[FEL-L] Re: Felines-L Digest, Vol 7, Issue 22

[Kristin Filseth]

Hi Laura,

I use an electric fence to deter coyotes around my savannah cat enclosures
here in CA, after having a pack run nonchalantly through the yard a few
months ago. The enclosures already have 2x4-mesh-wire dug about 6 inches
down (a light gauge so I doubt is enough to deter a determined coyote
especially in dry soft soil). The electric part I added about 12 inches out,
it consists of one ground wire at 4 inches off the ground and a electric
wire at about 10 inches off the ground. I mainly wanted something to deter
digging. The enclosures are against my house and they have no history of
getting in, so I don't think it should need much deterence. I have it on a
dusk-to-dawn sensor that one can get at a hardware store, so that I dont'
get shocked if I forget to turn it off in the morning.

When I looked into electric fencing I found the following:

To a regular ~4 foot fence on can add one wire at 6-8 inches off the ground
on the outside (prevents digging plus general discouragement) , plus one
wire at the top (prevents jumping over). The problem I see with this
approach is a coyote is more likely to get shocked if they come in contact
with both a ground wire and electric wire. If I was going to do that I would
try to put a ground wire a few inches from the lower wire to try to increase
the likelihood of coyote receiving shock. Especially on dry ground a shock
may not occur without touching a ground at the same time.

Usda studies on electric fencing showed a fence with 13 wires (some
electric, some ground) 100% effective to prevent coyote attack on livestock,
but that other e fences with fewer wires worked only some of the time (I
don't know how many fewer wires or how much less often). Deer fence was
applauded but is expensive.

This was a website I liked:
http://www.extension.org/pages/Coyote_Damage_Management (well except for the
horribly inhumane suggestions at the bottom, try to avoid looking at bottom
of page).

My husband's buddy is a coyote biologist (radio collar studies etc), and we
consulted him. One idea we had was motion activated lights around the
enclosures, he said this would work on a short-term basis only, that he
thought they would become used to that and not repelled by it fairly
quickly. He thought a multi-strand electric fence or tall deer fencing
either dug in well or electified at the base should be effective.

Good luck.

Kristin