,no convulsions just found her at 6am she died 10 min later,last cat 3 died 2days later, its eyes couldn’t follow my finger, it was sallivating etc,, its been over 2 weeks no cops have called or arrived, manistee Michigan has the highest concentrations of officers but the can’t uphold the law ,there too busy stealing money out of union funds and out of the peoples wallets case in point in September they just lost one of there finest for 42 bucks wow if that ain’t worth your career what is. More over the cats are dead I hope there fine, I hope Marshall law is enacted,then I will make them drink antifreeze, eye for an eye. Well in my case I hope the cops can use there law 101books to prosecute these killers ,I hope they get 500 hrs community service per cat or up to 10,000 fine per cat ,how do you tell your child the law can’t protect them, paybacks are yell, I hope the neighbor dies soon from cancer, I’m going to put up signs ,death to the cat killer,I’m posting signs ,flyers,etc,.I want them to appologise to my son. Some day maybe as there hauling him out in a stretcher, ill beat the brakes off that old man

Nov 18, 2011Cruel people
by: Anonymous People aggravate me….I honestly don’t know how anyone can sit here and say their going to put out mothballs now. You can’t blame the cat/cats for irresponsible owners or for being abandoned or whatever, their just trying to find someone who will love them and feed them, don’t think that’s to much to ask. I have had 2 strays pop up in my neighborhood in the past 2 months and it’s been stressing to say the least, not because they were starting to come to my apartment, but, because I felt bad for them having to be outside and having noone to care about them. They didn’t ask to be born, or dumped, or taken in by someone else who neglects them. I started feeding both of them and put out a crate with a blanket for them to sleep in. I then found a home for one a few weeks back and found a home for the other one today. I have a heart and can not see a cat suffer, or any animal for that matter. How would you people that now want to kill cats with mothballs feel if someone poisoned you, or a member of your family? How would you like to die a slow, antagonizing death like that? Glad to see your parents brought you up with feelings and a heart for living creatures that feel just as much pain as a human being does…no wonder why, aside from my family, I prefer animals over humans anyday, at least they know what unconditional love is and don’t go around killing and abusing other living creatures.

My heart goes out to you for losing the 4 cats, the two that were pictured were beautiful cats.

And to all the people who care for and help any abandoned or stray cats, I commend you! Glad to know there are some humans that have feelings for a defenseless animal that needs help.


Oct 16, 2011Responsible PEOPLE
by: Anonymous don’t let their cats become other peoples problems. When they do, those people have the same rights to protect their property from your menacing cats.

Cats carry a variety of diseases. You cat lovers probably wouldn’t mind if diseased carrying rodents were killed with poison or a trap. In fact, the original poster stated that they didn’t have a rodent problem because of the excessive amounts of cats. So Rats, Mice, birds and Snakes are NOT living beings, but your precious cats ARE!! You can’t have it both ways! Either you protect all life or choose. Some of us choose not to have cats, and we don’t want yours!

I agree with the poster that claimed you had nobody to blame but yourself and you know it! Don’t blame others who are protecting their families from possible diseases that they and their own pets can get from YOUR cats feces in their yard. My own dog just this morning was eating cat scat in my yard. Now…I have to take him to the vet because of irresponsible people LIKE YOU!


Oct 05, 2011Become a responsible pet owner!
by: Anonymous I am right now having the very same problem with a neighbor cat as I have just sat and read here.
I have ask them to please keep their cat in the house (we have a law in the city that they are NOT to be let lose) but to no avail. They just do not care! We actual have had at least 4 toms in my tiny backyard going under my outbuilding and packing fleas. Now there are the fleas to contend with. Next thing you know they will be inside my building.
I saw the cat this morning out rooming again but it is looking poorly, skinny, like it’s being starved. It is so sad that abody could do such as that to any pet.
I say to all you cat lovers on here, become responsible pet owners and keep your cats in! I have a cat age 11 and a dog age 12 and they are both spayed and my cat NEVER goes out and is content as can be. She has her own window where she lays to see and enjoy the great outdoors. She is safe and as happy as any cat can be without worries that she is going to get hurt, or that she is going to become a pest to any of my neighbors. My dog goes out for walks twice a day and is always on her leash.
That is what being a responsible pet owner is, and when you grip and complain about lossing your pet to poisoning like that, it’s your own falt. You never did think of your cat like you should. I am so sorry for your loss but it was nobody’s falt but yours.

Sep 23, 2011Cats and thier droppings.
by: chris Sorry cat lovers but I have bought mothballs for my garden. I do not own a cat and don`t see why I should have to put up with their stink when I bend down in the garden. Not only that, I caught one last week jumping from behind a bush and grabbing a bird.
Sorry, if you want cats fine but keep them where they are safe in your own house with cat litter. You have the stink because I don`t want it.

