DIY Cat repeller - Help needed - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: Jottie
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 08, 2024, 09:53:32 am
content: Problem Description:Neighborhood cat keeps shitting in my garden. Getting to the point that it is not even digging a hole anymore. It just randomly shits all over the lawn and flowerbeds.Solutions attempted:Ultrasonic device triggered with PIR sensor. Expensive, useless junk. Cats shits right next to it. Probably enjoying the ambience.Coffee grinds, citrus peel, chili powder, cinamon powder. Maybe worked for a day after which the cat come back leaving a pile twice as big to make up for the lost day.Solutions to be avoided:Anything that could harm the pussycat. I am not a monster!New objective:Build a cat repeller using an old water flosser. The device still works but I need to make it trigger automatically when the cat is in the vicinity.I believe the noise alone should scare it away but if that doesn't, adding a powerful jet of water should do the trick.Progress so far:Managed to take the water flosser apart without doing too much damage. Should be able to put it back together again.Identified 2 points on the circuit board which, when connected, triggers the motor. (See pic)Soldered 2 extended wires to these connectors to facilitate any further experimenting. Voltage measured across these 2 wires is 2.7vAcquired a tiny AM312 Low Power Ultra-Miniature PIR Sensor that I wish to use as a trigger mechanism to set off the waterpik when movement is detected.According to sensor datasheet, it should have an working voltage range of 2.7 - 12v DCHow to proceed from here?I have close to zero electronics experience - just look at my soldering work as proof.What is the simplest way to use the PIR sensor to act as a switch to complete the circuit triggering the motor and getting the cat to go shit somewhere else?

author: Smokey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2024, 10:26:28 am
content: Get a dog?

author: madires
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2024, 10:35:15 am
content: When you want to drive the pump motor directly, the AM312, a monostable vibrator and a driver transistor. Anyway, I would try a dog. More fun and more effective.

author: janoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2024, 10:43:15 am
content: That flosser is not likely going to work because the cat will just learn to avoid the water jet and poop a meter away from the previous spot, out of its range.You would need to go the whole hog and build a complete cat-tracking turret that would aim the water at it (and with a more powerful jet than anything like a dinky flosser can produce). While that could be a fun project in itself, it is not especially practical.The ultrasonic junk is just that - complete garbage snake oil, does not work (plus there are a lot of deaf cats!) and will only likely annoy your neighbors (or their pets) who could hear it.If a dog or a cat of your own (cats are territorial and will defend their turf!) is not an option then your best bet is talking to your neighbor and having them deal with their cat.

author: madires
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2024, 10:52:21 am
content: Or you could try Plectranthus ornatus (Coleus comosus).

author: BILLPOD
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2024, 12:28:32 pm
content: Good Morning Jottie, I have used this device to keep ALL animals out of my garden.https://www.ebay.com/itm/145791034962?chn=ps

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2024, 02:06:26 pm
content: Don't bother trying to hack a dental water floss.All you need is a car windscreen washer pump and a PIR sensor. Fix them to a spike stuck in the ground and run a cable to a 12V power supply inside the house.Note that it will freeze up in the winter. Don't use ordinary antifreeze because it's highly toxic, not just to cats but humans and wildlife. Use a non-toxic glycerol based antifreeze.

author: golden_labels
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2024, 02:20:32 pm
content: Put signs along the fence on neighbour’s side, warning that the garden is regularly sprayed with dihydrogen monoxide, a chemical cat repeller, that may stick to cat’s fur. Dihydrogen monoxide is generally considered safe, but has a small risk of death to both cats and humans.Unfortunately, as cat owners well know, projectiles — solid or liquid — have no long-term effectiveness on most cats. So you may try, but if I were you I wouldn’t expect much.Throwing poop back on neighbour’s side might be more effective.

author: Jottie
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 08, 2024, 02:30:49 pm
content: Quote from: Smokey on September 08, 2024, 10:26:28 amI would love to have a dog but not enough space and front garden is open to the road

author: themadhippy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2024, 02:31:14 pm
content: Quotewhich will result in the local councils elf n stazi "experts" closing and evacuating an area 10 miles around the site for at least 6 months whilst they undertake a risk assessment on doing an on site risk assessment before calling out the hazmat team.

author: Jottie
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 08, 2024, 02:37:14 pm
content: Quote from: janoc on September 08, 2024, 10:43:15 amThe flosser is surprisingly strong. With a fully charged battery the water jet easily reaches 5m which is more than sufficient for my small garden. I especially like the small, compact and mobile nature of the flosser idea so I can reposition it every day to target a different approach angle.Unfortunately I do not know whose cat it is else I would've made their doorstep my cat shit dumping ground.

