To not want neighbours cats in my garden?

Rainbow3210 · 2025-08-11T13:46:47+00:00

Our neighbour has cats and they keep coming into our garden. They have also made their way into our house several times through the window and back door. I’m currently pregnant and have two young children. The children get upset when they come in as they don’t understand why they come and go (they want them to stay to play with). We have a lot of songbirds birds that sit in a bush in our garden and the cats are constantly trying to hunt the birds. The cats are also doing the toilet in the garden which my husband has to clean with a hose. I believe it’s not entirely safe to clean up cat mess when pregnant. I spoke to the neighbour and asked if they could stop the cats coming into my house and garden. They said there is nothing that can be done. Is it unreasonable that this is bothering me?

Blessthismess2 · 15/08/2025 16:48

AllTheChaos · 15/08/2025 16:37

I vote people. As long as I can choose which ones…

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😂

AllTheChaos · 15/08/2025 16:37

MrsSkylerWhite · 15/08/2025 11:47

Dogs too?

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I vote people. As long as I can choose which ones…

adlitem · 15/08/2025 15:17

YANBU on how you feel (our neighbour's cat uses our flower bed as a litter tray) but your neighbour is right that short of locking their cat in there is nothing they can do.

Agree with others, do what you can to put it off.

Lostatsea2025 · 15/08/2025 15:15

We’ve had a similar issue - a few years back my NDN excitedly told me she was getting 3 kittens. I knew that they’d be a bother and they have. They shit everywhere in our garden, attempt to kill birds at our feeder, scratch the bark off our trees, climb under and onto covered garden furniture, come in the house (both back door and climbing onto a single storey roof and then through our 1st floor window). They hang around as a mini gang. I hate them but not a lot I could do.

Anyways a few months ago we had new people move in a couple of doors down who have a lovely bruiser of a tabby cat. I think he/she is quite old. She has now taken occupation of the garden as her territory. She doesn’t do any of the annoying things the NDN’s cats did and I’m quite happy to have her there. So things could possibly change for you at some point?

godmum56 · 15/08/2025 14:26

WalkDontWalk · 15/08/2025 14:19

@Mugsey62 13/08/2025 20:22
Why notv a mass cull of cats? They are just animals, vermin for some people. Why not kill them as we do badgers and deer?

I’m not keen on snow leopards or peacocks or polar bears. So they cam go.

wow do they shit in your garden?

WalkDontWalk · 15/08/2025 14:19

@Mugsey62 13/08/2025 20:22
Why notv a mass cull of cats? They are just animals, vermin for some people. Why not kill them as we do badgers and deer?

I’m not keen on snow leopards or peacocks or polar bears. So they cam go.

MrsSkylerWhite · 15/08/2025 11:47

Mugsey62 · 13/08/2025 20:22

Why notv a mass cull of cats? They are just animals, vermin for some people. Why not kill them as we do badgers and deer?

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Dogs too?

WalkDontWalk · 15/08/2025 11:45

Mugsey62 · 13/08/2025 20:26

Doesn't what cats know or don't know, they are the responsbility of their owners. Their owners are responsible for the damage they cause.

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They’re not. The law recognises that no one can tell a cat what to do.

AllTheChaos · 14/08/2025 17:48

godmum56 · 13/08/2025 21:34

not me. I haven't owned a cat since I was around 11 and it was that or a pet dinosaur.

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I’m pretty sure my daughter thinks I AM her pet dinosaur 😂

Blessthismess2 · 14/08/2025 09:55

TheBirdintheCave · 14/08/2025 09:02

@Blessthismess2There’s a lady across the road from me who walks her cat daily in a harness.

Yes some (a very minority of) people do that- again it will depend on the personality of the cat and the area in which you live. I actually did some extensive research on this before getting a cat. on the whole cats will not accept being walked in a harness, and it’s not recommended by animal welfare charities as in general cats will find it stressful and scary. Cats are v different to dogs.

CoffeeAndChoccies · 14/08/2025 09:53

It’s not unreasonable to be bothering you, but YABU to think there is anything the neighbours can do. Our street is full of cats, we have them coming and going from our garden constantly. They scale 6ft fences. I don’t mind cats but I’d never have one myself and since living where we do I’ve found them to be such a nuisance. I’ve seen 2 of them (always the same 2) take a poo on our lawn and not cover it up, always in the same spot and happens all the time. I have to go up the garden and check for it before letting DS go out to play as it’s on the hill he likes to roll down. We have to keep the lid on his sandpit if we even leave it unattended for a short while or risk it being used as a litter tray. It’s not nice at all. If we leave our front door open, like for taking rubbish out, we’ve had a few come into the house!