Aug 25, 2011Mothballs suck!!
by: Anonymous Yes, they are highly toxic and if you ever see mothballs out somewhere you should get rid of them as soon as possible!! They are not only toxic to dogs and cats, but the fumes can also harm humans! There are plenty of harmless ways to keep cats away…
Even though I don’t understand why anyone would want to keep beautiful cats away!

Aug 03, 2011Senseless
by: Anonymous My neighbor and I just both lost two precious cats to mothball poisoning. Both our cats were mostly indoor cats, that went out occasionally. The “regular” outdoor neighborhood cats seem fine. We found out that several neighbors use mothballs. It breaks our hearts to see such cruelty and insensitivity. May all good cats rest in peace.

Jul 30, 2011My Yard is a Cat Toilet
by: My Yard Stinks My yard smells like a cesspool, thanks to all the inconsiderate idiot cat lovers in my neighborhood. About a dozen cats use my yard as a toilet. I have spent thousands of dollars over the years trying to keep these filthy animals out of my yard. There should be a leash-law for cats!

Jun 13, 2011how many cats
by: Anonymous looks like max port washington had six cats. now there are 6 less

Jun 13, 2011Cats and their crap
by: Live and let live If you must have a pet then keep them in their entirety – crap and all. If you allow Tiddles to invade other people’s space then you must expect repercussions. Intentionally poisoning animals is a bit over the top, but I have found that returning the cat shit to it’s rightful owner, via a mail box for example, does tend to concentrate the mind……….

Jun 13, 2011Don’t you love cat shit when you’re gardening
by: Anonymous The selfish cat owners do not suffer the joys of cat shit when gardening because their little darlings, aka wildlife slaughterers, never repeat never, shit on their own doorsteps.

If you don’t want any come back keep them on your own property.


May 01, 2011I’m glad i found this
by: Anonymous On my way to buy mothballs and kill those damn cats that get on my lawn and shit on it all the time.

Thanks again for sharing this 🙂


Apr 14, 2011Max Port Washington,NY
by: Anonymous Hi Joyce,

My Neighbor poisoned both of my cats with mothballs. I wish I would have read your article earlier.


Apr 14, 2011Max Port Washington,NY
by: Anonymous Hi Joyce,

My Neighbor poisoned both of my cats with mothballs. I wish I would have read your article earlier.


Apr 14, 2011Max Port Washington,NY
by: Anonymous Hi Joyce,

My Neighbor poisoned both of my cats with mothballs. I wish I would have read your article earlier.


Mar 08, 2011I’m so sorry…
by: Anonymous For your horrible loss and for the ignorant, tactless, and degrading statements made by some of the others on this post. These sweet little animals rely on the kindness of their owners and (sometimes) neighbors for their happiness, health, and love. We take care of them, love them, and in return they give us unconditional love and keep the pest population in control (if necessary). Much like other pets they are individuals who become family and beloved companions–and it is UNFATHOMABLE to even *think* that someone would treat them badly or wish them harm. However, much like there are evil people who will harm your children, there are those who will do the same to your pets. It is incredibly sad, but this is the world we live in.

I thank you for this very important, valuable information and again, I am deeply sorry for your terrible loss. My heart goes out to you and your family.


Mar 05, 2011I’m sorry
by: Berea, KY I’m sorry for your loss and I’m sorry people can be so low-down cruel with their anonymous comments.

I happened upon this while researching the use of mothballs as a territorial-cat-turn repellant and now I know it simply won’t be an option.

Thank you for taking the time to share your story and share their pictures.

<3


Mar 03, 2011Amazing story
by: Sickofit What an awful story, I have neighbors like you. I think how awful it is for the cat that they have such irresponsible owners to care for them. Just out of curiosity why don’t you keep them inside your house where they would be safe? Oh, you rely on other people to care for them. I have three dogs that I love so much I keep them indoors and they play in a fenced in yard and have fresh food and water in bowls instead of the puddles and garbage you provide. I gotta tell you there is nothing quite like the smell of cat piss, it’s really great. And when you don’t have a cat it’s even better. Yeah you really are an animal lover.

 


Feb 28, 2011Cruel and Unusual Comments
by: Anonymous How dare you all? You have been so inconsiderate to this woman. You need to realize that this was a great loss for her.How would you like to lose a loved one? Not pleasent, right? That’s how she feels.

