Cat poo - was I being too reasonable?

[emseth]

My neighbour came round the other day and said my cats are pooing in his garden. He has 2 cats of his own but he said they only poo in their litter tray so he's sure it not them. He said I'm going to have to keep my cats indoors as his 2 year old keeps coming in from the garden covered in cat poo.

I have agreed to this - although we plan to get our garden cat proofed ASAP - the wistful looking out the window, meowing and scratching on the doors is getting on my nerves - and it's only been 2 days!

I've been really surprised at the reaction of my friends - they think I'm mad for agreeing to keep them in. They are my pets though so surely it's my responsibility to ensure they're not bothering my neighbours?

Thoughts please!

[DixonBainbridge]

Agreed, more hassle than it's worth. But on a serious note, I'll definitely be experimenting with some sort of fence "topper" that hopefully won't make my garden look like a prison...

[Mia4]

OP you can get deterrent spray, you could spray the fence on your side connecting to your neighbour-hopefully then they won't go there.

Cat shit in the litter means nothing, it could just be from one cat. one of my cat's uses the litter tray while the other has a space in my garden.

[Theodorous]

Sorry but I would say until it illegal my cats will continue to roam. Unless he has DNA tested the shit he is a twat. Cats are part of normal life in the actual entire world and some shrivelled balled little man has little right to dictate where they go. Do not lock them in but of course keep them in at night with a tray which hopefully the independent creatures will chose to use. So sick of threads like this

[Theodorous]

I don't hate camels but I wish they wouldn't eat my hedges. Maybe they should all be shot. Everything has a context but I guess some folk have a lotttt of time

[WooWooOwl]

Criminals are part of life as well, doesn't mean we should all have to suffer crime.

Of course people shouldn't allow their personal pet choices to inconvenience others. That's just common sense.

[Theodorous]

Ok then. Be brave and tell the (innocent) stafford weilding twats on your local high st the same

[Theodorous]

Staffie

[Sparklingbrook]

I think all cats/dogs/camels/people should be shot. That would sort it all out.

[AgentZigzag]

Don't forget the elephants in Juice's garden Sparkling

After reading 'The best solution is for you both to get rid of your cats - preferably humanely, and by the vet. Then there will be no more poo problem', I was thinking the same thing.

It'd sort out all the environmental problems for sure.

[Sparklingbrook]

Just shoot everyone and everything. No poo to worry about.At all. Ever.

[AgentZigzag]

And nobody to worry about it.

What about the ants though?

Ruthlessly hunt every single one down? Because they poo as well, and nobody wants to be standing in that shit (literally).

I'll let someone else take out the slugs though

[Sparklingbrook]

Cockroach poo.

[AgentZigzag]

I had to look apparently bacteria don't usually poo, but they've found one that can turn a toxic chemical (chlorine gold) into gold!

A germ pooing gold might pacify the neighbour a bit?

[Sparklingbrook]

He doesn't sound the easily pleased sort Agent. But then if the child was rolling in gold poo though.....

[BoneyBackJefferson]

Sort of inverse to this but it reminded me of when I bought a house and changed the garden to one large rockery, the cat owning neighbour actually came around and complained that I had made his cats go to the toilet in their own backyard.

I found this (and still find this) very funny. :)

[Sparklingbrook]

That's fab Boney. What did you say?

[BoneyBackJefferson]

There wasn't a lot that I could say apart from a half hearted "sorry" and that it was too expensive to change back.

We didn't have the best relationship. (five years of passive aggressive)

Still funny though.

[Sparklingbrook]

So a rockery is the way to go by the sound of it Boney.

[emseth]

Thanks for all your responses - really wishing my cats could poo gold now!

I have a plan from all your suggestions (carefully ignoring the more radical ones!) which I'm hoping will be a good compromise.

We're going to get an outdoor litter tray at the weekend. They do use their indoor ones regularly but maybe when they're outside they can't be bothered to come in! I'm going to get the neighbour some cat repellent stuff to use to discourage them from pooing in his garden while I train them on to the new tray. Got to be worth a go surely!

In the meantime, I have been letting them out but only with supervision. They do come when they're called so I'm able to stop them going next door. (they've not attempted it yet though - they do usually spend most of their time in our garden) I don't think they're very impressed by the cold weather though - 10 minutes & they're back in!

[emseth]

Wow Boney, that's unbelievable! Hilarious though - you just made me snort my tea!

[AgentZigzag]

That's much funnier because your neighbour had a problem with you in general and it wasn't a lighthearted comment Boney

Can't believe you apologised though, even if it was only half hearted.

That sounds like a good compromise emseth, you're doing something, if they keep complaining then you can rightly tell them to get fucked ignore them knowing you've been willing to meet them half way. Just suggest the repellent though, no need to buy it for them! If your cats are staying mostly in the garden it's probably not them anyway.

[BoneyBackJefferson]

In my defence I was young, I have no idea what I would say now but I suspect it would be much more forthright.

[AgentZigzag]

Now you're older you'd make the sarcasm much plainer I suspect

[BoneyBackJefferson]

[Retroformica]

Cats should be running wild. He should cat proof hid garden.