Keeping cats out of the fish pond?

[MarkC]

My friend has nice big koi in his backyard fishpond. Or at least he does until they get eaten. I suggested that raccoons were responsible, but he insists that it's cats. Says he's seen them.
So, short of shooting them, what ways are there to convince them to stay away?
I suggested he buy some coyote or mountain lion *** and spread it around....

 

[JavaMan]

I believe there was a question earlier about how to keep mice out of a home and someone suggested a cat. Is it too far fetched to suggest a dog to keep cats away?

 

[MarkC]

Ah, but my pal is Vietnamese....
no, bad joke, I apologize.
He has dogs, but they like cats.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Get different dogs.

 

[MarkC]

Easy to say, but not always to do. He doesn't want more pets, just a way to keep the cats off the fish.

 

[Quattro Pete]

What about those pet-stop fence systems/contraptions? Or is that considered inhumane?

 

[Stewart Fan]

How about some motion activated sprinklers? I've seen them used to keep deer out of gardens.

 

[UncleS2]

Fill that pond with piranhas! That'll teach dem bad ole puddy tats!

 

[MarkC]

Piranha are illegal. But sprinklers sound good.

 

[Larry the Cable Guy]

Simple: Hotwire

Head over to the nearest farm supply store, they should be able to hook you up.

 

[Dan4510]

Rat shot 22 calibre

After that treatment, they wont come back.

Dan

 

[Shannow]

a well balanced cat is a good cat.

Most cats need approximately 37 to 40 grains behind the offending ear to reach the appropriate balance situation.

 

[Jeffrey]

Could your friend re-landscape the bank of the pond so that it is too much of a reach for the cat to easily "fish?"

I am assuming that the cats would rather not entirely dive in to the pond to catch the fish. Are they diving in?

 

[Pablo]

Must be small gold fish.

Cats? Really?

 

[MarkC]

That's what I said. The koi are pretty big, maybe 10 inches long. I think it's coons, but he insists that it's kitties.
Dan, Shannow, I did say short of shooting them....

 

[1sttruck]

A former coworker had herons eating his koi. Our dog has pulled my teenage son down and drug him 15 feet while lunging at cats, our daughter often can't hold on, so you need a different dog.

 

[Shaman]

Is shooting ruled out, or is it harm to the animal that is ruled out? I would suggest an air soft. IF it's completely ruled out, remodel the pond so that the offending animals have to get in to get the fish.

 

[MarkC]

I think it's the shooting that's a no-no.

 

[Dan4510]

This will work...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:M2Round.jpg

 

[javacontour]

Video Camera to find out what critter is getting the Koi