Feb 15, 2011Too late for another cat
by: Anonymous I have never been a fan of cats..to be honest, they scare me. I am allergic to them as well but when a house nearby was discovered to be the home of a cat hoarder I was saddened to see the way those poor animals had been living. Animal control came in and caught as many of the 100+ cats as they could, most had to be put down. Ever since then there have been feral cats around the neighborhood. As much as I don’t care for cats I could not stand by and watch them suffer either so one by one I fed them, gained their trust, caught them, had them fixed and released them as they would never be a pet. I have also caught the kittens that they had prior to being fixed and brought them in for adoption. I actually ended up keeping one of them (he is an indoor cat because I do agree that they should be kept inside) and his mother and one other cat who looks just like mine have been coming for food for several years now. Last week the male disappeared and today it was warm enought to tromp through the snow in the yard so I took a walk around the house. I was heartbroken to find him dead and frozen near my back porch. Lying next to his body were several pouches of mothballs that my husband puts under the deck and porch to keep skunks away. I am sure that is what killed him…poor thing. Some of the comments I have read here are cruel and quite frightening. I can’t even imagine what a horrible death he had…who would wish that on any living thing? There will be no more mothballs at my house and I will share this experience with everyone I know.

Jan 30, 2011Yay for mothballs!!!
by: Anonymous Cats are a problem in my hood. I’m putting mothballs all around my house. Forget you inconsiderate people who don’t give two cents for people with cat allergies. It’s 5 am, I can’t sleep cause all I smell is cat piss. They live or breed or hang out in my yard out of all places in my hood. I’m throwning moth balls under there. I don’t care if they die. Screw those dirty animals and their irresponsible owners.

Jan 21, 2011THANK YOU!
by: Anonymous NOW I KNOW HOW TO KILL THE CATS IN MY BACK YARD!….HATE CATS!

Jan 14, 2011Thank You
by: Andrea We had an excess of winter woolen’s and a lack of closet space in our small apartment, and so had been storing them, folded, under the bed. When I went rooting, I found a few holes and was given the advice to store them in containers, with moth balls. Which I had never used before. Or really understood, to be honest. I’m crucifying myself for not reading up on them beforehand,something I do about meaningless things, & when they were purchased, I had a brutal flu, which obliterated my entire sense of smell. Cut to today. My sense of smell returned, and I needed a sweater. I opened the container…..and promptly was ill. The smell was OVERWHELMING. I realized in a jolt-of-understanding {after going online}, that these balls of poison, whose intended purpose is to kill with the gas they produce, are under my bed, beneath where I sleep with my other half and my trusting cat. The containers now are on the balcony. The room has been aired out. I called Poison Control, who stated that, although the worry is primarily with ingestion, the fumes can have dire effects, and that gloves should be used to remove the moth balls, and the entire lot need to be disposed of at a Designated Bio-hazardous Waste Spot. If the last sentence doesn’t hit home, I don’t know what will. I thank you for sharing your story; it was heartbreaking, but can serve as a cautionary tale. I am very, very lucky. I am just shaking my head at the people whose response to this thought-provoking message is to spew anger and hate. I am grateful to you, and will also be sending this on to my vet’s office, as I am sure that there are others out there who were as in the dark as I was.

Dec 30, 2010mothballs
by: protect kids from neighborhood cats I’m sorry to hear about the loss of your cats. I was glad to hear your story about mothballs. I live in an old neighborhood in my town with dozens of stray cats and tomcats. That is a reason for people to fix your animals. I have a couple of points I would like to make. 1) spay and neuter.2) If you love your cats, keep them inside. 3) Don’t feed strays. Shooting cats is more humane than poisoning but it’s easier to get caught. I live in a neighborhood where the houses are less than 10 feet apart. Cats are everywhere. They pee on my house, front door, use my small yard as a litter box, I would like to play in the yard with my little boy. My neighbor lets his cats breed uncontrolled. My boy likes the kitties and wants to play with them but I know they don’t have shots and are mean when cornerd (speaking from experience) I will offer to have his momma cat spayed, I will pay for it. But I am getting rid of all the cats I can that are obviously strays, If a cat is outside he is a stray, PetVet on t.v. says cats will live twice as long if kept inside. Keep your cats inside.I am using all options at this point, glad to hear mothballs kill cats, I’ll keep my boy inside for awhile, than I’ll get the snare, than the gun, I have relocated a few in the country. I would not have to use these extreme options if people would spay and neuter, and not feed strays, and if they really love their cat they would keep them indoors. If that is not an option, move to the country and stop whining because you were irresponsible, letting your animals piss and crap in someone’s yard and house.

