Using Pipes on a Feeding Station (to stops Cats!!)

[Hal_Chase]

Has anyone had any experience on using drainage pipes as an entrance ‘tunnel’ to their Hog Feeder? (to deter cats)

I’m getting sick of cats getting into my Hog Feeder, they were just after the mice but now they tummy crawl in and eat hog food and enough is enough.

I’ve Just bought a lower/wider box to accommodate more hogs and want to add a length of pipe as an entrance but don’t want it to be too long, how far down a pipe will a hog go, or more to the point how long is enough to deter a cat?

It may well have been discussed before but I cannot find a search function on this forum….(someone please add one!!)

[Nic]

Hi Hal_Chase

Some people have written on the forum before about using pipes as access routes. Personally, I’m not too keen on the idea, because I know that some pest controllers use them to put rat bait in, and wouldn’t want the hogs to think it was a good idea to go down them, for that reason.

I had a cat problem last winter and found that if you made a twisty and at the same time quite shallow approach to the food it kept the cats out, but the clever hog managed with ease.

So I had a box which went – entrance – immediate turn to the left – short narrow ‘corridor’ – double back to the right – short narrow ‘corridor’ – turn left into entrance to chamber for food. A cat managed to negotiate that, so I made the corridors shallower by putting bricks along them, which solved the problem.

Perhaps you could make some sort of similar arrangement outside your box. I think the key is that if the cat is making itself thinner in one direction, it can’t make itself thinner in the other direction at the same time, as well as turning – if that makes sense!

Good luck!

[Hal_Chase]

Hi Nic,
You have just given me an idea!!

My new Hog Feeder is a ‘Really Useful Box’ 70 Litre

I think I could cannibalise a Really Useful Box 22 litre to make a right angled entrance passage that is only 155mm high and attach it to my 70 litre box….I cant see a cat belly crawling that and then turning a bend!!

I’ll give this a go and post up some photos 🙂

[Nic]

Hi Hal_Chase

I have a feeling 155mm might give the cats a bit too much height. One got into my box again – I hadn’t put the bricks in yet. But you could always add some bricks later. The hogs can easily climb over them.

[Hal_Chase]

Thanks @Nic I will rethink it.

I am trying to find something ‘off the shelf’ I can use as a tunnel and it be the correct height….I will keep searching, or make my own tunnel from Perspex!!

[Nic]

I just checked out the link to Penny’s deluxe hog feeding box. It apparently managed to keep the cats out and the door way was 9cm high by 10.5 wide. So, you might manage to keep them out by just keeping some sort of door way only to that size. The box didn’t have a tunnel, it seemed it was just the doorway keeping them out – just too small for cats, but hogs got through o.k.

[Woodmouse]

An idea for a tunnel – next time you are in a diy store have a look at Corolux mini corrogated roofing sheet. Huge sheets I know (but would also make a good hoghouse roof etc) easily cut to whatever size and length you need with a hacksaw, and perhaps use something like wire coathangers or sturdier wire to make the tunnel shape?

[Hal_Chase]

@Wooodmouse – Good call, am familiar with Corolux as we have a lean-to canopy in the garden that uses it for a roof, would certainly be viable.

Ideally I want it to be clear so I can film but I’m sure your idea will work.

I have an open enquiry with an Acrylic Design company just to see how much it might cost to get a bespoke acrylic tunnel (I get a bit obsessed with things Ha Ha!!).

Either way I will post up some photos of the Mark II Hog Feeder when I finalise the Anti Cat measures 🙂

[Author]

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