I was wondering how many of the members here are also pet owners. Specifically, cat "staff," based on the thought that "Dogs have owners--cats have staff." The reason I'm asking is this: Would the presence of cat hair on hunting clothes spook deer? (We recently adopted a nine-month-old kitten.) Yeah, I know that it's my responsibility to make sure that my hunting clothes are clean, and this is something that I'm fastidious about. But, if for some reason, one or two or a few of my cat's hairs did show up on my hunting clothes, would it spook deer? Just as a point of information, there are bobcats at the camp I belong to--they got three beavers last year, before the trapper that we were employing to get rid of them could check his traps. I haven't the slightest whether or not deer would be spooked by a smallish cat such as a bobcat, so . . .

Any opinions? Or actual experience?

They would smell your breath before they would smell a few cat hairs....seriously...not a problem at all.

I agree, it should not be a problem. For the most part, I believe that deer become acustomed to most odors, unless maybe they are deep wilderness deer. The one odor that they will not tolerate is human!

im sure its not a problem.

I have a deer herd of Nine that come through my yard at around 5:30 every PM and my two cats have been ran out of the garden by does several times and seen by a few other than myself doing this. There is something to really watch for if you have a male cat in the house, if he smells any sent from your hunting clothes other than pine or dirt he will spray your hunting closet and sometimes you may not be able to smell it yourself but its there. With that in mind, a good mature buck is going to avoid any territorial predator markers, cats included, he just want chance it.

I have seen cats and deer together all the time

i got a big ol tom cat and a new cat so now i have two. and a bottle of 4 dollar scent ellimination took care of me. i had the doe i got this year walk within 5 feet of me then it had a meatin with my winchester 12 gauge!

tell your wife---better get rid of that cat or you'll never kill another deer

The deer walked right past the dog pen all season last year. Just about like a wake up call, he'd start barking and they'd be in the yard ten minutes later.

After a snow one time it looked like they had played around and teased him all night.

As longbow indicated. . .We also have regular visits by Deer in our yard. . .and the cats are just an item of interest to the Deer. The doppy cat figures if he lays low the Deer won't see him. Well the Deer usualy see him and have no issue wlaking up and checking him out until the cat looses nerve and runs off.