Dec 12, 2010mothballs
by: cin I also lost my cat in nov.2010. I put mothballs down by the fences to stop her from pooping there never thought it was poison to her. Lindsey was with us for 12 years and she was our first cat together. im going to pick up the mothballs now. im so hurt. sometimes i hear her and start crying. she was a good cat. ss for ur lost everyone. happy holidays

Oct 25, 2010city cats should be tied up or kept inside!!
by: Anonymous I am tired of all your cats craping in my gardens!! I don’t feel bad for anybodys cat that gets hurt on somebody elses property. YOUR cats should be kept on YOUR property! and pooping in YOUR kitty litter! What ever people put out to keep YOUR cats away is THEIR business, It’s THEIR property and YOUR cat is going there and urinating / craping in THEIR gardens. How unhealthy is this. It’s sick…..dogs and cats belong in the country PERIOD!

Oct 19, 2010Kitties
by: Sharon Sorry bout your cats. I also have a Scrappy, call her Kitty Whiskers and her brother looks like your Whiskers. Thanks for sharing this. I did not know mothballs were toxic to Kitties. Therye family members and for anyone to say it s your fault is so stupid!! Life is to be lived and kitties love the outside. Accidents happen to humans also but we still leave the house. Thamks for the info. Your Kitties were beautiful…

Oct 19, 2010Kitties
by: Sharon Sorry bout your cats. I also have a Scrappy, call her Kitty Whiskers and her brother looks like your Whiskers. Thanks for sharing this. I did not know mothballs were toxic to Kitties. Therye family members and for anyone to say it s your fault is so stupid!! Life is to be lived and kitties love the outside. Accidents happen to humans also but we still leave the house. Thamks for the info. Your Kitties were beautiful…

Oct 19, 2010Kitties
by: Sharon Sorry bout your cats. I also have a Scrappy, call her Kitty Whiskers and her brother looks like your Whiskers. Thanks for sharing this. I did not know mothballs were toxic to Kitties. Therye family members and for anyone to say it s your fault is so stupid!! Life is to be lived and kitties love the outside. Accidents happen to humans also but we still leave the house. Thamks for the info. Your Kitties were beautiful…

Sep 28, 2010Keep Your Cats Indoors
by: Cat Owner If you are a responsibe cat owner, one of the things you do is to keep your pet indoors and provide cats with a clean litter box. YOU clean it out!!!! Roaming cats spread fleas and disease.

Our yard was impeccable, but new neighbors moved in and let their cat run free. So now the side of our home has become their litter box.

I do use mothballs, but have them in a container with holes that are smaller than the mothballs. I do not want a cat to die of poisoning, but I also do not want to be responsible for YOUR pet.


Aug 29, 2010Keep yer cats at home!
by: BC in Lex I’m researching ways to keep the neighbors’ cats from using the mulch around my shrubs as a litter box. In addition, two cats got in a fight in front of the house as we came home today. I’ve ruled out mothballs, and I’m sorry about the four cats, but cats need to be kept inside.

We have a local ordinance that dogs must be controlled–fenced in or kept on a leash. Every time it is suggested that cats be subject to the same ordinance, the cat owners descend on the city council and scream that it’s inhumane, not in a cat’s nature, etc. and the measure fails. It’s a double standard–if you’re going to keep four-legged critters, keep them in your yard and under control. I like cats and I am considering getting one, but it will be an indoor cat.

In short, if you and your neighbors had done the responsible thing and kept the cats indoors, they would be alive today.


Aug 26, 2010Mothballs
by: Joyce Sammons I just read an article on how to keeps cats out of your garden. It suggested putting mothballs along the flower beds. Be careful and do more research on anything you read that is said to be safe. It may not be.

Aug 12, 2010health threat
by: Anonymous I had my previous car scratched all over by my neighbour’s cat. I got a new car now – more expensive and the cats start scratching and sleeping on top of my car again. They like to climb over and sleep on top of my car @ night.2 yrs ago I was hospitalised for 5 days for bronchitis I think I got it breathing in some of their hair and flea .After discharging the sysmptoms lasted for almost a year. Whose lives is more important A Cat’s or Mine! HUh! I’m putting moth balls tonight.Between the cat’s life & Mine I simply choose MINE.

Jul 27, 2010Birds, Rabbits, mothballs
by: call me Mr. Pig These cats were not very well protected by the ones who loved them. Many dangers lurk for uncontrolled animals. If you love your pet, prove it! Keep them safe! In Your Own Yard !!!
If you don’t care where your cat leaves a mess, why should you care what it eats. Birds, rabbits, mothballs, they will be in someones yard for roaming cats!

