Pest repellents: would they work on cats?

Hi folks--
Trying to train a former feral by absentia here. My father brings a
favorite into the house, but doesn't offer any guidance about tabletops
or potted plants.
The main entrance has a sunken planter; concrete floor, white
granite rocks. Several generations of visiting mongrels used the plant
soil, so it's a mess. (But will have to wait for warmer weather.)
In December I got a box of cheap dryer sheets and covered the rocks,
then laid down plastic sheeting on top. Mostly this slowed down the
culprit. I mopped up a couple of her puddles and put them into the
litter box so as to reinforce the idea. (She has used it, but it's so
convenient to go pee in this space 12' x 4'.)
There are several places on top of the plastic with evidence, but I
think we are making progress.
My next step is to place a litter box in the planter, so she gets
reinforcement, and gradually walk it back to where it should be. But I
want to discourage her from the plants, rocks, and plastic. The
ultrasonic rodent repellants caught my eye: would that be an irritating
noise for a cat?
I do not live at this house, so I can't set up a chair with a squirt
gun or other behavioral modifications. I would love to confine her in a
room with the litter box until she's trained, but can't explaing this
to himself. (Cat on table: I yell "No!" He says, "she's not hurting
anything," and around we go.)

Thanks!
--Karen M.

On 15 Jan 2005 13:37:21 -0800, Karen M. wrote:

> Hi folks--
> Trying to train a former feral by absentia here. My father brings a
favorite into the house, but doesn't offer any guidance about tabletops or
potted plants.

/snip/

> I do not live at this house, so I can't set up a chair with a squirt gun
or other behavioral modifications. /snip/ (Cat on table: I yell "No!" He
says, "she's not hurting anything," and around we go.)


If the cat gets inconsistent commands (especially by yelling) she may
develop stress behaviors that would be worse than what's happening now.
Maybe it would be better to follow his policy, at least about table
climbing, since he will do what he wants when you're not there.


Margaret