To wonder what you would say to a neighbour complaining about your cat weeing and pooing their prize vegetable garden?

[Upthepong]

Just that really. I'm a bit non-plussed about it all

[Upthepong]

So much so that it is affecting my spelling Nonplussed.

[MargotLovedTom1]

I would say sorry if he'd caught the cat in the act (ie. Is it actually your cat doing it all?) and feel free to use a water pistol in that situation.

[OurChristmasMiracle]

“It’s a great form of biological manure which will help them grow! And I won’t even charge for it!”?

Cats aren’t like dogs. You don’t really have control over where they go.

[LovingLola]

I’d apologise and see what I could do to resolve the cat shit situation.

[HopelesslydevotedtoGu]

I would say "I'm very sorry, I will come straight round to pick up the poo whenever it happens". Why should they have to clear up your cat's poo?!

[Waterfallgirl]

They are justified, it’s not nice to be gardening and come across this. Maybe you should say Sorry? Why are you nonplussed?

I realise cats roam, and you can’t control this unless they stay inside, but I still think that they are justified to comment.

Can you offer to help them cat proof the veg plots?

[Upthepong]

He says it's my cat, but describes the cat as 'spraying', which our's has never done to my knowledge. I've only ever seen my cat crouch his back end down to wee. That's for that. I did actually apologise and said that he should feel free to spray water at the cat. He said that he had done that and it didn't work and then looked to me and suggested that people need to keep their cats under control like they would a dog!

[PositiveVibez]

I would say that I was extremely sorry and would they like me to purchase a deterrent to stop my cat taking a shit over something on their own property that they take great joy in.

[Helplessfeeling]

I can understand why they would be upset, they have probably spent a lot of time cultivating their 'precious first vegetables'. I would be livid if at cat ruining them. You could at least say sorry!

[MaggieAndHopey]

I would be sympathetic though obviously I'd explain that I'm not going to keep the cat inside and therefore I can't stop it going into their garden.

If it's definitely your cat that's the shitter, I'd offer to come round and pick up after them. Might sound a bit extreme but I have offered this for my neighbour, who loathes cats, and though she's never taken me up on it, I think it definitely helped diplomatic relations.

[driftingcloud]

Apologise and ask if they have any suggestions of what could prevent cat. I thought cat owners should have litter trays to prevent this

[Upthepong]

The first thing I did was apologise, naturally. It was the expectation that I could do something more about it. He also told me about cat owners who build huge enclosures for their outdoor cats .

[InspectorClouseauMNdivision]

My berry bushes died because neigbourhood cats decided that's where their new toilet is...

Maybe be nice and offer to go at least halvsies on cat repellent 🤷‍♀️

[MaisondeChats]

I would ask them if they would like me to insert a cork.

I have cats. They have litter trays but when they are outside I can't control where they decide to go.

I would reassure him that there's probably a lot more animals excreting in his garden, foxes, hedgehogs etc.

[funnelfanjo]

I thought cat owners should have litter trays to prevent this you can have the nicest, cleanest litter trays in the world scattered throughout the house, but you can guarantee they’ll still want to shit outside if they’re in the mood.

[misskatamari]

It's a tricky one as there's not really much you can do, but I imagine it is very annoying for your neighbour. We're currently getting a veggie patch set up and it's annoying enough our own cats pooing all over it! One thing i'm trying is planting catmint to hopefully entice them to a different area, although i've no idea if that will work. I would just apologise to your neighbour, and like someone above says maybe suggest a water pistol if they find the cat doing it, but besides that there's nothing you can really do.

[Upthepong]

I don't actually think it is my cat though (or not all of it). There are several cats on the street. I have a suspicion that because we are opposite them we are the first to be spoken to. I think I would end up picking several cats' poos if I offered.

[InspectorClouseauMNdivision]

Theoretically you can keep them in your garden.

Also orange peel, lavender and strong smells like this work a bit to detter

[KismetJayn]

Offer to buy them deterrents, lion poo (which really works), fence your cat in, clean it up for them- plenty of options. I keep my cat indoors or out on a harness and lead because free roaming cats are a nuisance and I hated when NDN cats kept pooing in my garden, which is nasty and hazardous given DD likes to play out there

[Justonemorepancake]

"Sorry I'll have a word and ask them to be more considerate"

[NorthernBirdAtHeart]

I had the same with my neighbours. I bought them an organic cat repellent to put on their flower beds, and 4 curry plants which are a natural deterrent as cats hate the smell, for each corner of their garden. I did this once, 8 years ago and they’ve never complained since.
You can’t help your cat crapping where they do, but you could be a responsible owner and nicer neighbour

[Upthepong]

We had a litter tray but the cat would never use it as he preferred doing his business outside. I think I have a cork in the kitchen somewhere.

[Purpleartichoke]

I would apologize profusely and figure out how to keep my animal out of their garden. You choose to have a pet, you take all the responsibility. You could keep the cat inside. You could get a cat run. You could leash train the cat and take it for walks. You could buy cat proof fencing if your area allows that (ours does not because fences gave strict height limits). You could follow the cat every time it goes outside and shop it away from their garden. At no point is the correct response just to assume it is ok to allow your pet off your property unattended.

[BloodyDisgrace]

I'd say wht dog people say "He's just being friendly!" or "You are on his territory!"
Joking. I'd be mortified. Offer to buy some sound repellent device that humans can't hear but admittedly pisses off the cats, or offer to look it up and if ND doesn't find the shape offensive, at least offer to buy it. And leave it there. If he is rude in response to genuine apology, then he is his own cunt.
(I'm glad our cats are the indoor ones. DH and I are the thin boundary between devastation/apocalypse/biological warfare that the cats are, and human life)

[ems137]

You just don't seem bothered that your pet is shitting in their garden. There's a few things that you could pay for to help prevent this from happening. There's various repellents you could buy.

It really pisses me off that I have to clear our garden of shit every time my toddlers want to play out. We don't have pets for this exact reason, I don't want to be picking up shit and yet I still have to! Unfortunately I can't really afford any of the aforementioned repellents and until I see who's cat is making the mess I can't approach my neighbour to ask them to foot the bill.