April 30, 2003

• Intruder in Our Garage

  
  For the last several weeks there have been indications that something has been paying regular visits to our garage. The garage is kept closed and was pretty well sealed up until we had a new hot water heater installed close to two years ago.
  
  The garage had a vent with adjustable slats for control of the air while keeping out large animals. When we put in the clothes dryer, I removed some of the slats and installed an adaptor for the dryer exhaust duct onto a piece of hardware cloth, which I fitted into the opening. The guy who installed the water heater two years ago just removed the hardware cloth and stuck the copper pipe for the emergency drain from the tank through the opening, leaving it for me to repair the damage. I simply ran the ducting out the expanded hole, rather than fighting the accumulated clutter inside to make enough space to get in and fix it properly.
  
  For two years, we had no problems. Then our luck ran out.
  
  We began to suspect an intruder about three weeks ago. Things moved or got dirty. Last week, Cathy did some laundry accompanied by her little dog, Rocky. Rocky went berserk when he entered the garage. The next morning, when I entered the garage from the basement, the intruder beat a hasty and noisy retreat through the opening. I blocked the opening off.
  
  I didn't block it off well enough. The creature was able to remove my barrier and get in two days later. It even got into the basement and moved some stuff in my bathroom there.
  
  I still wasn't sure what it was that had invaded. I suspected a shaggy dark cat we've seen around the place for the past year, but possums and skunks are common, too. I decided to see what I could use to discourage it.
  
  A search on the Internet showed that the products generally used to discourage animals from approaching homes are some form of predator urine. Which predator to use depends on what kind of animal is causing the problem. Other suggested remedies were for outdoor use only. I considered getting a couple of rat traps but the high probability of the pest being a cat made me discard that approach.
  
  The only thing left is Rocky. But even the cat is bigger than he is.
  
  Then I got a breakthrough: I saw the animal inside the garage. It was the cat. Now I can take care of the problem.
  
  First I'll move a bunch of our laundry stuff out of the way so I can get to the hole. Then I'll get my supplies ready: a concrete block, a thin concrete brick and some wooden slats. I'll bring Rocky down to make sure the cat is gone, then run the pipe and the duct through the block, placing the block on top of the brick in the opening and holding them both in place with the slats fastened into the wall. There will still be mouse-sized holes but nothing the cat can use.
  
  The cat is a survivor, lasting over a year outside despite the coyotes. I've always thought of it as a tom. But Cathy kept talking of it as a female. I hope it didn't invade to have kittens.
  
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  • 14:59
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