Keeping Cats off of the Hood of Your Car

Outside kitties especially in the summertime love to find warm spots to nap on. Cats jumping up on hoods of cars find coveted sun spots to call their own, usually not your choice or preference but certainly theirs. The warmth of the hood of your car comforts them. Being off the ground they can see what is coming before it arrives.  Sometimes you catch them in the act, but countless other times, you go out in the morning to discover paw prints and scratches on the hood of your car but no cat.

So what do you do when the hood of your car is the bed of choice for an outside cat? If you catch sight of the cat and recognize him, you can approach the neighbor who owns him and ask that kitty be kept inside. If the request falls on deaf ears, you have two options, discourage the cat from wanting to jump on your car or just give in and let him have his napping spot. You don’t want to use harsh measures or hurt this cat. He isn’t being evil. He is just being a cat.

Some of the deterrents you should NOT use:

• Mothballs- toxic to cats.
• Black pepper-irritates the eyes, nose and throat and honestly they just jump over a trail of pepper
• Cayenne pepper- irritating to the nose, eyes and throats can cause respiratory issues
• Citrus peels- not effective with all cats and once in the sun the smell goes away quickly.
• Shock collars- NEVER a good option for a cat or a dog.
• Squirt bottles- not effective can cause misdirected aggression in cats
• Dumping water on the cat- not a good idea either could really hurt the cat.

Now for what will work. The logical solution would be to purchase a car cover. You can find car covers made of material ranging from lightweight to what they call Technalon® Evolution which  is a thick enough cover that it protects against the elements and dents. If you are looking for a cheaper or easier alternative, consider one of the following products:

Electronic Cat Repellents-

The Contech Cat Stop Deterrent is the number one product on the market today. Using ultrasonic sounds only discernible to cats, dogs and small mammals, this unit claims to be effective in keeping cats out of your yard, garden off your car or your porch. Running off a 9v battery, the unit is waterproof, weatherproof and carries a money-back guarantee. Simply stake it in the ground, turn it on. It engages only when it detects motion.

• The Scarecrow- again by Contech, this is a motion activated sprinkler hooked up to your hose. When motion is detected, the unit engages and sprays a large arc of water into the area scaring off any intruder. Using this method means that you might get sprayed in the process, and remember keep your car windows up!
• Bird X YG YardGard Ultrasonic Animal Repeller uses a built in infrared motion detector. It is easy to mount, safe to use and non-toxic to animals. There is a built-in pest dial after the back of unit is uncovered. Set to the desired frequency and turn it on. Runs on four C batteries. Weatherproof and waterproof it covers up to 4,000 feet.
• Garden Creations Cordless Ultrasonic Repeller for yard and garden.  This unit uses sound to repel animals from your property or off your car. Simply set the dial to the species in question and let it do all the work. Senses movement as far as 15 feet away and covers 5,000 feet.
• Havahart® Spray Away® is a motion controlled sprinkler that you can fine-tune and direct the spray where it will do the most good in sending your message to the cat. Spray
• Away- means Stay Away! Covers up to 1,000 feet.

The fact is not everyone keeps their kitties indoors. Cats can run-away from home, get tossed out on their paws or simply be an inside/outside kitty who enjoys your car as their bed. You want to protect your car from damage, but at the same time you don’t wish to harm a cat to drive the message home. Using, safe, non-toxic products will deter the cat and convince him to find another napping spot. No more scratches on the hood of your car, no more paw prints to wash off before driving to the office and best of all, no animal was harmed in the process.