Picking up NDN cat crap

[TheABC]

We moved in last year and finally got the large garden under control this summer (been neglected for a decade). We have a toddler and a new baby, so we bought the house with them in mind. We are fortunate to have very nice neighbours. Sadly, the same cannot be said about their semi - wild, elderly cat. He refuses to use a cat litter tray, or even go indoors. Neighbours have mainly concreted over their garden, so I suspect he has been using ours as a toilet for years. We recently turfed over some old flowerbeds and got rid of a load of rubble, making the crap all the more obvious. Its yellow, runny and stinks. We are checking the garden twice a day to prevent our toddler stepping in it and I have already had to disinfect his toys.

Any suggestions to discourage the cat, or at least make picking it up easier/safer?

[Fluffycloudland77]

Put vinyl gloves on. Plenty of rough ground cover like slate chippings is good.

Not bark chippings, they like that.

[TheABC]

Thanks, fluffy. He is doing it on the lawn now, in various places. :-(. I did think about slate, but there is also the accident - prone toddler to consider!

[Allergictoironing]

I've heard Lion poo is supposed to deter cats from gardens, but I have no experience of whether it works or not!

[VeryPunny]

The only thing that's worked here is an ultrasonic cat scarer. Our local cat population craps anywhere - they do not bury their poo and are undeterred by sharp slate. Lion poo does not work long term, I am not covering my garden in citrus peel and Jeyes fluid needs repeated application after rain.

I have just cleaned up after watching one of our neighbours' cat take a shit on the driveway we share with next door. I could cheerfully strangle that cat, shortly followed by the neighbours.

[RubbishMantra]

You could visit NDN and tell them their cat has runny, yellow poo, and you're concerned it's because he could be unwell? Then tell them that you know about this because he's been doing it in your garden, and your toddler's been coated in it?

They should at least take their DCat to the vet, Cat poo shouldn't be yellow and runny, and not stink.

[ocelot41]

Agree to talking to NDN and also solar powered deterrents. Our garden was the neighbourhood litter tray as everyone round us has cats and it was the only thing that worked. That and growing climbing roses over the areas where they climbed in. I would never deliberately try to hurt a cat but most won't tread on prickles and I was having to pick up 10 plus poos a day at one point. With a crawling baby or toddler that's not OK!

[TheABC]

NDN knows about it. Apparently they have taken him to the vets before - a long term health condition apparently. I think it is getting worse and the cat (being elderly) is in decline. They are embarrassed about the situation, but are not sure what else to do. They tried changing his food to no effect.

[TheABC]

Like the idea of roses. Looking at sonar now.