There are many reasons you might want to find a way to get rid of cats. Perhaps you or someone you know has become too old or sick to care for their cat. Or maybe your female kitty had a little affair with the boy next door… and now you need to know how to get rid of kittens. Or, if you have some unwanted stray cats wandering around your house/property, there are humane ways to get rid of them too.
Best Ways to Get Rid of Cats
Re-Homing
If you need to re-home your cat, the obvious answer is to take them to a local cat shelter. However, that may not always end well. Many shelters are overrun and cannot handle the animals they have; many end up being euthanized. You can first try asking your friends or family; see if they know someone who wants to take in a cat. If not, you can try putting some ads up online. These do require some effort, but your cat will likely be much happier if you manage to find a place for them on your own.
Unexpected Kittens
It happens to the best of us. Your cat gets pregnant out of the blue, and of course, the father has taken off and is not offering any child support, so you are now responsible for not one, but several little lives!
Before you go offering them to everyone you know, keep in mind that they should stay with their mother until they are about eight weeks old. At this point, you have some options. The more straightforward way is just to offer them up for free. However, unless the new owner is someone you know personally, you should be cautious. Some people will take free kittens with the intention of reselling them to a medical lab, using them as bait for training fighting dogs, or even feeding them to their snakes. It sounds awful, but these people are out there.
Consider charging a very small “adoption” fee, to ward off these types of buyers. It is also a good idea to ask a few questions of the potential new owner and try to get an idea of what kind of owner they will be. If you are uncomfortable with them, you absolutely have the right to turn them away.
If these efforts fail and you are not able to get rid of all of your kittens, then animal shelters and rescue groups will take them. They will provide them with the best care they can, and will do their best to find them homes. Unlike adult cats, kittens are typically a more popular choice, so the chances of them finding good owners are high - particularly since shelters are able to screen potential owners.
Stray Cats
Some people have no idea how to get rid of stray cats humanely, and consider killing them if they get annoying enough. There are better ways! First things first, don’t feed them. Trying to help them stay alive is admirable. However, it will only keep them coming back to you again and again.
There are actually a lot of very inventive ways you can keep stray cats away; some you would never even have guessed! One good option is to scare them away from your property. Motion-operated sprinklers may do the trick. Do your best to point them away from driveways and sidewalks so people don’t set them off – but one squirt to the face and your new feline friend won’t want to return. Placing rubber snakes in your lawn will also likely ward them off.
There are also many different humane traps you can set for the cats. Once you have them trapped, you can bring them to the local shelter and/or contact animal control and they will take care of it.
Another effective option is to use a repellent. Cats generally do not like citrus scents, so placing orange and lemon peels in the areas you see them may keep them away. Coffee grounds, as well as essential oils such as citronella, lavender, and eucalyptus have been known to repel cats. Another very efficient (but admittedly gross) option is using the urine of their natural predators. Fox urine and coyote urine are a popular choice. Note that this is not recommended for those who live in a rainy area, nor should it be used during a rainy season, as this will require constant reapplication.
Conclusion
Whatever your reason for wanting to get rid of some cats or kittens, there is always a humane way to do so. While it may require some effort on your part, please keep in mind that these are animals who have feelings and feel pain just like we do! They may be unwanted and annoying, but they still have love to give, and deserve some love in return!