AIBU to think that as I don't own a cat I shouldn't have to clear up cat sh*t from my garden every other day??

[Magicpaintbrush]

I choose not to own a cat, and yet once again I find myself this morning in my front garden shovelling up big smelly piles of cat poo. If it was my own pet I wouldn't mind, but I'm really getting the hump with being up to my elbows in sh*t because someone else's pet thinks my garden is a toilet. I love animals -usually - but it's so gross, so stinky and really unhygenic. It was cat diarrhea on my rock plants at the weekend just as we were expecting visitors, just caught the little sod squatting on my plants despite me banging on the window in a rage. Does anybody have any suggestions of cat deterrants that actually work? We've tried all sorts but they just ignore it. We even had a deterrant containing lion scent called Silent Roar (!!!!) which is supposed to make them think a big hungry predator is nearby - they didn't give a toss. Ideas anybody...?

I wish I had the answer. Some newish neighbours moved in with a female cat. Next thing, all the tom cats were around. Next thing, eight kittens. They've let the female get pregnant again and another litter is due. My back lawn is like a fucking litter tray, no matter what sprays, cat scarers I use. I am getting so pissed off with it.

These kittens are all over the road. Two neighbours went and complained and both were threatened by said cat owner, one of whom felt threatened enough to call the police, who did, to their credit, go and pay him a visit.

It annoys me that people can be fined for leaving dog mess around but cat owners have no responsibility at all. I shouldn't have to clean up after other people's pets every fucking day. I gather in America, or at least some states, people ARE fined if their cats do their business in neighbour's gardens, because they are expected to be house cats and litter trained.

Jeyes fluid seems to work for us, pour a trail around the perimeter of you garden, you'll need to refresh it frequently to begin with until they get the message.

Yanbu in the slightest. But there'll soon be a flood of people along outraged that anyone could possibly take issue with someone's unilateral decision to keep an animal they either can't or won't prevent from shitting outside their home. I actually quite like cats, but some of the owners on the other hand...

Is cat poo the new P&C parking?

You forgot cats being legally defined as wild animals maryz. And poison.

I love cats which is why I don't currently own one as we are over-run with them in my road (at least a dozen within a one house radius of our back-to-back terrace). Our kids do not use our garden as much as they should because it takes so long to de-poo it before is safe for them. One side don't poo in our garden at all but the other side is another matter.

Like Liesel it's not cats but some irresponsible owners I dislike.

And guns, don't forget guns. And dogs that are lovely and cuddly but would tear a cat to bits no problem.

Oh and 'get your own cat'.

YANBU at all but the cat lovers will soon descend and tell you that you should be privileged and change your garden to make it easier for cats to poo on it. We have the high pitched thingymabob from Argos and it keeps cats out on our cat full street.

someone will call 'House' very soon at this rate.

ShammyDavis Tue 06-Oct-15 09:54:28
Jeyes fluid seems to work for us, pour a trail around the perimeter of you garden, you'll need to refresh it frequently to begin with until they get the message.

will try that on our cat toilet

I saw a survey on cat deterrents recently. It seems that putting spikes (like bamboo kebab sticks) in the ground is very effective as they can't lower their bums to crap without it getting spiked .

But the ultrasonic repellents like crumblybiscuits suggests, and the motion-activated sprinklers are pretty good too, apparently.

The only downside with the ultrasonic repellant is I can hear it myself and it can be slightly annoying but no one else in my household can and I'd rather hear it than deal with cat poop.

If it's a front garden then all I can suggest is a water pistol.

If it's your back garden some people have success with the little spiky plastic strips you can order from Amazon and screew into the top of your fence panels. They aren't that cheap but apparently they act as a slight deterrent.

I understand how you feel...I have always had cats since I was a child and really am quite fond of them, and we didn't have a problem till we rehomed our cat a couple of years ago due to not living in a suitable house any more.

