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!

[Jengnr]

The problem is so many cat owener have no consideration for anyone else.

They want a pet but none of the responsibility that comes with it so they put them outside for everyone else to clean up after/deal with damage they cause.

Very responsible of you to keep yours indoors. If only other people were as reasonable.

[RealAleandOpenFires]

Re:- Cat Fences, nice idea.

But it might be a bit of a bother when trying to affix the brackets on the fence, when you don't own it.

[woolleybear]

I don't know, we have 3 cats one side and 4 cats the other side, one or more of them certainly doesn't bury it's poo, and I have a 7 year old who can't play in her own garden, I don't know the answer but I wouldn't ask my neighbours to keep their cats in.

[notallytuts]

ElleBelly it wasnt a serious suggestion to keep the kids inside, that would be completely unreasonable But it's just as unreasonable to keep the cats inside.

Gardens are outside. The outside is dirty. I suspect my garden is full of cat poo, fox poo, bird poo, squirrel poo and the excrement of many other creatures as well.


Personally I think its cruel to keep cats inside all the time. Just as it would be cruel to do the same to a child. If the price for both to be able to go outside is that the NDN has to supervise his kid in the garden if the child wont stop rolling in catshit, then that doesnt seem so bad. If he wants a sanitised environment for the child, thats what the house is for.

[DixonBainbridge]

But the other side is that, if the price for both to be able to go outside is that the cat is restricted to its garden and the child its, then maybe cats should be contained in their owners property?

WRT the fence - I'm pretty sure you can get away with fixing things to your side of the fence, everyone does round here anyway. Try it & find out!

[BoneyBackJefferson]

DixonBainbridge

If its not your fence you can be charged with criminal damage if you don't have permission from the owner. (same as when people spray paint "their" side of the fence

Was speaking to an old friend of mine about this thread and he remembers his dad keeping Koi carp in a pond (yes you already know where this is going BUT) he "cat proofed" it by putting netting ovet the top off the pond.

He came home one day to find the cat laying on top of the netting using it to get the Koi carp that where in the middle of the pond.