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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

My cats and cat poo in neighbours' gardens

555 replies

Blahdeblah1 · 12/07/2015 08:52

I moved into my house a year ago and have three cats. My neighbours are all quite elderly and have lived there for decades, they are all keen gardeners and very proud of their gardens.

Several months ago my next door neighbour started complaining to me about my cats pooing on his drive, so every time I go round and clear it up. Although to be honest I'm not convinced that the poo is from my cats.

Anyway, I'm now having complaints about cat poo from people who live way down the street, that my cats are pooing in their garden, although they admitted they hadn't actually seen the cat that did it. I live on a large suburban housing estate where there are loads of cats.

AIBU for thinking that cats are cats and I shouldn't be expected to be picking up any cat poo really, and to tell my neighbours to deal with it themselves and stop complaining to me? I can't control where my cats poo, they are not dogs.

OP posts:
Lurkedforever1 · 13/07/2015 00:10

No getting wound up enough over cat shit to hate the owner just makes you a bit of sad and in need of a grip in my eyes. Hating the cat for it, let alone wanting to seriously harm it or condoning someone harming it makes you a twat

PosterEh · 13/07/2015 00:10

I've just been reading up on toxoplasmosis. It's all a bit worrying. Apparently the parasites can live for a year in poo infested soil. Also, it can cause congenital toxoplasmosis in babies if the mother catches it within the three months prior to conception as well as whilst pregnant. I'm trying to conceive atm and I'm pretty sure my neighbour's two cats do all their poos in my garden (neighbour also has terriers so cats tend to hang out in our garden). I've been washing my hands after getting rid off the poo but I'm often finding poos which look a couple of days old so I wonder how many I've missed.
To complicate matters further I can't use antibacterial soaps because I'm allergic to one of the ingredients so I hope that regular soap is good enough. I've never had much contact with cats before so I guess I might not be immune. I guess I won't be enjoying the garden much this summer.

MidniteScribbler · 13/07/2015 00:16

At my last house the neighbour had a horrible cat that kept shitting in my vegetable garden every night. I started throwing it over the fence every morning (usually in to her pool, once I even managed to get it on her outdoor table, and another day I managed to smack it right on her glass sliding door). She hated me for it, but couldn't do anything because our law states that cats must be confined at night. Finally when she saw the ranger pull up and drop a cat trap off to me she started to obey the law and keep her bloody cat on her own property.

I have to keep my dogs locked up and pick up after them and prevent them from being a nuisance to my neighbours. I don't know why cat owners think that those rules shouldn't apply to them.

WhattodowithMum · 13/07/2015 07:53

I'd never heard of that law Midnite. Do you live in the UK?

Lurked, why not take responsibility for your pet? Quit making excuses. Quit making your choices other people's problems.

MidniteScribbler · 13/07/2015 08:24

No, I'm in Australia. We have a night curfew for cats in our council, but the neighbouring one has a 24 curfew (cat must be confined to your own property at all times), and it looks like ours will implement it soon as well.

LashesandLipstick · 13/07/2015 08:37

MistressMia, there are humane traps you can use instead of killing

LashesandLipstick · 13/07/2015 08:38

Midnite you condone throwing an animal and harming it because it inconvieniemced you? You sound like a lovely human.

Ashbeeee · 13/07/2015 08:46

I have an even better idea, use these and then if the poo is glittery it belongs to your cat.

Disco poo will save the world!

metro.co.uk/2014/12/12/the-ultimate-party-girl-gift-pills-that-make-you-poop-rainbow-glitter-4984836/

BringMeTea · 13/07/2015 09:00

Um, I think Midnite was throwing the cat excrement not the cat. How I read it anyway...

LashesandLipstick · 13/07/2015 09:07

Tea, you may be right. I thought it was the cat!

Floggingmolly · 13/07/2015 09:09

Oh wow, Midnight, a cat curfew. It sounds like paradise Envy. Wonder why the fuck we can't implement it here?

MidniteScribbler · 13/07/2015 09:10

I was throwing it's poop, not the cat itself. I couldn't have caught the cat if I wanted to, it was about as friendly as my neighbour was.

Lurkedforever1 · 13/07/2015 09:12

Erm whattodo I have no idea which of my posts have given you the idea I don't, but if we're going to share irrelevant general passive aggressive comments then I can play too. Why not take responsibility for your children? Quit making excuses. quit making your children other people's problems.

AmIthatsummery · 13/07/2015 09:35

Midnite, that sounds like bliss. Would limit the impact of pets on those who don't have them

SoupDragon · 13/07/2015 09:36

I imagine there is far more of a health risk with fox shit than that of a cared for pet cat.

LashesandLipstick · 13/07/2015 09:38

If people are so worried about shit why let your kids play in the garden at all? It's full of all kinds of animal poo

Alibabsandthe40Musketeers · 13/07/2015 09:42

Lashes mine isn't - just cat shit.

Bird poo is easily hosed off toys and climbing frames, a massive cat dump is less easily dealt with.

LashesandLipstick · 13/07/2015 09:48

Ali you just pick it up and bag it? It's not that hard surely?

Alibabsandthe40Musketeers · 13/07/2015 09:53

It is when it's all mixed in with the play bark around my kids climbing frame.

We had to dig out and replace the whole lot earlier this year, I felt like invoicing the bloody neighbour for the cost.

I hugely resent having to go and carefully check my own garden for the poo of an animal that belongs to someone else, before I can let my children outside to play. I should not have to do it.

Lurkedforever1 · 13/07/2015 09:55

And let's be realistic the majority of cats don't shit on solid surfaces, they bury it. And if it's male cats that are causing the problem then why does nobody complain about them spraying in their gardens?

LashesandLipstick · 13/07/2015 09:57

Ali, play bark looks like litter...so obviously cats will use it. Even if you train them to use trays you won't be able to stop that

WhattodowithMum · 13/07/2015 09:59

if we're going to share irrelevant general passive aggressive comments then I can play too.

Lurked, you've dominated the game from the starting buzzer.

Perhaps we should start an e-petition to get the Australian model of cat control enacted here in Britain!

www.parliament.uk/get-involved/have-your-say/e-petitions/

Alibabsandthe40Musketeers · 13/07/2015 09:59

I'm considering putting wire along our fences it has got that bad - I would warn the neighbour first so that they had the option to keep them inside.

The play bark is necessary, I don't see why we should modify our garden because the neighbour has a cat.

LashesandLipstick · 13/07/2015 10:01

You'd be cruel to an animal just because it shits in your garden?

If it's necessary you'll have to accept cats will shit on it. It looks like a litter tray.

WhattodowithMum · 13/07/2015 10:08

Lashes you are more than happy to be "cruel" and thoughtless towards your neighbours and their children.