Anti-Cat Advice Sought

General water gun discussion.
Locked
Ian
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Feb 08, 2010 5:08 pm

Anti-Cat Advice Sought

Post by Ian » Mon Feb 08, 2010 5:36 pm

I feed the wild birds in my garden, and next door's cats prey on them, which displeases me greatly. I bought a Super Soaker XP 310 to scare off the evil moggies but a year later it now leaks like a sieve, and anyway it's far too large and garishly coloured for my liking.

Could anyone please recommend a water gun to persuade the foul felines to vacate my garden? Ideally I'd like something that's not too brightly coloured (as I don't want particularly to attract the attention of my neighbours), with a range of around twenty feet (more if possible), and no more than eighteen inches long. It doesn't need to have a high capacity water-tank, as one squirt at a time is all I'll need.

Many thanks,

Ian

User avatar
soakernerd
Posts: 302
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2010 7:09 pm

Re: Anti-Cat Advice Sought

Post by soakernerd » Mon Feb 08, 2010 5:46 pm

As much as I hate to recommend this, the Super Soaker Shot Blast seems perfect for you. It is blue and grey, and it is 26 inches long.

If that is a little long for you, I would get the Water Warriors Pulse Force. It is green and black, and it is 15 inches long.

Those blasters are both Piston style Soakers, meaning that there is no trigger. instead, simply push the pump out and then pull it back in. the faster you pull the pump in, the stronger the stream is.

I would personally go with the Pulse Force, as I have found BBT, the company that makes it, much more reliable and better priced than Hasbro.

Both those soakers also have the advantage of not putting out much water, which decreases the probability that you will injure the cat.

User avatar
JuchTurtles
Posts: 478
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2009 5:52 pm

Re: Anti-Cat Advice Sought

Post by JuchTurtles » Mon Feb 08, 2010 6:41 pm

A good one is the Quick Blast. It's styling is a little bright though.

I own one of these and they get about 30 feet of range and is good for firing one shot or so.
The name's Juch, just Juch.
Also known as Commander JuchJawsTurtles, commander of the C0BALT TiDE team in The Ocean Volcano Union.
SPLASH! You're dead!

User avatar
martianshark
Posts: 689
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 10:24 pm

Re: Anti-Cat Advice Sought

Post by martianshark » Mon Feb 08, 2010 8:38 pm

The Bottle Shot would also be pretty good for this... or maybe the Secret Strike.

User avatar
zeda.beta
Posts: 683
Joined: Sun May 03, 2009 10:49 pm

Re: Anti-Cat Advice Sought

Post by zeda.beta » Mon Feb 08, 2010 10:32 pm

Otherwise you could always build SCII :p , but seriously, you would probably be good with any piston based soaker, such as the bottle shot or the quick blast, and even a Stream Machine would probably work. Personally I would just drench them with a hose or a huge bucket, and lay an elaborate figure four deadfall to trigger it, but that is just me.
I reject your reality and substitute my own.
Quack damn you.

User avatar
martianshark
Posts: 689
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 10:24 pm

Re: Anti-Cat Advice Sought

Post by martianshark » Mon Feb 08, 2010 10:55 pm

Yeah, a stream machine would be perfect. Or with a Flash Flood or Arctic blast you could totally drench them.

User avatar
soakernerd
Posts: 302
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2010 7:09 pm

Re: Anti-Cat Advice Sought

Post by soakernerd » Mon Feb 08, 2010 10:58 pm

I really don't think that he wants to have the neighbors complain about how their cat is soaked, which is why I recommended a small blaster with limited output.

User avatar
zeda.beta
Posts: 683
Joined: Sun May 03, 2009 10:49 pm

Re: Anti-Cat Advice Sought

Post by zeda.beta » Mon Feb 08, 2010 11:02 pm

Then just shoot the cat on an overcast day, or set up a sprinkler that covers the entire yard. :p
-Zeda
I reject your reality and substitute my own.
Quack damn you.

User avatar
cantab
Posts: 1492
Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2007 1:35 pm

Re: Anti-Cat Advice Sought

Post by cantab » Mon Feb 08, 2010 11:54 pm

I think a pressurised gun with a long firing time is better. With a piston pumper odds are you'll miss, a cat is a small target and piston pumpers are tricky to aim. With a pressurised gun you can send the stream around a bit to be sure of a hit.

