I make 45Colt blanks by filling the case with BP and topping it off with a styrofoam wad cut from a meat tray then sealed with Elmers glue. I fired one at a cat one day to scare it away and a neighbor called the sheriff. When I told the deputy it was a blank meant only to scare the cat, he suggested using a bb gun. I told the deputy a bb would hurt the cat, and I didn't want to hurt it, only scare it. He said don't do it again and I said I won't and that's as far as it went. IMHO that is good law enforcement.