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.

[TheFeministsWife]

I sympathise with your neighbour. I fucking sick of cleaning up cat shit from my garden only to find more as I've cleaned the first lot up. Nice when they shit all over the kids bloody slide! I have to go out and inspect the garden every morning before the kids can go out and play just make sure there's none there. I bloody hate cats, horrible things. I think cat owners should be made to pick up there cat's shit. Why should I someone who bloody hates the damn things have clean my garden of poo every goddam morning just because one of my neighbours (I have no idea which one or I'd be round there like a shot) has a bloody cat?

[LiegeAndLief]

Dogsbestfriend, running when they see me coming is a good start, but unfortunately it doesn't stop them coming into the garden when they can't see me. I actually have to get as far as opening the back door before they scarper, which means I'd be up and down like a yoyo all day. Maybe I should try doing it relentlessly for a week like CheerMum and see what happened.

[DogsBestFriend]

""oh, you have a Masters?! I thought you would have left school at 16."

In that case, sod the woman, let the cats shit in her garden and don't you DARE even dream of picking it up. In fact, adopt another few cats and send them into the rude, snotty fecker's garden too!

[pingu2209]

No really I don't want to fall out with them at all.

I just think that a lot of people have cats because they don't want the responsibility of a dog, which includes cleaning up their poo, which you are legally obliged to do if you own a dog.

The woman in question is very 'difficult'. She asked me last summer if I could stop my children from making so much noise in the afternoon as she likes to sit out in her garden for some peace. I said that time that I would ask them to quieten down but they also wanted to play out in their garden.

Another time my ds1 had had a massive tantrum and I was aware that it was a bad one. I went round and said I was sorry for the noise of his tantrum and explained that he had SN and his severe language disorder meant he had tantrums over very small issues and general frustration at not being able to speak well etc. Since then she has always pointed out to me, even days later, after ds1 had a tantrum. I feel it is a passive agressive way of having a go.

I had a near accident about 3 months ago when I was reversing out of my drive onto the road. The wheelie bins (hers) were in the way so I couldn't see as well as normally. She was standing across on the other side of the street. I reversed slowly due to poor vision but even so, I nearly hit a car coming along the road. I say nearly, I didn't actually hit it, it was a non incident that I hadn't thought twice about. She felt that it was necessary to tell my husband about the incident, but didn't mention her wheelie bins! Again I believe this is just another way to be passive agressive.

[DontGoCurly]

I agree with the neighbour about the catpoo but she sounds like a nasty piece of work for her comment about your education.

[scottishmummy]

youre digressing.your cat shits in her garden
an unrelated spat about education isnt relevant.at all

[ChessPiece]

Ask her if you can buy her this cat repeller and give her some money to buy replacement batteries for it - then you won't have to go round to clear up your animal's poo.

[HellAtWork]

Ah well Pingu what time is convenient for you to do cat poo duty? I'd just pick a time you know you can definitely do each day and arrive nappysack/catpoo bag in hand and one of those handgrabby things and get on with it - however - I don't think you should wait to be 'summoned' by this woman because I think that if you didn't have such a problem with her personally you wouldn't feel she was requesting it so she could look down on you so make sure it's at your convenience. Also I'd google fox poo and make sure you know which is which so you only pick up what is yours to pick up! Poo pettiness I know but you're not the hired poo help.

[Catslikehats]

I can't see that it matters if your neighbour is an axe wielding pscho. Your cat shits in her garden. That is grim. Take some responsibility and clear it up. If you don't want the bother of doing so get rid of your cat.

[nokissymum]

Yes it is your responsibility to pick up your cats poo. Im in similar situation to you neighbour, i clear up their cats poo every week, i dont own any animals and neighbours opposite my house own a cat, they've even laughed about it, i wish i had the courage your neighbour has.

[PrettyMeerkat]

The only time I have ever heard of someone picking up their cats poo is on here. Not convinced it every actually happens in real life.

