[Old Dave]

Been using the Qinux FelinStop for a couple of weeks now, mostly for the stray cats. Seems to work on them, but I’m wondering if it actually bothers squirrels or if they just ignore it. Anyone tried it with those tree rats? Not expecting miracles, just curious if it’s worth moving it closer to the bird feeder.

[Ella Voss]

Squirrels are probably not gonna be fazed by it. Ultrasonic stuff like that tends to work best on animals that stick around low to the ground, and the little tree rats are more likely to just climb over or above the range. I’d say keep it where it is for the cats and don’t expect it to do much at the feeder.

[techguy22]

I’d actually disagree with the whole “squirrels won’t care” idea. I’ve had mine pointed near the bird feeder area for about three weeks now, and the squirrels have noticeably backed off. They still come around, but they don’t hang out the way they used to. Before, they’d sit on the feeder and empty it in an hour. Now they grab a few seeds and leave. That’s good enough for me.

I think the key is placement and frequency setting. I’m running the highest ultrasonic level and the LED light is facing the path they use to get into the yard. The cats got the memo real quick, but the squirrels took a few days longer. They’re not dumb, they’ll test the boundary and figure out where the annoying zone is. Once they learned that spot is right by the feeder, they stopped treating it like a buffet.

I saw someone say it only works low to the ground, but that doesn’t match what I’ve seen. Mine is mounted about two feet off the ground and it still affects them when they’re up on the feeder. They don’t get zapped or anything, but they clearly don’t like the noise. It’s not a miracle device, but it’s definitely not useless against squirrels.

[Alex_28]

Squirrels are usually stubborn enough that sound alone doesn’t move them much, especially if they’ve figured out the feeder is worth it. Mine kept coming back even with the unit right next to their favorite spot. I’d say keep it for the cats and don’t expect much else from it.

[Jessie Travels]

I actually had mine angled toward the fence where the squirrels run along, and they definitely noticed it. They’d stop, sit up, and then dart off instead of hopping down to the feeder. Took maybe a week before they started treating that side of the yard as a no-go zone. The birds don’t seem bothered, which is the part I care about.

[Riley1]

Squirrels hear it but mostly just sit there like it’s background noise.

[coffeeandscreens]

Squirrels are kind of a coin flip with these things honestly. Mine is more about the cats too, but I did notice the feeder visits dropped a bit when I angled it towards the tree line. The little guys still show up, just less bold about it. If the feeder is the main target, I’d probably try it and see.

[MeryVip]

I noticed the squirrels in my yard pretty much right away, but not because the FelinStop scared them off. I have it near the back corner where the cats come through, and the squirrels actually use that same path to get to the bird feeder. The first week I swear they didn’t even slow down. They’d just run past it like it was a garden ornament.

Then I moved it closer to the feeder, maybe six or seven feet away, and angled it a bit lower. That changed things. The squirrels started stopping at the edge of the lawn, sitting up on their hind legs, looking around like they were trying to figure out where the noise was coming from. They didn’t bolt or anything dramatic, but they definitely hesitated. Instead of running straight to the feeder, they’d circle around and approach from the other side. Still got the seeds, but they weren’t comfortable with that spot anymore.

I think the placement really matters with these things. Right at ground level it’s more for the cats. Once I got it up a little and pointed toward where the squirrels land before jumping to the feeder, they started treating that whole corner as suspicious. They still come by, don’t get me wrong, but it’s way less frequent and they don’t hang around like they used to. If you’re thinking about moving yours closer to the feeder, I’d say try it. Just give it a few days in one spot before you decide it’s not working.

[Jenny Flowers]

Weirdly enough, mine does seem to get their attention, but not in the way I expected. I have it near the garden edge, not the feeder, and the squirrels will freeze for a second when they get close, then go about their business. It’s like they’re annoyed but not scared. The cats definitely avoid the whole area, but the squirrels just treat it like a weird noise they have to put up with.

One thing I did notice though, they seem to avoid the spot when the LED light is flashing at dusk. During the day, they don’t care at all. So maybe it’s more of a light thing for them than the sound. If your feeder is in a shadier spot, I wouldn’t expect much. Worth moving it if the light reaches there, but don’t toss the bird food yet.

[Julia Writes]

I think people expect too much from these things when it comes to squirrels. They’re not scared of much once they decide a food source is worth it. The cats get startled by the sound and the light, but a squirrel is basically a fuzzy little tank with a mission. I’d say keep it where it works for the cats and just accept the feeder as a squirrel buffet.

[TommyWires]

I gave it a shot near my feeder last month and the squirrels did not seem to care one bit. They’d freeze for a second when the light hit them, but then just went back to digging for fallen seeds. Cats vanish completely, so it is doing something, just not for the bushy tails.

[Chris Writes]

I think people are hoping these ultrasonic things will be some kind of wildlife fence, and they’re just not. Squirrels are too food-driven to care about a noise once they know the feeder is up there. The cats are probably just easier to startle, honestly. I would leave it where its working and not expect it to guard the birdseed.

[Luis_A91]

It’s funny you mention that, because I actually bought mine with the same thought in mind. I wanted it for the cats too, but I figured if it kept the squirrels away from the feeder, that would be a bonus. In my case, the squirrels definitely notice it, but they don’t exactly run off. They just sort of pause and look around like they’re annoyed, then go right back to what they were doing.

I’ve got mine near the patio, not right at the feeder, so that might matter. I did try moving it closer for a few days and it seemed to make them a bit more twitchy, like they’d grab a nut and leave quicker, but they never stopped coming entirely. The cats are way more bothered by it in my experience. If you’re hoping to protect the feeder, I wouldn’t count on it being a big fix, but it might make the squirrels less comfortable hanging around for long.

[Jess Runner]

They treat it like a weird noise and move on if the feeder is close enough.

[Old Dave]

Squirrels around here could care less about that thing. I moved mine right near the feeder and they just sat there staring at it while it blinked. Ended up taking it back closer to the cats. Seems like the only thing it really annoys is my neighbor’s dog.

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