To tell her to get lost?

Sportycustard

Your garden sounds gorgeous, your neighbour on the other hand.....

I did enjoy reading the reaction of the greyhound owner, excellent response.

She's batshit. And I say that as a proper crazy cat lady (I have 4!)

Mine have a completely enclosed back garden because I don't want to have them exposed to the risks that come with being properly outdoor. I spent a couple of grand having it professionally cat proofed. It's my responsibility to keep them safe.

We have neighbours with outdoor cats but our front garden has plants like rhodo, azaleas, loads of lavender. Like others the one I wouldn't do is lilies because they don't have to actually eat them - pollen transfer to fur then cleaning it off is enough to do serious harm/cause death so even though I love the look, it's one I wouldn't risk growing because I personally would feel terrible if anything happened to my neighbours cats and the risk is so much higher with that then anything else. But that's my choice and my neighbours would have no right to complain if I did grow them.

Cats roam for miles so she needs to tell everyone within miles to remove whatever. Cats shit everywhere and you don't want them shitting in your garden. Just avoid her. Your property, your business. Yanbu. Bloody cheek of it!

In my experience, neighbourcats are generally more interested in either sleeping in the sun or coming into the house via any open door/window and sitting in the kitchen, staring at the fridge, occasionally jumping up on the back of my chair to tap me on the shoulder in a friendly "Hey there! It's me! Any snacks?" way.

I have 3 cats, one of them is nearly 10 yrs old. My garden is brimming with things that are not cat friendly. The only garden related things I’ve seen them interested in consuming are the many birds that visit and the odd mouse or rat that passes by. Nothing of the flora variery!! They’re all very much alive 😊

Brilliant response. Absolutely spot on. Cats roam and I would hazard a guess that more get squashed on roads than die of plant poisoning. I have a garden full of lavender and one of the neighbours cats often sleeps under the bushes.

Omg this is so funny @Sportycustard 😁 do keep us updated. I can't wait until the cats arrive.

How does she think other local cats cope?

She is batshit crazy. We have two cats and plenty of rhodedenrums and azeleas in the garden. We also have lilies and daffodils which are also poisonous. Probably the majority of plants are not suitable to eat. Never seen the cats attempt to take a bite out of any of them.

The dog chews the rose bushes, but she doesn't seem any worse for it.

‘Thanks for the heads up. I would prefer you kept your cats within the confines of your property as I don’t want them pooing in my garden. Moreover my plants will therefore not be a problem’

Tell her you've just adopted a rat called Basil and for his protection, you want her to keep her cats on a lead when in her garden. He will be dining al fresco every day at 7pm on home made ratatouille on your garden patio so you expect the cats to be banished to her bedroom during his dining hour so he can eat in peace.

He's had a very hard life up until now and so you'll be playing Celine Dion's greatest hits loudly throughout the day as "my heart will go on" is the only tune that calms his shattered nerves and is part of his vet recommended music therapy. If she wont agree to this then clearly she's no animal lover at all is she?

This can't be real 😂

How old is she? Is she getting dementia or something? She seems bonkers! And asking the dog owner to take his own dog in his own garden on a lead!! 😂😂

That’s very pushy of her. Why should you change your garden to suit her and her new additions? Wish her well with her cats and tell her you won’t be altering your garden - what a nerve!

She's absolutely batshit to expect this. I have a dog and I'd also tell her to shove it up her arse if she requested this. She is insane.

Where do people get off being so entitled?!

Sadly, in this country, cats have a legal right to roam and cannot be done for trespassing! Oh to be a cat!

Rhododendrums have been growing in gardens for as long as people have owned pet cats. As much as there appears to be a recent "big concern" among cat owners, cats have always seemed to be a lot more savvy and don't prowl around chewing poisonous plants.
But as it happens, cats hate lavender and lemon thyme, as well as a few other plants.
I'm sure you could compromise and invite them to give you (or buy) a few plants to plant around your garden or keep in pots. It will also discourage their cats from pooping in your garden.
Completely unreasonable to dig up your garden plants.
Just tell them you understand their concerns, but there is more danger from cars on the road.
But keep it nice. It's never worth falling out with neighbours.
Keeping a few pots of lavender, in your garden is more than enough gesture of goodwill.

If they’re growing well in your garden, it’s highly likely neighbours will have them, due to similar soil in the area, so you won’t be the only one with these plants. Make this point to her. People tend to have the same plants for this reason.

You should warn her that batshit is also toxic. Tell her to keep to her side of the fence so you don't catch anything. Poor cats will probably end up rabid or something.

Really!! Surely there would be dead cats everywhere if they went in multiple gardens, she can't control where they go the cheeky wench!

Actually, the greyhound one is not a bad idea for a day or two. Greys are formidable cat catchers and it is a good idea to let the cat know that they are there before they blithely wander in. We did this when we got one, because we’d feel bad if he killed next door’s cat. The rest is bonkers.

I would be very careful that you don’t come home from work and find they’ve taken matters into their own hands.

Ask her to plant catnip in her garden so they stay in her garden.

TBH cats and other animals avoid plants they're toxic to., so the cats will be fine.

Omg I actually love this because I can't believe someone would be so incredibly batshit crazy to think they could demand this!

Wow this is amazing! So glad you stood up to her. I have a cat. He doesn't eat my garden because if he did he'd likely die. I avoid lillies in the house but that's about all. She sounds utterly batshit. Hopefully she'll take the hint now and build a catio 🙄

I don't know about cats particuarly but I know dogs are careful and I am sure cats are the same.

Dogs can't eat chocolate - a few weeks ago my dog got hold of a box of Kiplings French Fancies - she ate the yellow and pink ones but left the brown ones

Dogs can't eat onions - Visitor not knowing this decided to give dog a bowl of stew she's not my favourite person but that's another story Dog ate everything except the onions which she carefully left on the plate...

Animals know - they're not stupid - the cats won't eat your fatal plants any more than humans would sit down to a feast of daffidols and foxgloves with a side dish of lords and ladies berries.

Your neighbour sounds dotty - I hope you'll all be telling her to keep her cats out of your gardens. Hopefully the felines will be more sensible than she is!