Blessthismess2 · 14/08/2025 09:51

Rainbow3210 · 14/08/2025 09:09

Thanks for sharing. This study is 25 years old so I feel more confident following the recent NHS guidelines. My understanding is the issue isn’t the contact with the cats it’s the poo. I wear gloves when gardening but my children’s garden toys often end up in our flowerbeds which I pick up. They get mucky playing in the garden as kids do, which I clean up.

As with all things in pregnancy the risk may be relatively low but it exists and any risks you can avoid you will. It’s why we give up sushi for 9 months, cured meats, certain cheeses due to listeria risk. Sleep on our back at night etc. It’s the official guidelines we follow to keep as safe as we can.

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Yes sure, you avoid risks where you can of course. A risk you can’t avoid is the existence of your neighbours cat and their right to roam. The risk to you is realistically v minimal and you take basic proportions like wearing gloves if you garden. That’s it.

Original poster

Rainbow3210 · 14/08/2025 09:09

Blessthismess2 · 14/08/2025 07:54

@Rainbow3210
Yes but the evidence shows that contact with cats is not a risk factor in likelihood of infection amongst pregnant women. Your concern about risk of harm caused by cats is massively over exaggerated and not backed by evidence. You just don't like the poo in your garden.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC27431/

Edited

Thanks for sharing. This study is 25 years old so I feel more confident following the recent NHS guidelines. My understanding is the issue isn’t the contact with the cats it’s the poo. I wear gloves when gardening but my children’s garden toys often end up in our flowerbeds which I pick up. They get mucky playing in the garden as kids do, which I clean up.

As with all things in pregnancy the risk may be relatively low but it exists and any risks you can avoid you will. It’s why we give up sushi for 9 months, cured meats, certain cheeses due to listeria risk. Sleep on our back at night etc. It’s the official guidelines we follow to keep as safe as we can.

OP posts:

TheBirdintheCave · 14/08/2025 09:02

@Blessthismess2There’s a lady across the road from me who walks her cat daily in a harness.

Buxusmortus · 14/08/2025 08:36

Rainbow3210 · 14/08/2025 07:38

Toxoplasmosis is really serious if you are pregnant: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/toxoplasmosis/

Cat poo is the most common carrier of it, and uncooked meat also carries a risk.

The reason you’re likely to catch it from garden soil is due to there potentially being cat poo in it.

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Any pregnant woman who touches garden soil without gloves is stupid. I remember decades ago the gardener Rachel de Thame said that all women of childbearing age should always wear gloves when gardening. Cats themselves aren't harmful to pregnant women or anyone else.

Blessthismess2 · 14/08/2025 07:54

@Rainbow3210
Yes but the evidence shows that contact with cats is not a risk factor in likelihood of infection amongst pregnant women. Your concern about risk of harm caused by cats is massively over exaggerated and not backed by evidence. You just don't like the poo in your garden.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC27431/

Original poster

Rainbow3210 · 14/08/2025 07:38

Blessthismess2 · 14/08/2025 06:47

completely tendencious, trivial concern. Lots of other things more commonly cause toxoplasmosis (like fruit or soil), it’s usually very mild and a lot of people are immune anyway.

https://www.cats.org.uk/help-and-advice/cats-and-your-family/cats-and-toxoplasmosis

Again, infections we may catch from other living creatures (humans, animals, plants) are part and parcel of communal life.

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Toxoplasmosis is really serious if you are pregnant: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/toxoplasmosis/

Cat poo is the most common carrier of it, and uncooked meat also carries a risk.

The reason you’re likely to catch it from garden soil is due to there potentially being cat poo in it.

Toxoplasmosis

Read about toxoplasmosis, a parasite infection that can be dangerous, especially for pregnant women and people with a weakened immune system.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/toxoplasmosis

OP posts:

MustardGlass · 14/08/2025 06:48

Get a dog that hates cats. Problem solved.

Blessthismess2 · 14/08/2025 06:47

BlueyNeedsToFuckOff · 14/08/2025 06:41

Never heard of toxoplasmosis?