Jul 27, 2010Keep Your cat(s) In Your Own Yard !!!
by: Call me Mr. Pig These cats were not very well protected by the ones who loved them. Many dangers lurk for uncontrolled animals. If you love your pet, prove it! Keep them safe! In Your Own Yard !!!
If you don’t care where your cat leaves a mess, why should you care what it eats. Birds, rabbits, mothballs, they will be in someones yard for roaming cats!

Jul 12, 2010call the EPA
by: Anonymous Mothballs are illegal to put outside because they are so dangerous to the wildlife, small/large animals, children and all of us on well water. Mothballs are a pesticide and should NEVER be put outside and should only be used as directed on the box. It is the law!!! Call the EPA if the local police are ignorant about the laws of pesiticide use. The EPA came out when my neighbor was attempting to keep my cats away even after I told her how poisonous they were to all wildlife. she did NOTHING until I called the EPA.

Jun 11, 2010I’ll never use mothballs again.
by: Melissa Oh my gosh, thank you for republishing this. I already knew mothballs were no good (I have asthma and can’t stand the smell of them) but since I live in the deep south too I had no idea that mothballs were used as a folk remedy. My cat, Cloud, is a mostly outdoor cat. Even though we live far enough outside town limits to have cows for neighbors, I’ll still be on the look out in case Cloud accidentally finds some.

Jun 08, 2010This is an incredibly valuable article Joyce
by: Valley Girl I had no idea about this problem until I read your piece. And, so very sad. But, your detective work was heroic, despite the terrible circumstances.

First off, I am going to forward this to my vet. I am in an urban area, but vets have another practice where people might actually use mothballs for the purpose your clueless neighbor did.

Secondly, geez! I actually have some very old boxes of mothballs tucked away in a box or two of vintage (sentimental) clothing I’ve carried around (what with moving I mean) for years. They’re in an out of the way place, but those chemicals are volatile if disturbed. I had no idea.

Now the challenge is going to be figuring out how to get rid of my few small boxes of mothballs in a “safe” way. I have no idea at the moment, but obviously putting them out with regular trash would be a really bad idea.

If anyone has any thoughts about this, please post. Meanwhile, I’ll be “googling”.

Thanks again.


Jun 08, 2010I still remember
by: Joyce Sammons I still remember taking Whiskers to the vet the last time. The neighbor was out in her yard and saw me carrying him. She came over and I told her what was wrong. She was a very sweet lady with a nice husband and 2 sons. She was totally clueless. She asked me what was wrong with Whiskers and I told him it was mothball poisoning. The vet could actually smell it on his breath. She said “Mothballs can’t hurt a cat.” I told her “Tell Whiskers that because he’s about to die.” Then I drove off. He died 2 days later. Which was a total shock because he tried so hard not to die.

Jun 08, 2010Such Beautiful Cats…..gone
by: Merrily Joyce, your story broke my heart, such beautiful cats. I find it so hard to understand why some people have such hatred for cats, most likely they are just miserable people, and cats are their target of the day.
In previous posts I have discussed my land lady, who hates cats, she was shooting them, untill I reported her to the sheriff, and they told her that she would go to jail if she shoots her gun again….now she uses poison.

One of my feral cats is missing, I started with at least ten cats, now there are four. I was told by the sheriff that she can spread any kind of poison in her yard, there is no law regarding the use of poison regardless of your intent.

When I read posts such as the one sent by the person today who hides her hatred by saying she is afraid her children will get sick, there
for she feels it is ok to take the life of a cat, I realise just how ignorant she is……she spreads poison where her children play to protect them from cat droppings.

I suppose there is no cure for ignorance….first a person would have to know they were afflicted!


Jun 08, 2010The neighbor was evil
by: Joyce Sammons The neighbor I had at the time was very sweet. They just didn’t have a clue that mothballs would kill a cat if ingested. I wrote this article several months ago and asked Michael to republish this as this is the time of year mothballs are put out in my area. I just don’t want anyone else to go thru this.

Jun 07, 2010horrible story
by: Anonymous So sad. I am so sorry to hear about these cats. As far as the 2nd poster’s comments…I FEEL SORRY FOR THEIR KIDS !! What a horrible, evil, immature, selfish person she is. She must be a miserable person. I wanted to research moth ball posioning because my neighbor’s cat obviously got into some that was put out to deter snakes, and her back legs were giving out, she couldn’t go to the bathroom, was taken to the vet, blood tests showed nothing. Owners noticed a mothball smell on her the other day, and just told us that he thinks it’s poisioning. Never would have thought cats would go near that smell. My 2 cats don’t even like the smell of hand creams. My 2 cats are indoor/outdoor, they rarely leave our yard, and could never imagine keeping them locked in the house all of their lives. We all watch out for each others pets here in our neighborhood and I am sorry to hear that you have such a freaken miserable evil neighbor next to you.

