Help! Advice needed please on feral cats

Hi

I am having a problem with feral cats in our area, they are making a complete mess of my garden area. I clear the mess up daily but its becoming a nightmare! My garden and approach to the front door of my property stinks constantly. They are constantly fowling and throwing up, even on my terrace! My daughter actually stood in cat vomit in her bare feet as the cat had sicked under the table we use to eat outside. Our neighbour feeds 16 cats and I woke up this morning to find another 3 kittens playing on the terrace at the back of my house. I'm at my wits end. I've tried every detergent imaginable and spent a small fortune on ultrasound deterents, chemical ones (harmless ones of course), bottles filled with water, orange /lemon peel, eggshells even!!! Can I get help under the local council? I live in El Galan and we come under the district of San Miguel de Salinas.

Thank you. Any advice much appreciated. By the way I've talked to my neighbour about it but I don't want to push it as she has just lost her husband.

Whilst not 100% sure I think you need a licence to feed feral cats unless that is only in torrevieja. It is not good or wise to feed feral cats as they then starve when the feeder leaves ot travels on holiday. I would email the town hall in san Miguel they should help. Is speaking to your neighbour not an option? Maybe she could have them sterilised so they do not reproduce. It must be awful for you, I love cats but some people do not appear to understand feral cats should be left feral.

It is an offence to feed feral cats. Inform the Ayuntamiento without delay.
Richard

This information was this year, it might help you.

http://www.costadaily.com/2018/06/14/sa ... cate-cats/

We had the same problem some years ago.
A friend who is an international cat judge recommended mothballs or anything camphor based.
You have to replace it periodically but after a year we didn't have any feral cats around the property, and it's still the same now.

Thank you for your helpful replies. They're very much appreciated. I have talked to my neighbour but as I said in my original post she has just lost her husband so I don't want to push it. I've messaged the town hall at san miguel today as they have a grant for controlling feral cats by neutering them. I come under san miguel district so hopefully they will respond.

Once again thank you for all the good advice.

grichn wrote:It is an offence to feed feral cats. Inform the Ayuntamiento without delay.
Richard

its offence to feed them on public property, you can feed them on your own property if you wish, which is not illegal ,in some areas there are people who are licenced by the local council to feed feral cat colonys, feral cats help to keep the rodent population down, Most councils have some arrangement to help with this,by a trap neuter and release policy, if some one feeds a feral cat while here on holiday , then go home ,the feral cat will revert back to its hunting instincts or further scrounging instincts,i,ve watched them catch cockroaches ,little lizards ,etc...

I don’t think feral cats are the problem I think the problem is your neighbour feeding them. Cats soon suss out a soft touch and move in, remove the food and they will soon move on.

Correct!
but perhaps as stated the ladys recently bereaved,prehaps feeding the cats offers her some comfort,we all need that sometimes in our lifes,