My neighbour has asked me to pick up my cat's poo from their garden. Literally she wants to be able to call on me to come and pick it up on an as and when basis.

[pingu2209]

I have 2 cats. They have only just started going outside, about 1 month so far. I still have a litter tray at home and they do use it but they are also beginning to 'go' outside too.

My view is that cats should not be locked in doors. I had to keep them indoors for the first 6th months because I was told by the shelter that they needed their injections, be neutered and micro chipped before they could venture outside and all that wasn't done till they were 6 months old.

I keep my cats up to date with their injections and worm/flee ointment - well they are only 7 months old at the moment, but I fully intend to keep them up to date.

There are other cats in the area. The house behind mine has 2 big cats and we are in a rural area with foxes. Also, my neighbours have a dog. Nice dog, sometimes it barks but it isn't really a problem if I'm honest. I like dogs as much as cats, I'm not anti dogs or anything.

Am I legally obliged to pick up my cats poo?

I've spoken to my mother and she has told me that I should pick up my cat's poo if the neighbour asks. The thing is, I may have to go round there each day or two to do it.

In 20 odd years of owning cats in densely populated urban areas, I have never been asked to clean up my cats poo, nor have I had to clean it up from my own garden (as they usually bury it, although there seem to be some exceptions on this thread).

I've only ever heard of this happening on mumsnet

Op, you're neighbour sounds small minded, snobby, and she clearly needs to get out more. Cats, dogs, children... all fairly irritating in their way, but unfortunately part of life.

Argh your
(apostrophe crime)

TheMoistWorldOfSeptimusQuench Aaaaahh! Another sane person! Welcome!

Pretty you just got very upset when someone with an opposite opinion to yours implied you weren't sane because you didn't agree with them.

Why are you now doing the same thing in return?

TheMoistWorld the cats I've caught in our flowerbeds don't exactly bury it six foot under. It's at best a bit of scaped soil that isn't hidden and is still all to easy to unwittingly put your hands or feet in.

It's not just mumsnet either, but the nature of the internet means that there are thousands of people on here and this is clearly an issue that many people have a problem with. It's not surprising that some of those people are on here and talking about it.

takethisonehereforastart You have a point there! Perhaps I should have used the words "level headed". Still I don't think it's in the same league as calling someone "deranged"!

takethisonehereforastart You put your feet in your flower beds? Are your hands still on the grass? For some reason I now have an image of you playing cat poo twister in your garden!

How the feck do you stop a cat going into other people's gardens other than locking it in the house?does it matter how many litter treys you have don't they just go do it other places anyway ? I've never had a cat that understood the word no

Thank you for the warm welcome meercat

takethisonehere... fair enough, my cats always buried it quite well. Maybe they saw off the other cats. Or maybe its because I loathe, detest and avoid gardening at all costs, so rarely have my hands close enough to a flowerbed to care.

And Arf @ "cat poo twister"

Obviously I would have liked to say "...rarely have my hands close enough to a flowerbed to give a shit".
But that would have been in poor taste.

Oh, and I didn't say it was just mumsnet - I said after many years of cat ownership, living cheek by jowl with others, I have only heard of this on MN.

I suspect its one of those things that people get heated about in private, but wouldn't want to confront in RL. Perhaps due to the risk of neighbourly relationships becoming strained, or even being perceived as petty?

In 20 odd years of owning cats in densely populated urban areas, I have never been asked to clean up my cats poo, nor have I had to clean it up from my own garden

not saying its a common request, just that cat owners should take responsibility for their pets. not one cat owner has yet given an explanation of why they shouldnt pick up their cats shit. not one. theres been the "dont be so silly, we cant follow them around" argument, to which I and others replied "you dont have to, but if your neighbours ask you to, you should" and the thread has gone off on a weird tangent accusing all dogs that will attack a rabbit of being potential "toddler killers".

fwiw, dh was attacked by the family dog when he was 12. she had never hurt anyone before and lived another 6 years and never attacked anyone after. my dog would probably run after a rabbit if I wasnt paying attention, thats his instinct. but we have trained him to heel and keep him on a lead where necessary... anyway, I digress.

and prettymeerkat, you accused me of being a liar, then get upset at being called deranged? off that high horse please. its obviously making you lightheaded. you have obviously had some bad experiences with dogs, i sympathise, I really do. but I think this thread shows that the majority of dog owners take their responsibilities seriously. unfortunately, it also shows that a lot of cat owners think they are absolved of responsibility when their cat leaves the house.

I've never heard of it in real life either TheMoistWorldOfSeptimusQuench

lissielou I think this thread shows that the majority of dog owners take their responsibilities seriously -

No it doesn't show that at all. No idea where you got that from! There's been quite a lot ofs "I have to pick up my dog poo so you should pick up your cat poo" but that's not the same, that's just abiding by the law. And I technically didn't call you a liar. I said I didn't believe you that you used to pick up your dogs poo before it was the law to do so. Tiny weeny difference (admittedly not much).

Thinking we should stop arguing about this now, I am so incredibly bored of it as I am sure are you!

Oops had a second wind!

not one cat owner has yet given an explanation of why they shouldnt pick up their cats shit. not one.