May 25, 2010Cats Are Family
by: Leanne Anonymous………..you’re a jerk! I know why you won’t leave a name. Yes, pets should be in but that’s no reason to kill them if they’re not. By the way, if you died I won’t shed a tear and I hope not one person shows up at your funeral. I also hope cats poop all over your burial site forever and ever.

May 22, 2010I use mothballs!
by: Anonymous Cat owners who let their pets run free are very rude and inconsiderate. I have so much cat feces around my home that it puts me and family at risk. I am using mothballs. If the cats eat them and get sick, oh well. People need to control their animals. You are putting my family and children at risk with the disease that so much feces can bring. I just shoveled 3 buckets full from underneath the eaves of my home today. Ridiculous. I know they are poisonous and my kids know not to touch them. If a cat eats them. Oh well. I won’t shed any tears.

Apr 18, 2010Moth ball poisoning
by: Victoria I just had to put down my cat Cookie. She ingested part of a moth ball that had fallen and broken on the floor. I guess I didn’t get all the pieces. My vet and I worked for over a week to get her better. $4,000 dollars and 4 blood transfusions later, Cookie just wasn’t going to make it. Get rid of the moth balls!!!

Apr 07, 2010moth ball
by: Anonymous yes, they are poisonous indeed…i scattered some in our bad yard before to scare away stray cats, snakes in our backyard…it was very effective but some died due to ingestion.

Apr 07, 2010moth ball
by: Anonymous yes, they are poisonous indeed…i scattered some in our bad yard before to scare away stray cats, snakes in our backyard…it was very effective but some died due to ingestion.

Jan 08, 2010crying again
by: kathy There you go making me cry again. Any way Im glad you found out what the problem was its just too bad it was 4 cats later. I refuse to let any of my cats outside and Im glad Midnght doesnt want to go out anymore.

Jan 06, 2010Forward
by: Joyce Sammons please forward this to anyone on your email list who has pets

Jan 06, 2010Years ago
by: Joyce Sammons I lost them back in 1990 but I still remember all of my cats. Each one had its own sweet personality.

Jan 06, 2010Mothballs
by: Jan Plant So sad to hear this.Very touching story Joyce.And just in time.John just put moth balls in our closets yesterday.Thank you for the info.

Jan 06, 2010“Mothball poisoning”
by: Rudolph.A.Furtado Thanks for the information, really ignorant of the manny pesticides that could be harmful to pets.
Rudolph avatar

Jan 06, 2010Moth Balls
by: Maggie Sharp I’m so sorry to hear this story, I hope you’re okay. It must be hard loosing such a number of cats in such a small matter of time.

My Abyssinian cat, Chilli had really bad toilet issues, and he would pee everywhere. My father heard on the radio that cats can’t pee with the smell of moth balls around. So we put moth balls in the house and he stopped peeing…. Well, now I know why they don’t like it, it’s full of dangerous chemicals… =(


Jan 06, 2010Mothballs
by: Ruth Joyce, that is so sad and I hope a lot of people learn from your story.My blood ran cold just before Christmas when I read on Yahoo Answers one of the replies to the yearly deluge of questions ‘How can I keep my cat off the Christmas tree’ The reply was ‘Hang mothballs around the bottom’ and it was from a top contributor in the cats section too, which shows that not that many people do know mothballs are toxic to cats.
I posted a warning on the question as I couldn’t contact the person who wrote that reply, I informed Yahoo Answers but the last time I looked the answer was stil there.I just hope my warning stopped anyone from doing it !

Kattaddorra signature Ruth


Jan 06, 2010Mothballs
by: Mary H Oh Joyce, I’m so very sorry for your loss. It’s so heartbreaking to loose a beloved pet to poison. Hopefully, your post will alert many others to this unknown danger.

HUGS,

Mary H


Please search using the search box at the top of the site. You are bound to find what you are looking for.

182 thoughts on “We Lost 4 Cats In One Week by Mothball Poisoning”

  1. I had a neighbor get mad at me because I asked her to keep her cat from pooping in my garden plot. She could easily do this by monitoring her cat when it is outside, but she refuses to do so. That plot is how I provide 75% of my food. I literally need it to survive. This same woman asks me not to bring my ON LEASH dog to the garden because she doesn’t want it to scare the cat. I am an animal lover, but if it comes to me or the cat, the cat goes.