Suddenly we have a lot of cats pooing in our garden. It's nowhere near as awful as dog poo, which we had an issue with briefly when we moved in here, as the fence was broken and next door just let their dog shit on our lawn all the time (charming - they are nice people but VERY laid back and I don't hate them now we have killed their dog replaced the fence

But still it is in every flower bed and not very nice.

I find cats will poo in gardens that are not another cat's territory. I feel like getting our own just so we don't get other cats any more. But we can't because we havent got anywhere to put a cat flap.

Get yourself a tom cat. A big bugger that's not friendly to other cats, like mine, and also likes to wander.

Then you get double benefit - your tom cat will chase away any other cat that dares enter his territory, meaning no shit on your lawn, and he'll also go elsewhere to do his own business.

Works for us - I haven't seen cat shit in years, can barely even remember what it looks like.

Doesn't Jeyes fluid kill plants too?

We tried it out the front on the path and it seemed to have a limited effect on the dogs, but it wears off.

Top tip. Cats can't stand the smell of garlic. Arm yourself with a watering can and a tube of garlic puree - a tablespoon per gallon - and water the plants and surrounding earth thoroughly. Repeat as necessary and after heavy rain. The plants take up the garlic smell (keeps aphids down too). Also, keep all your orange peel, chop it up and scatter that on the beds. They don't like the smell of that either.

Thanks so much for all the advice on repellents/gadgets etc, I will definitely give those a try and see if they work. I will try anything!! The daft thing is that I do actually like cats, some of them are very sweet, and I do understand that they have to poo somewhere, but just pleeease not in my garden. It's embarrassing when the front of your house looks and smells like a cat toilet. It's not as if my front garden is like Kew, anything but at the moment, but the poo makes it look and smell so disgusting. And I was really surprised when the cat did its business on a plant because they usually seem to prefer loose soil (you, know so they can dig up your bulbs at the same time!!) Is it not possible to have cat litter trays in their own homes, or do some cats not like those?? I haven't had a cat since I was a child so I can't remember how it works.

Before the madness starts with how horrible cats are/how horrid u are for not letting them roam - can anyone recommend a good deterrent?
Quick run down - garden is split into 2 with a picket fence so my dog has free run but doesn't shit up the top where the kids stuff is - but next doors kittens use their trampoline as a scratching post!! It's getting wrecked!
They also like to shit under it - try cRawlings under a trampoline to pick up cat poo - it's not easy!! Any one know of Anything that actually works but won't annoy my dog at the other end???

You can have some sympathy OP but no practical suggestions from me I'm afraid, other than always wearing gloves when you're poking about in the flower beds.
I was going to say are you sure it's cat poo but then I read you'd seen one squatting. Only there may also be foxes using your garden too, IMO that smells even worse than cat poo.
Maryz also forgot 'chuck it over the neighbours' fence' :)

It's not that I hate cats it's just that I hate getting cat shit under my nails when I'm gardening. As to all the other suggestions - why should I spend my time and money defending my garden from someone else's pets ?

Get yourself a motion activated sprinkler from Amazon. £50 well spent as it works a treat. It attaches to a hose pipes and omits a spray of water when it detects a movement deterring a cat from shutting on your lawn. It's the only thing that's worked her as I've tried everything else. We don't even have it switched on now as the clicking noise it makes when it detects movement is enough to scare them off.

Conference you shouldn't have too I agree. It's really fucking annoying. That sprinkler was a last resort and I really resented having to buy it but I was desperate and sick of clearing up shit from pets I don't own.

The trouble with cats is that they roam, and dogs don't, so much, and can be controlled. Cats just don't function like that.

Either you have to put up huge defences around your perimeter or you have to live with the knowledge that someone's pet might crap in your garden.

I would be sad if cats no longer hung out in our street, and therefore I suppose I just put up with it for the pleasure I get in seeing them around.

I think our old cat always shat in our garden but it was 129ft long and 30ft wide and tbh I didn't generally notice it.