author: Jottie
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 08, 2024, 02:38:05 pm
content: Quote from: madires on September 08, 2024, 10:52:21 amI might keep this as a plan B but not nearly as much fun

author: Andy Chee
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2024, 02:54:46 pm
content: Forget about automated system for now.Have you actually manually tested your flosser on the cat? Or are you simply assuming it will react and learn?Technical knowledge will only get you so far. Behavioural psychology is your missing component.

author: janoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2024, 03:33:42 pm
content: Quote from: golden_labels on September 08, 2024, 02:20:32 pmSolid projectiles are very effective, even when fired from only an air rifle or pistol not requiring a permit. Anything higher powered would likely "fix" the problem once for good.Doing so would be however very cruel and very very illegal.Water jets work as well - but only if the cat gets hit by it each time. Cats do hate getting wet and stuff like spray bottles and toy water pistols are commonly used for cat training. Firing water jets into an empty space and hoping it scares the cat with the noise or the sudden water spray if futile, the cat will quickly learn to ignore that nuisance.

author: RoGeorge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2024, 03:46:41 pm
content: Quote from: Smokey on September 08, 2024, 10:26:28 amThe DIY version, build a C.H.O.M.P.S.As for the most practical solution, garden sprinklers would be probably the best automated repellent. Make them infra red activated.

author: Jottie
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 08, 2024, 03:52:55 pm
content: Quote from: janoc on September 08, 2024, 03:33:42 pmYour starting to like your earlier idea of a cat-tracking turret. Bit of an overkill if it will even work but sounds like a lot of fun building it

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2024, 04:28:28 pm
content: QuoteAre you sure it's a cat? ;-)

author: Zoli
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2024, 04:28:40 pm
content: Old one, overkill, but looks like it was very effective:https://developer.nvidia.com/blog/ai-cat-chaser-jetson-tx1-caffe/

author: golden_labels
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2024, 07:31:40 pm
content: Quote from: janoc on September 08, 2024, 03:33:42 pmI didn’t mean high energy projectiles.Throwing stuff at cats keeps the cat away only the first few times. Later they will avoid being hit, but will happily return a few seconds later.

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2024, 08:15:01 pm
content: Try back-flushing the culprit using a water source of your choice. Not only will it allow you to dispose of the 'nuisance material' in a place of your choosing but it will also decrease the frequency.

author: BrokenYugo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2024, 10:23:45 pm
content: Fence? Or maybe hit with a garden hose sprayer (that could be automated, just warn the mailman ahead of time!). I doubt a water flosser is doing the job, outdoor cars are not housecats, a little bit of water may not scare it off.Covering any easy digging areas with landscaping cloth might help, but would look rather unappealing to people too.

author: carlitos
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2024, 11:24:01 pm
content: I also tried a lot of things such as coffee, orange peels, pepper, high frequency sounds, but the simple and effective method was to spray water.I used what I had on hand, an irrigation pipe that I extended the holes in line, a washing machine solenoid valve, a motion sensor from a LED lamp modified to activate the solenoid valve for a second and a hose to connect the tap to the solenoid valve.I put them in the passageway and they stopped passing through my garden.

author: Jeff eelcr
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2024, 11:27:04 pm
content: Not all cats will burry their shit, for dogs bacon grease on it and they will clean it up themselves, for cats try tuna/water or oil and maybe the cat will take care of it. At most it will make the animal sick if it eats it.Jeff

author: jonovid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2024, 03:46:22 am
content: an automaticair freshener spraymodification may just workcats do Not like aerosol sprays . any aerosol!so a PIR sensor automatic air freshener spray modification that will trigger the aerosol sprayor use your own microcontroller to set the spray behaviour when trigger by a cat. learn to code a arduino microcontroller.see video about automatic air freshener unit electronics

author: themadhippy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2024, 05:16:53 pm
content: And if you want the cat to go woof add a spark generator to the aerosol spray.

author: Marco
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2024, 05:38:42 pm
content: https://www.google.com/search?q=cat+detector+github+sprinklerThere's probably some projects which do human detection at the same time to prevent the mailman getting wet clothes.

author: Haenk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 10, 2024, 05:27:29 am
content: Cats are clever and ignorant. Hard to ban them...We formerly used chicken wire placed on the ground, that helped, our cat and neighbours cats found other spots than our flowers and bushes.Certainly water helps, too. But the cats will return once the sprayer ist off...