    It is the animal’s OWNER who is responsible if they freely allow their animals to roam and something happens to them. Roaming and feral cats have decimated the songbird population and they are a nuisance to those in whose gardens and yards they crap. People say they love their animals, yet they abdicate responsibility and complain when the results are negative, when someone does something which harms their supposedly loved animals. Dave warned his neighbor that the animals needed to stay off his – HIS – property. The neighbor ignored him and did not take care of her cats. He was compassionate by removing them, and not just poisoning them. I think a big reason people don’t like cats is because of irresponsible cat owners.

    I am about to put mothballs in my garden because I need to eat. The cat does not need to roam. If the cat eats them, so be it.

    Reply
    • Thanks for the visiting Karen. I understand your point of view. If my cat wandered onto someone’s garden and they complained to me about it, I’d do something to stop my cat going to that place. It is common sense because the cat is in jeopardy of being hurt and you don’t want to upset your neighbour.

      Although it may be legal in some states to do what you propose, in the UK poisoning cats who roam onto your property is a crime under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. It does not matter if the cat is trespassing or not.

      Secondly, the cat has not decimated songbird populations. That is propaganda put out by the bird conservationists. Trust me on that one. I have done a lot of work on this subject.

      I would ask you to reconsider putting mothballs down. What about another chat with the cat’s owner? Try and find a solution between humans without hurting the innocent cat. In any case she may just get another one. You are not sorting out the cause of the problem.

      Reply
  2. There is only one thing worse then an irresponsible dog owner and that is an irresponsible cat owner who lets their cat roam free to kill other animals for sport. My neighborhood was being over run with free roaming pets. Sadly, my yard become a boundary war between all the cats and they began spraying. It got so bad I couldn’t open my windows in the summer. They also jumped on the hood of my wet and very expensive sports car and slide down dragging their claws causing thousands in damage. I spoke with the cat owners and they basically told me TOUGH, get used to it they are cats. I then posted a notice on the community bulletin board that the cats would be taken to the pound if the owners didn’t keep them inside. They ignored that. I bought an animal trap baited with catnip and placed it under my porch, far from my property line. Caught 3 cats in the first 2 days and off to the pound they went. Well it turns out the owners went and got them back. Caught the same 3 cats within 4 days. Off to the pound again. Had an angry exchange with one of the cat owners who told me it was too bad my car got scratched and her car with scratched too and you just have to live with it. I warned her if her cat was caught again she would never see it again. I then caught the same 3 cats again as well as 5 others. Took them to work with me 40 miles away and dropped them at a pound she would never look in. Never to be seen by the owners again. Suddenly the owners started keeping their new kittens in their homes, except Ms. you have to live with it. I caught her new kitten and she showed up my house begging me to tell me where her kitten was. I told her I didn’t know even though it was in the cage in the back of my truck while I was speaking to her. Off it went to work with me it went. No more cats, the smell in my yard dissipated, I was able to open my windows in the summer and no more scratches on my car. Moral to the story, keep your freaking pets in you house.

    Reply
    • Dave, I understand your feelings. Thanks for visiting and sharing your views. If you don’t like cats or dogs you don’t want them in your yard or on your car. I understand that. Even though I love animals I do believe that people who keep cats and dogs should be highly responsible in looking after them both for the cat’s welfare and to respect the views of other people. If a person came to me and said my cat had scratched their car I would feel obliged to fix the problem and prevent it happening again.

      A lot of people don’t mind cats roaming through their yard but some do and we should respect their views. However, that does not give you the right to harm or steal them. Technically, you may have stolen someone’s property. That may have been a crime. However, I understand your frustration.

      Reply
    • Dave, sorry no i don’t understand your feelings, i mean how can you have any, this is cowardly and cruel. not good creative problems solving at all. your selfish narrow minded. if it were my cats you wouldt be reading this right now, trust me

      Reply
  3. Cats dont s#it or pee in their own yards they use someone elses.. I love how people on here defend cats and say what if kids find the mothballs.. Again people and parents shouldnt let there kids or cats roam onto peoples property..parents really shouldnt let your kids walk around and eat little candy shape balls off the ground..sounds like lazy poor parenting from the same people who wont take care of the cats they own as well..got about 20 nasty cats in front of my new house we just bought and remodeled in Cleveland.. The nasty people across the street keep feeding them.never clean up after them or take care of them.. I bought 2 big boxes of mothballs ,crushed them into dust and put it all over my front yard and flower boxes.. The whole street smells like cat piss once it got worm out.. Thanks for posting this I am so glad mothballs will clean up the problem. I have a dog and kids and my dog is walked and cleaned up after and my kids were taught as babies not to eat off the floor ground or anyplace other than a plate..and my kids or dog or not..if they was stupid enough to eat something laying on the ground then they will learn a lesson in life…(listen to your parents) But im not going to deal with these nasty cats anymore than someone would put up with..my dog in their yard.a rat ,bat or snake in the yard..bees or any other rodent..wild cats are nasty and need to be delt with..Im gonna be happy when they” leave” Im sure the rest of the neighborhood will to..all except filthy Mcnasty across the street..

