How to keep cat's off of your car?

[Kaptain]

Now that spring is here I plan on detailing our 2002 black Honda Accord.* Our two cats make a mess of the finish every winter; they like to sleep on the hood after the car has been driven.* Getting rid of the cat scratches is not really a problem.* What I would really like to do is find a way to keep the cats off of the car.* I have asked this question before on other forums, but all the replys so far have been funny, but unhelpful.* I get it... some people don't like cats.* So I don't plan on shooting them with a super soaker or a .22, and I am not going to put a large dog inside the car. First and most sensible idea was a car cover.* Pro: Cat's can sleep on the car all they want, while the finish stays protected.* Con: Covering and uncovering the car every morning and night is too much of a hassle.Second idea I had was one of those ultra high frequency pest repellant gizmos, but I can't figure where I would locate the gizmo in the garage so that only cats would set it off and not humans.* Third idea, a fake owl.* My mother has a fish pond at her house which raccoons love to get into.* Someone told her that one of those fake owls will scare the raccoons away.* I was there the day she brought it home; the cat would not come into the house until she took it outside.While this would probably work, I am worried that they will not come into the garage.* The garage is where they eat, and obviously sleep.Last idea, I know cat's do not like the smell of citrus.* Is there a wash or wax product out there that would leave a citurs scent on the finish of the car?Maybe I could mix citrus into my car wash soap?What do you think?*

[Maserati Mario]

Re: How to keep cat's off of your car?

I doubt your going to find some kinda of product to keep cats off your car. If you invent something you'll get rich.
I would say your answer is a car cover or kick the cats out of the garage.

[mxracer49]

Re: How to keep cat's off of your car?

De-claw. Our cat is not allowed in our garage anymore. He only has rear claws and scratched the heck out of my wife's hood. I saw him do it. Jumped down from the top onto the hood, lost traction and reared his claws. I just about made a football out of him. But you really can't blame the animal. It was our fault for letting him on the vehicle in the first place.

[Bert31]

Re: How to keep cat's off of your car?

So long as you keep the cats in the garage, they will want to get on the car. Not much you can do unless you change your mind about the super soaker or .22.

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: How to keep cat's off of your car?

There are mixed emotions about declawing a cat. If they do not go outside during the day. This might be a option. No hassles with a car cover. No scratches from there claws. Just typing out loud.

[oldmodman]

Re: How to keep cat's off of your car?

I rescue feral cats.

And since I trap them in my backyard, get them fixed then release them back into my yard I don't have any standing on keeping them out of my yard.

Other than to say get a garage and use it.
I keep my crappy cars outside and my good cars in the garage.

But here is one suggestion. To keep non feral house cats out of the yard I would shoot long q-tips dipped in water out of a Crossman Co2 pistol. The wet q-tip would strike the cat and the cat would run like hell. It usually only took two or three shots to make them regard my yard as "undesirable" And the wet q-tip would not hurt the cat, only startle it.

[roushstage2]

Re: How to keep cat's off of your car?

I use the panic button when I have that option.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: How to keep cat's off of your car?

In keeping this family friendly lets refrain from any talk about less than kind methods of scaring off cats...

These types of threads come up once in a while and it is a problem but lets keep our suggestions to legal methods and avoid posting methods that might upset a cat lover.

(I'm a dog guy myself but understand cat people)

[Paul S]

Re: How to keep cat's off of your car?

I face the cat problem also but its a white cat (our own) . In the summer and spring he wants to lay on my black rag top firebird. This happens when the car is left outside and at the end of the day I'm too lazy to put it in the garage. Have no idea how to keep the cat off the car and not upset the wife.

Paul

[Mike Phillips]

Re: How to keep cat's off of your car?

and not upset the wife.

The key portion of that last sentence...

[tonyroc14]

Re: How to keep cat's off of your car?

how about an airsoft gun? It will prolly hurt them, like it would hurt us, but it wouldn't damage them it would scare the living digested material out of them tho.

[dave40co]

Re: How to keep cat's off of your car?

Lemon peels will keep them out of a planter box, but I have no idea how to make them work with a car.

[onawrxhigh]

Re: How to keep cat's off of your car?

Cayenne pepper powder. I don't know how large your garage is, but if you could put a ring of it around your car far enough away that they need to step in it before they jump up onto the car. This will keep them from getting on it. How you ask? We all know cats are constantly cleaning themselves. They step into the cayenne pepper powder jump on the car and start to clean themselves when they get to their feet BANG!!!! FIRE MOUTH and no more cats on your cars. I did this when I rented a house with no garage and plenty of stray cats. I saw red paw prints on my truck for 3 days after that no more cats.

Andrew

[jezroj]

Re: How to keep cat's off of your car?

How about one of those barking dog motion detectors

[Malo83]

Re: How to keep cat's off of your car?

A good swat with a broom works for me once is enough and they get the idea

Sorry wifes and cat lovers but, Get over it!