How about you give me reasons why horse owners shouldn't clear up their horse poo. I have them coming down my road all the time (residential with children living in about 90% of the houses. The road is often covered in shit.

meercat sorry, didn't read the post referring to you being bitten by dog, (its a preety long thread!) sorry for that, I have been attacked many a time, by small yappys, and so have my dd, so I know it's quite a scary moment, so feel for you there.
But you said the owners took no responsibility for it, well, that's what were trying to say, it's all about taking responsibility for your pets! Wether they are domestic feline's decended from wild cats or a pedigree dog or mut decended from the (very wild) wolf, how would you feel if the shrugged there shoulders at the dog attacking you, and said it's nature or there instinct?
Well animal feaces can harm children and people too.
Signed an insane peson, clearly as I should love cleaning up after other people's cats and kids! And yes, I also have a neighbours child using my garden as a lav!

no, theres been a lot of "i pick up my dog poo because its disgusting to leave it lying around" the op mentioned the law, because she somehow thinks that cat poo is nicer than dog poo. and you have assumed that we pick up because it is the law. and there is no difference in saying you dont believe me and calling me a liar.

and Im not bored of it at all. I am however bored of cat owners refusing to accept that people hate clearing up after their pets.

and i wish Id thought of doing what the op's neighbour has at our old house when the big ginger cat used to squat on my lawn at the base of ds's slide despite my dog trying to get at it. it may not be usual to insist that you clean up after your pet, doesnt mean its wrong to though.

Ohhh, and retired greyhounds are on the whole great with kids and sometimes cats, I've known a few.

How about you give me reasons why horse owners shouldn't clear up their horse poo. I have them coming down my road all the time (residential with children living in about 90% of the houses. The road is often covered in shit

if a horse shits in my garden I will ask the rider to pick it up because it is their shit and MY garden. and horse shit is not bad for the garden/people. cat shit is.

I dont expect you to clear it off the road, Im not a muppet.

This thread is still going - sorry I haven't read all the posts but it seems like the OP is never going to agree that she is being unreasonable, but the cat-repellent ideas seem ok, has anyone said they don't work?

manicmummy, the greyhound point is v good. they make great family pets.

The attitude of the OP is sadly all too common. If you are a pet owner you do have responsibilities and whilst you may not be able to collect every cat shit, you should be prepared to do whatever you can to prevent your neighbour from the foul stinking mess your cats leave.

I don't have cats and my garden is full of it because my irresponsible neighbour has 6. Their preferrred toilet is my raised bed where I grow vegetables, so even if they bury it I discover it whilst weeding or it fouls my carrots. I've had to have the carpets professionally cleaned twice because DS brought shit in on his shoes. I can't let him play in the garden until I've checked it. And that's before you consider the health risks of that much cat shit (specifically Toxoplasmosis).

Now I'm pregnant so should not be dealing with it at all. I've spoken very politely to my neighbour about it and he genuinely feels no responsibility. I'm taking the lead from your neighbour OP, as soon as I've told people I'm pregnant I'm going round to see him again to tell him that I can no longer clean up his cats' mess so he will have to. We have water pistols, grow chives and garlic (which they don't like), have little sticks sticking up in the raised bed and regularly spray it with lemon juice. These discourage them slightly but have not solved the problem. We also have a barked area and last time DH raked and cleaned it he removed half a carrier bag of shit. In what universe is this acceptable?

I love animals but have to say that I've gone right off cats. I would never harm them as it's not their fault, it's fault of their ignorant and selfish owner. OP, I put you in this bracket.

Pretty they are large flowerbeds, to get to the back for weeding and trimming etc you have to stand on them.

And when you are digging and weeding you have to kneel down and yes sometimes your hands are on the floor or in the soil too.

Nothing to do with cat poo twister, although that's what it can feel like when one of the furry bastards has been shitting there. Still it made you laugh and made you feel better for having your double standards pointed out to you so never mind.

TheMoistWorld - it's probably not appearing to be petty that worries them. If the debate here is anything to go by it's probably that they know their complaints will fall on deaf ears or be met with sneery indifference (as evidenced in this thread).

for all the other folk sick of cats fouling their gardens - :o

This thread is hilarious. You don't really "own" a cat. You can feed it and provide shelter, but cats do what they like. The idea that you can follow a cat around and be responsible for what they get up to is a bit odd.

Usually cats hide their poo, so not sure how you are supposed to go looking for this. If the poo is visible its more likely to be fox poo or a cat who really don't like it and is doing it in the middle of your garden to spite you

manicmummyonadietcokebreak I've been bitten by BIG dogs! Alsatians/Great Danes/Labradors etc. The great Dane was bigger then me! That's the one that left me with a nasty wound. Little one's can be very snappy can't they!

how would you feel if the shrugged there shoulders at the dog attacking you, and said it's nature or there instinct?

They did! That's why I was saying that dogs can be incredibly dangerous, as we all know, and should be trained.

Well animal feaces can harm children and people too.

Yes you are right they can. But there are so many things which can be harmful and dangerous but they can't all be simply dealt with. I suppose an amazing thing would be if all cats could be treated for Toxoplasmosis to at least erradicate that problem, maybe one day. I think it's a complicated thing. I think that all creatures (breed or otherwise) should have their liberty if possible to live in a way which is natural to them. But of course it's not as simple as that. I have a lot of respect for animals and feel that we should all live harmoniously side by side, singing kumbya!

Why does your neighbours child go to the toilet in your garden? That's funny!

lissielou if a horse shits in my garden I will ask the rider to pick it up because it is their shit and MY garden. and horse shit is not bad for the garden/people. cat shit is. I dont expect you to clear it off the road, Im not a muppet.

But a road is a public right of way. You get more people walking down my road then you do in my garden. So the shit comes into contact with more people. hmm