The XP 220 or 240 would seem ideal. Maybe even the 215, though it'll probably fall short on range, as well as being so low output the cat may well just ignore it. They are garish mind, but most water blasters are. You could always repaint it, but be careful.
I work on Windows. My toolbox is Linux.
Arsenal:
Super Soaker: XP215, 2xXP220, Liquidator, Aquashock Secret Strike M(odded), Arctic Blast M, CPS1200, CPS2100, SC Power Pak, 3l aquapack, 1.5l aquapack
Water Warriors: Jet, Sting Ray M, Shark, Argon M, Tiger Shark, PulseMaster
Others: Waterbolt, The Blaster, Storm 500, Shield Blaster 2000, generic PR gun, generic backpack piston pumper (broken), 3l garden sprayer M, 10l water carrier:

Ian
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Feb 08, 2010 5:08 pm

Re: Anti-Cat Advice Sought

Post by Ian » Tue Feb 09, 2010 12:25 am

Thanks for all the advice.

It wasn't until I started searching for those guns on the Net that I discovered how few of them are available in the UK. Cantab, I see you're based in England; can you recommend anywhere to buy them online?

Incidentally, I do believe that domestic cats have their place: it's north Africa, genetically speaking, and I'd be very happy to see all of the trespassing, wild-life slaughtering, non-native pests repatriated there. Unfortunately, my wife's a cat lover and won't countenance any harm coming to the satanic beasts from next door; left to my own devices I'd probably resort to a couple of cat traps and some heavy-duty plastic sacks.

Ian

User avatar
C-A_99
Posts: 1502
Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2006 11:09 pm

Re: Anti-Cat Advice Sought

Post by C-A_99 » Tue Feb 09, 2010 2:01 am

With a higher ranged pressurized blaster, you can also shoot from farther away instead of having to walk in closer. The Vindicator and Flash Flood may be good options, but the FF is bright orange and both blasters may also be overkill for the situation. Still, you can pump in a little water at a time and fire quick shots without drenching anyone or anything; whatever's needed to keep the cat away.

User avatar
JuchTurtles
Posts: 478
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2009 5:52 pm

Re: Anti-Cat Advice Sought

Post by JuchTurtles » Tue Feb 09, 2010 3:45 pm

I think you should get a piston pumper stock and repaint it camo or something. Store it away and out of view and just occasionaly shoot the cat. For the piston, if you miss, just keep pumping until you hit. Piston pumpers are also cheap and easy to shoot.

A low output, drizzle, high PC capacity soaker would work well too. May I suggest the Pool Pumper?
The name's Juch, just Juch.
Also known as Commander JuchJawsTurtles, commander of the C0BALT TiDE team in The Ocean Volcano Union.
SPLASH! You're dead!

User avatar
cantab
Posts: 1492
Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2007 1:35 pm

Re: Anti-Cat Advice Sought

Post by cantab » Tue Feb 09, 2010 7:25 pm

It's really the wrong time of year for water blasters. Argos would probably be your best bet though. The Bottle Blitz is a piston pumper, while the Hydro Fury is a very small pressurised blaster. The colours aren't drab, but they're not lurid either.

In the way of bricks-and-mortar stores, during the summer Toys R Us, John Lewis, WH Smiths, TK Maxx, Tesco, Asda, and The Entertainer all have a good chance of having blasters in stock. Local newsagents and convenience stores often have cheap no-name guns too, that are sometimes pressurised and will likely work for your purpose.

The UK version of the Flash Flood is blue, not orange. But at £25 it's pricey.
I work on Windows. My toolbox is Linux.
Arsenal:
Super Soaker: XP215, 2xXP220, Liquidator, Aquashock Secret Strike M(odded), Arctic Blast M, CPS1200, CPS2100, SC Power Pak, 3l aquapack, 1.5l aquapack
Water Warriors: Jet, Sting Ray M, Shark, Argon M, Tiger Shark, PulseMaster
Others: Waterbolt, The Blaster, Storm 500, Shield Blaster 2000, generic PR gun, generic backpack piston pumper (broken), 3l garden sprayer M, 10l water carrier:

Ian
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Feb 08, 2010 5:08 pm

Re: Anti-Cat Advice Sought

Post by Ian » Wed Feb 10, 2010 11:26 am

Thanks again, Folks; your advice is much appreciated.

It looks like I'll be hanging on to my leaking XP 310 until the summer, and then seeing what's available in the UK. Meanwhile I'll print this thread and keep it safe for reference.

Ian

User avatar
zeda.beta
Posts: 683
Joined: Sun May 03, 2009 10:49 pm

Re: Anti-Cat Advice Sought

Post by zeda.beta » Thu Feb 11, 2010 2:41 am

If you are having trouble with your XP 310, then you should check out the link here. http://forums.sscentral.org/t5778/
-Zeda
I reject your reality and substitute my own.
Quack damn you.

Locked