Keeping cats away from Boxes

[StackemEvs]

Hi, sorry if answered elsewhere but I can't find threads on this.
Looking at a couple of nesting boxes on our wooden fence posts (8 foot heigh). But we get local cats using the fences as their local pathways. Whats the best way of stopping them taking an interest in the boxes or getting too close?

Thanks.

[Pine Marten]

can get plastic strips which has plastic spikes on them. Origanally to keep off squirrels. A good timber merchant should be able to help you. I believe they are in metre lengths and a few inches wide, but as i said has loads of spikes on them.

Pine Marten

[banks]

http://pestcontrolcentre.co.uk/acatalog/Cat_Deterrents.html

See fifth item down!

[Jandy]

Do you think this would also deter grey squirrels, which run along the tops of our fences pretty constantly?

[Nature__Lover]

would these spikes harm the cats? :/

[Nature__Lover]

i have two cats, and want to put up a bird box.
how do i keep them away from the box without in any way harming the cats?

[Deano]

can get plastic strips which has plastic spikes on them. Origanally to keep off squirrels. A good timber merchant should be able to help you. I believe they are in metre lengths and a few inches wide, but as i said has loads of spikes on them.

Pine Marten

Or carpet gripper - a bit more brutal, but the cats will certainly keep away from that :D

[Jimbo]

would these spikes harm the cats? :/

I doubt it, the RSPCA would be down on the manufacturer like ton of bricks if they were harmful, don't ya think?
I love cats but I don't want other people's in my garden killing birds or leaving their filthy mess, I have, literally, spent hundreds of pounds trying to stop them getting into my garden and still they get in!

Electronic gadgets such as Catwatch are great for about two weeks, after that the cats get used to them and aren't phased by them anymore.

As a last resort I'm seriously considering buying a big, cat hating dog!