TheFeministsWife I was wondering when you would turn up with your slide story! I was thinking about it earlier. Cats don't poo on cold surfaces (although they may occassionally wee on a cold floor for example if they have cystitis as the cold is relieving to them). So I suspect that the poo was thrown from another garden and landed on your slide. A cat just wouldn't do that except perhaps if it had dementia.

[PrettyMeerkat]

Your neighbour sounds horrible actually. She is just using this to get at you and bring you down to the level she sees fit (shovelling shit).

[Sirzy]

Why is it horrible not to want other peoples cat shit in her garden and to expect the owner to take a level of responsibility for there own pet?

[Irksome]

Yes you should pick it up, even if she is a horrid woman, but in my experience pet owners never see it that way.

It's your cat and it's your cat's shit and she should not have to deal with it.

Can't believe the attitude that allows you to think it's ok to make other people scoop up your animals shit.

[lateSeptember1964]

Everything aside the cat is pooing all over her garden. I choose not to have pets but still had to clear up someone elses cats mess every morning before I could let my children play in the garden. Take responsibility and clean up the mess

[scottishmummy]

oh boo bleeding hoo.what a digression an unrelated spat about education and suddenly op id out upon.her cat craps in neighbour garden and no additional details about wheelie bins or education is required

and aye if its her cat she shuvels its shit. shuvels it right into a bin

[Katisha]

While I sympathise that the neighbour sounds an unpleasant piece of work, I struggle with your assertion that you got cats because you didn't want the responsibility of dogs, which includes poo management, and the assumption that free-range cat poo is aceptable to all.

I speak as one who regularly has to get cat poo off DSs shoes just as we are leaving for school as the effing cat over the road regards our gravel as cat litter. It also has a regular route through our back garden. I am not here in the day to lie in wait for it with a water pistol.

Why should the neighbours choice of pet mean poo all over our garden?

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

The comment that people have cats because they don't want the responsibility of a dog including picking up poo is what makes me cross. Your animal, it's poo, your responsibility.

[Katisha]

I would add that if you do start clearing the poo, you should at least not take any more verbal crap from her, snide remarks and so forth. Stand up for yourself on those. But I don't think you have much of a leg to stand on with the cat.

[GilbonzoTheSecretPsychoDuck]

My mum nearly sent me into labour when she shouted at a cat that dared to tread on her drive. The neighbours think she's mad because she runs out and chases them off her garden but then she loves birds and has nest boxes for them. She's sick of the number of times she's had to get rid of dead babies because the cats have got the parents . And the shit! It's everywhere. Totally gross.

All cat owners should be like misty0. Your pet, you stop it going into someone's garden and if you can't, then you clean the crap up.

[PrettyMeerkat]

Sirzy Read the OPs last couple of posts.

OP I think you should try what I suggested a while back about making a toilet in your own garden. You do it but sprinkling an area of soft earth (turn it over if neccessary) with their used cat litter. They are young enough that they might go with it.

Alternatively I would pay someone else to pick up the poo from her garden on a weekly basis. I feel that she is trying to degrade you by getting you to do it so I wouldn't give her the opportunity.

[PrettyMeerkat]

The idea that it's your cat so you should clean up the cat poo is idealistic. Cats can roam for huge distances!

[Punkatheart]

Buy her some cat repellant and spray it around her garden for her. Then she may not have any poo at all.

Legally no she cannot force you - what will they do, forensics on it!

[EdwardorEricCantDecide]

can i recommend white ground pepper (and lots of it) scatter it over your garden/patio/stones i have done this (only at the beginnining of the week admittedly) but no more cat poo so far.

i have already tried water it didn't work.

after a while its easy to tell which cat it is as someone said earlier they are territorial, there are about 6 or 7 cats in my estate (none of them mine!) but i know which one it is using my garden as the rest don't seem to bother with our garden. we get a couple on the driveway but never in the garden as i think the other cats see it as that cats territory.

i agree with the neighbour though, why should someone who has chosen not to have pets still have to clean up after someone elses.
there is also the risk of toxoplasmosis from cat poo, i hate the fact that i need to go out and check all over my garden before letting DS out to play in it!