Talk

Flip

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

The litter tray

Poo!

5 replies

Bumpinthenight · 21/07/2011 09:44

Posted on the doghouse too.

Just wondering if any of you can help...

We don't have any dogs or cats but our front lawn (last house up a private drive in an estate) is covered in both dog and cat poo. It was cleared about a week ago and yesterday DH cleared about 100 (no joke) bits of poo off it again. He put some "clear off" cats and dog crystals around the lawn but within 30 mins a cat had visited.

Why are they attracted to our lawn? What can we do to prevent these "presents"?

More pissed off that owners have seemingly let their dogs up our drive and onto our garden to poo.

OP posts:

Report

girlywhirly · 21/07/2011 12:23

I would suggest fencing to keep dogs off, and there is something made from big cats poo that frightens off cats, makes them feel threatened so that they won't go there, in this case a big dominant animals territory. Or you could consider hedging with something very thorny/prickly that dogs won't be able to barge through. Do you want to keep your lawn, would you consider paving the area? I wouldn't suggest bark or gravel as they will be just as bad as grass in attracting animals, but a hard surface might be less so. It is unfortunate that you are the last house in the drive, as you might be right about the dogs being allowed to go there by careless owners.

In lots of cases the toileting is a scent marking behaviour, especially if the poo is left uncovered (in cats) and in all cases that is why they return to the same place time and time again. It's a bit like a social network site, each announcing their presence and finding out who else is there. Cats will rub against trees and plants or spray with urine, dogs all pee against the same tree/lamp-post/gate, etc. You have no dogs or cats living in your home, who would most certainly mark your garden as their territory, but as things are your garden is 'unclaimed' iyswim.

Report

Bumpinthenight · 21/07/2011 13:28

Thanks girlywhirly will get DH out to mark his territory, and if we get desperate I'll mark mine too!

Why can't cats use Facebook to socialise!!

OP posts:

Report

girlywhirly · 21/07/2011 13:41

The stuff I was trying to remember is called Silent Roar, it is pellets soaked in essence of lion dung, which you sprinkle around the garden to deter cats. I don't think it smells strongly to us, but will be a serious warning to cats! Google Silent Roar.

As to your second question, because they can't get on the computer!

Report

girlywhirly · 21/07/2011 13:43

Report

Bumpinthenight · 21/07/2011 20:42

Will check that out! Friend came round today and she thought it might be fox poo - bloody brave fox if it was as it was there before half eight last night.

Good point re the computer! Did chase a cat out of the house earlier (first time that has ever happened) maybe he was trying to log on! Wondering if he is the poo culprit - none found in the house (so far)!