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completely tendencious, trivial concern. Lots of other things more commonly cause toxoplasmosis (like fruit or soil), it’s usually very mild and a lot of people are immune anyway.

https://www.cats.org.uk/help-and-advice/cats-and-your-family/cats-and-toxoplasmosis

Again, infections we may catch from other living creatures (humans, animals, plants) are part and parcel of communal life.

Cats and Toxoplasmosis - Everything You Need to Know

You are more likely to pick up toxoplasmosis from the garden or raw meat than your cat. But there is some advice and tips that you should be aware of.

https://www.cats.org.uk/help-and-advice/cats-and-your-family/cats-and-toxoplasmosis

Whisper99 · 14/08/2025 06:44

The only way to stop the cats in the garden is by getting a dog. You can't contain, explain or train cats not to roam.

BlueyNeedsToFuckOff · 14/08/2025 06:41

Blessthismess2 · 14/08/2025 06:37

They absolutely do not cause you “harm”. This thread is moaning about some garden poo. It’s cruel and wrong to prevent a cat from roaming, it’s part of their natural instincts, health and wellbeing.

Also in Australia there are some local areas that have curfews or containment rules- but this is not nation wide- it varies by locality depending on local wildlife factors.

Nothing to do with poo in the neighbours garden 😂

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Never heard of toxoplasmosis?

Blessthismess2 · 14/08/2025 06:37

Andbegin · 14/08/2025 06:36

Absolutely they cause harm. Just because you don’t see it.
They are allowed to roam because no one has updated the law to take into account the increase in cats in the uk. Australia did. So should we.

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They absolutely do not cause you “harm”. This thread is moaning about some garden poo. It’s cruel and wrong to prevent a cat from roaming, it’s part of their natural instincts, health and wellbeing.

Also in Australia there are some local areas that have curfews or containment rules- but this is not nation wide- it varies by locality depending on local wildlife factors.

Nothing to do with poo in the neighbours garden 😂

Blessthismess2 · 14/08/2025 06:37

Mugsey62 · 13/08/2025 20:36

Why? Because I see cat ownership as problematic? Some people have a weird relationship with cats. They see them as quasi humans. That's why they get so emotional over the issue. At the end of the day, your freedom to keep cats impinges on my freedom to encourage wildlife into my garden and the shit deposited by your quasi human friends makes it unpleasant to sit in my garden. Have I no rights at all in my own property?

I get why you feel so emotional over cats, they are fluffy and they interact with you like few other pets do, but surely you can see that for people like me they are just a nuisance.

Imagine if dogs were allowed to roam wherever they wanted? Or snakes? Would you be as happy to let them do whatever they wanted in your garden?

Funnily enough a cat was eaten by a python in a garden a few years ago. They only knew because a vet could read the chip inside the python which had been allowed to roam free in its owners garden. A clash of rights there if ever there was one. Should the owner of the python kept the snake indoors? Should the pwner of the cat ket the cat indoors?

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It’s not “weird” to have a relationship with / to care about an animal. I think humans that treat animals like they are expendable commodities are weird personally- or a word worse than weird that I won’t say . Animals kill other animals (- humans do it on extreme mass/ the most). Cats kill mice and rats, they also sometimes kill birds, as do foxes etc. etc.
Cats , however, are not a danger to humans which is part of why they have the right to roam whereas dogs do not. Also it’s not possible to train or walk a cat.

Andbegin · 14/08/2025 06:36

Blessthismess2 · 14/08/2025 06:22

It’s not selfish at all. Cats don’t cause you “harm” what silliness- precisely why they are allowed to roam. Minor inconvenience is what they cause you and that’s all part and parcel of living in communities (which consist of both humans and animals). Everything we do affects others in some small way.

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Absolutely they cause harm. Just because you don’t see it.
They are allowed to roam because no one has updated the law to take into account the increase in cats in the uk. Australia did. So should we.

Blessthismess2 · 14/08/2025 06:22

Mugsey62 · 13/08/2025 20:40

That is a very selfish attitude. I want to keep cats so fuck you no matter what harm they cause you. Would you have this attitude in any other interactions with people, or is it just the cat insanity that is speaking here.

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It’s not selfish at all. Cats don’t cause you “harm” what silliness- precisely why they are allowed to roam. Minor inconvenience is what they cause you and that’s all part and parcel of living in communities (which consist of both humans and animals). Everything we do affects others in some small way.