    Reply
    • If you were a decent person you’d find a more decent way of dealing with this. But you don’t. Therefore you are a nasty person. No, you are worse than that. You’re a sh*t and a cat poisoner. I’d love to meet you and do something as nasty to you.

      nasty cats

      Cats are not nasty. Humans like you are.

      Reply
    • pittbull how do you clean up the dog piss you dog puts on your neighbors property and kills their grass? You’re just as bad as the cat owners. I had dead spots on my lawn because one dog would piss on a spot, then another dog would piss on the same spot. Why do I have to have dead spots on my lawn because of jack holes like you think they “clean up” after their dogs. God you pet owners are morons. Keep your pets doing their business on your own yards.

      Reply
      • Have you considered building a cat and dog proof fence around your yard? Perhaps you don’t want to spend money to fix what you see as someone else’s problem.

        Reply
        • EXCELLENT IDEA MICHAEL. Instead of feeding my kids, I’ll spend money on a fence to keep out animals that THE OWNERS should love enough to care for. I suppose I should mail them a check so they can feed them and buy them litter too? WOW…..just….wow.

          Reply
          • Cat owners should act responsibly, I agree. If a person is forced to take steps that’s the way it is. The key is to try and avoid neighbor disputes. You are overreacting. You have that inner anger that all sport hunters have which is unpleasant.

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  4. joyce….SO SORRY for that horrible couple of weeks you had to go through with the loss of all the cats! your two cats looked adorable!!! i’m getting fresh mulch soon, & I was thinking about getting moth balls…advice of a neighbor!! thanks to your horrible story—I won’t get any!!! I feed many strays & they loved the mulch in this past fall season!! but, I would NEVER put out anything to harm any animals!!! they cannot tell us where they hurt & if they feel bad!!! i’m glad I read your story!!! thank you & god bless you for caring about god’s creatures!!
    janet

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  5. Cats are useless animals. We had a beautiful robins nest on our front porch and we took great pleasure in watching the mother feed the young ones. Guess what..a cat attached the nest and killed the young babies. Every day the mother robin comes back to see if she can find her young ones…so sad. Cats have attributes that I don’t like in humans. They are selfish, only approach their owners when they want something and don’t portray any of the loyalty to their owners that a dog does. Get rid off all the cats and as far as I am concerned, all those hardcore cat lovers out there obviously condone their creatures habits are not very nice people themselves. Without any cats the world would be a much better place.

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    • They are selfish..

      Cats behave like all animals including the human animal so if you criticise the cat for being selfish you’ll have to criticise all of creation. Do you think birds are less selfish? Cats are sometimes altruistic. They help a mother cat (a queen) give birth successfully and look after another cat’s kittens. Cats are no different to other animals.

      You are practicising speciesism – preferring the bird to the cat. That is your choice but it’s unfair. Your comment is based on a dislike of cats and is therefore biased. As it is biased it is not worth much. Thanks for visiting though.

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  6. i have wild cats and they go in my neighbors yard and she hates them sees been putting mothballs all over i can even smell them and one of them vanished about the same time Is there a way she can get introuble for doing this. or what can i do

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    • It is cruel and wicked to try and poison wild cats. It is probably illegal. Check the local laws. I’ll have look myself later and make another comment. Where are you, by the way? For me, your neighbour is an idiot and she needs to be stopped.

      In the UK, her behaviour would be a crime.

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      • we are in lancaster new york thank you for the info ill see what i can do and prove vidio camers can do alot

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    • How about keeping your cats in your own yard or home? You obviously don’t respect your neighbors property. You are a moron, a typical cat owner.

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    • You have cats that go in the neighbors yard. WILD CATS. What part of inconsiderate don’t you get? If he came over and left a duece on your lawn or peed on your porch, would you keep cleaning it up because it’s cruel to keep him inside? NOPE. Police would be called and you’d be angry as hell. YOUR rights stop when they violate someone else’s. I own a cat and would never suppose that someone felt like taking a break from their busy day to care for my animal. MORON. You wanted the animal. If you are incapable of love you never should have got it. “For the cat owner so loveth his cat, that he leteth it out to the dangers of the world”. Please don’t have children. There’s streets out there.

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