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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think it is totally reasonable for cat owners not to pick up poo

746 replies

PMDD · 02/12/2013 18:17

I mean how can they?

I have 2 cats and now 1 puppy. I watch my puppy when she is out and know where she is, I can see if she is pooing. If she disappears under a bush I check (with my sense of smell) and pick up if necessary. I carry poo bags everywhere.

However, my cats come and go as they please. When they were kittens I had a litter tray that they used, but as they started to go outside with a cat flap, they stopped using the litter tray.

My (ex) neighbour asked me to come and pick up after my cats, but as there are lots and lots of cats in the area, there was no knowing that it was my cats.

I am not a bad pet owner. But I think it is unreasonable to expect cat owners to have the same poo pick up responsibility as dog owners.

OP posts:
Sparklingbrook · 03/12/2013 23:17

So many questions Suga but I don't see the point in asking them.

NoAddedSuga · 03/12/2013 23:18

Love the link cleaning!

D0oinMeCleanin · 03/12/2013 23:19

My windows close. I thought everyone's did?

My doors don't seem to close Sad They have this invisible force field that prevents anyone other than me closing them.

AutumnStarOfWonder · 03/12/2013 23:21

Can I join in this bank robbery?

(Not a euphemism).

NoAddedSuga · 03/12/2013 23:22

I like my windows open for ventilation.

I shouldnt really have to keep them shut all the time

Especially in summer

Sparklingbrook · 03/12/2013 23:23

yes Autumn you are welcome. Grin

D0oinMeCleanin · 03/12/2013 23:26

You can keep cats out and small children in for just £5

In all seriousness, if you have windows that open wide enough for a cat to get in and small children in the house, you need window locks on your upstairs windows at least.

Dd2 almost died trying to retrieve a toy from our kitchen roof, luckily her friend had the wherewithal to come and get me and dd1 was able to keep hold of her until I dragged her back in and gave her the bollocking of her life.

Those window locks are adjustable and easy to fit and imo should come as standard with all UPVC windows.

NoAddedSuga · 03/12/2013 23:28

They havent got window locks, i ve no idea why, i always thought they were standard before i moved in this house.

D0oinMeCleanin · 03/12/2013 23:30

No windows do. You buy them and fit them yourself. You can get them from most baby or hardware shops.

eden263 · 03/12/2013 23:32

I have cats and am always horrified and embarrassed when I see them shitting in next door's garden. To be fair, I do have 2 well-used litter trays and at least one of them does have the decency to poop all over my muddy bog lawn, but even so, there is still occasional or maybe frequent, I daren't ask them pooping in next door's flower beds. I do shout at the cats if I see them, not that they listen, and my neighbours do go out and shoo them away and squirt them with a sprayer, which I completely support because much as I love my cats, and cats in general, they are evil scheming anti social little buggers. If my neighbours asked me to go & poo pick in their garden I would be perfectly willing to do so. My cats, my crap. There are other cats in my area too but I would be prepared to take one for the collective cat team and pick up all cat poo, without worrying about its bottom of origin.

NoAddedSuga · 03/12/2013 23:33

You are a very decent person eden

MummytoMog · 03/12/2013 23:36

Bizarre. I've occasionally been asked to keep my cats in for a bit if they've been bothering the neighbours' cat, but mostly I encourage the 'lob a bucket of water at it if you don't like cats' approach. Someone drove my friend's cat to a beauty spot ten miles away and dumped him there. Luckily he was chipped and some nice person took him to a vet to be scanned and he came home. We assume it was the same person who sent the anonymous note accusing said cat of terrorising the neighbourhood. Some people are strange. Of course removing a cat is theft. And poisoning one is pretty illegal too.

Do you think the cat will steal your baby's soul? Or smother it? Just interested to know which ridiculous fallacy you're buying into.

Sparklingbrook · 03/12/2013 23:37

I can't agree about the 'evil scheming' eden. They don't plan to piss the neighbours off. Grin

NoAddedSuga · 03/12/2013 23:40

They can smother babies

The also have a tendency to hiss, and claw

D0oinMeCleanin · 03/12/2013 23:43

There has never been a single documented case of a cat smothering a baby. That is an old wives tale. They tend to like to avoid the baby's grabby little, fur pulling hands.

Hissing is not dangerous. Clawing is not life threatening and also unlikely on account of most cats are not savage and they like to avoid babies.

Binkyridesagain · 03/12/2013 23:46

Babies are good at clawing themselves, they don't need a cat to do it for them. Or do mums need something to blame when their child has scratches.

NoAddedSuga · 03/12/2013 23:46

Cleaning

Whilst i appreciate thats your opinion, i dont agree

AutumnStarOfWonder · 03/12/2013 23:47

Grin A bit of light clawing is character building.

They also grow wings during full moons and bite children's heads off. True story.

Sparklingbrook · 03/12/2013 23:49

They are too busy pooing a bajillion times a day on pristine lawns to venture into houses and eat babies.

BreconBeBuggered · 03/12/2013 23:56

Can somebody send a few of the poo-burying cats round here to train up the local felines? They are insolent fuckers, who will happily shit on my lawn and give me the evil eye at the same time for daring to be on my own property. They are blatantly taking the piss because my poor old dog is too decrepit to see them off these days. As am I, in fact.

theladyrainy · 03/12/2013 23:59

I found my cat snuggled on top of ds2 when he was sleeping in the pram outside the back door - couldn't believe my eyes! It must have been lovely and warm for him - ds2 was like a mini radiator when he was a baby.

He also used to chill out on ds2's bedroom window right behind his cot as well.
I think he just wanted a chill space away from ds1 and he'd worked out that he was least likely to be disturbed by sleeping alongside ds2!

lovefifteen · 04/12/2013 00:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

D0oinMeCleanin · 04/12/2013 00:03

My cat used to be forced to sit on the end of dd1's pram when she was having that hour or 5. It was the only thing that kept her quiet for more than 5 minutes [ashamed] Grin

lovefifteen · 04/12/2013 00:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CheckedPjs · 04/12/2013 00:09

Your cat = Your responsibility so if your cat shits in my garden you pick it up. I love cats especially the black ones with white feet (Socky as I've always called them) However It's not my responsibility to clean up after your cat. If I had a cat than I would be keeping it inside.

You'd soon have enough if every time your cat shit in my garden I'd let my LO shit on yours.