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Original poster

SPike rods on fence to stop cats coming in?

226 replies

Hitmewithit · 22/04/2017 07:46

My garden is lovely, my daughter will love it this summer, but unfortunately the neighbours cat keeps coming and shitting all over my grass. I bought repelant and used it for a week, i thought it worked but then a massive shit in the middle of the lawn followed by a load of sloppy shit by the fence. I only have a small grass area and I'm getting really fucked off with the grass being shat on. It makes me feel like the lawn stinks and full of germs if my daughter wants to crawl around on it or if we sit on it. I feel like I'll need to disinfect it if I want to go out there with her.

I've seen the cat that does it, I've chucked water at it, chased it away etc but it still comes back!!

I'm tempted to go to Homebase today and get some of these spiked rods that I've seen. Is this legal to do?

OP posts:
Salubrious · 22/04/2017 12:45

Gosh OP that sounds very extreme and could cause serious damage to the cat/s. Could you not look at other deterrents? Perhaps you could put out a litter tray with gravel to try and convince the cat to do its business there rather than on your lawn?

ShatnersWig · 22/04/2017 12:49

Salubrious Seriously? You think non-cat owners should go and get litter trays and cat litter on a regular basis and train neighbours' cats to use them?

BoneyBackJefferson · 22/04/2017 12:50

JacquesHammer

I did have a laugh at them.

When I moved, the new owners put the garden back in. From what I have since found out they have now paved the whole area.

So I suspect that crazy cat lady was even more upset.

I am also amused at those that say "create a cat friendly space in your garden". My reply is "are you going top pay for it?"

illegitimateMortificadospawn · 22/04/2017 12:52

Well, we're having to pay to make our garden cat unfriendly... I can't really see the difference.

Angelicinnocent · 22/04/2017 12:52

A strong solution of jeyes fluid will keep cats away for about 6 months. Just mix it in an old watering can and pour it all round your fences. As long as you can get 24 hours with no rain it will soak in and they won't come near. Obviously, keep DC away from the areasfor 48 hours.

ShatnersWig · 22/04/2017 12:53

Angelic I was told that. Didn't work for me, sadly.

Excited101 · 22/04/2017 12:54

Plastic spikes are fine. They don't damage the cat but will be a proper deterrent.

I speak as a cat owner and lover.

MiddlingMum · 22/04/2017 12:56

We have a sonic gun which only works if you are around when the cats are there, but is fairly effective. But I do agree with other posters, why should I spend money on cat deterrents when it's not my cats? People should think before getting pets and take full responsibility for them.

BoneyBackJefferson · 22/04/2017 12:59

illegitimateMortificadospawn

There really isn't a difference as such, but If I want to use the garden I can keep the cats out.

On a slightly more provocative side, I have thought for a long time that cat owners should have to pay extra on insurance so that people can claim for the damage that their cats do.

Sinuhe · 22/04/2017 13:04

I used to have next doors cat piss by my front door. The stink in summer was unbearable. (They moved and the smell was gone.)
I kept telling her and showing her & told her to clean it up ... at first she refused (wild free animal and all that!), but a bit of pushing and prodding and she had to clean it up. (Strategy enough, within 12 months of moving in the house was back on the market...)
So I'd say go for it - there is nothing cruel about wanting a shit free garden! (Btw I have 2 dogs...)

Angelicinnocent · 22/04/2017 13:06

Shatners that's a shame. It does a lovely job keeping them out of my gravel beds

OpalTears · 22/04/2017 13:24

I love cats but don't own one, my neighbours do though, in fact lots of neighbours do! It's pretty frustrating at this time of year trying to keep cats out of the garden a) due to them shitting everywhere and b) keeping them away from fledgling birds. I've taken a couple of baby birds to the vets because of injuries caused by bloody cats before now.

We fill a jug up with water and when we see one we dash out and chuck the water in the cats direction. Doesn't keep them from coming back but I'm hoping in time they'll get so pissed off with me that they'll decide my garden isn't worth the hassle.

I know where some of the cats gain access but I'm not willing to block it because I have hedghogs that use the same entry point to gain access to my garden and I luffs them, although they do also leave little black presents but I can live with that.

BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou · 22/04/2017 13:30

We have plastic spikes on our fences, we put them there to keep our own cat IN and other cats out. Our cat is no longer with us (she was nineteen!) and in the places where the spike strips have come off due to weather etc. We now get cats coming in again. They poo on our lawn, on the table (yes I've SEEN it happen) and fish from our pond. I will be buying more spike strips soon.

NurseButtercup · 22/04/2017 13:32

@SuburbanRhonda
Just because you haven't witnessed a cat cocking it's leg to poo doesn't mean it doesn't occur. I know what I saw - mingy old cat that lives across the street cocking it's leg in my neighbours border next to the lamp post visible from the light of the street lamp. I was genuinely surprised because I was under the impression that cats liked to poo in private. Confused

chloesmumtoo · 22/04/2017 13:35

I like cats but we had issues with them too. Our house/garden is surrounded by fencing and paved for most of the back but we had made a long raised earth filled flower bed which seemed like a good idea at the time. However it ended up used as a cat toilet for the whole neighbourhood of cats. Dd could not enjoy the fun of growing things like I had hoped, everywhere you dug were cat turds and the stench on a summers day in the back garden was awful. Got so fed up. We tried lemon/orange peel, a cat deterrent thing that made high pitch sound, smelly sprays, throwing water, chasing them out, we tried allsorts. In the end we decided on the prikka strips to place on the tops of the fencing. Surprisingly it worked a treat!! The cats really did not like to walk on them, let alone to jump up on to them to come in/out. I don't feel it is cruel as they have the choice whether or not they want to walk on them just like a prickly hedge.
We really realized how good they were again, when our back fences were being re done and the workers took off the strips. The amount of cats that started to come back walking along it was surprising.
Yes I don't think people liked it. Neighbours were soon to be seem sticking their hands over and testing the pricks with their hands (which are flat on the tops). This same neighbour started to let her cat out of their upstairs bedroom window purposely (as it could not jump up onto them from their garden) allowing it into our garden from above (cheek), to walk down onto their conservatory, then on to our strips briefly and into our garden to poop every morning like clockwork. Their cat was the only one who continued, as it had no choice and then mastered a rather tightrope technique to walk on them anyway. As for all the other cats they stopped. Even if one ever did get in they did not like it as felt trapped and the only way out was to jump up on them to get out. So they soon learnt not to come in. We only then had to put up with the one and eventually the neighbour moved house so we now have a cat free garden.
The only thing I would say is we do have rather high fences and a very high gate which I think helps to the success.

RedBugMug · 22/04/2017 13:36

Very unusual for a cat to shit 'in the open'. They usually prefer a quiet corner, dig a hole, poo, then cover it over. Large shit in the centre of grass sounds more like a fox (or a dog but assuming that's not an option!).

no. from experience cat's do shit on lawns, especially if there are lots of cats in the area.
fox shit ime is different from cat shit, more dog-turd like and not torpedo shaped like cat shit.

I have good experience with squirting water with a little bio washing powder wherever the shit was after I dumped it over the wall to cat mad neighbours garden cleared it.
precious plants get protected with netting and sometimes I sprinkle garlic powder or chilli to give the plants a chance to grow strong.

IWishIWasBufffy · 22/04/2017 13:38

You can buy a solar cat repellent called a Cat Stop, have a look on Google.

BlondeBecky1983 · 22/04/2017 13:44

No, that is a hideous thing to do. Find an alternative. It would absolutely not be difficult to prove if said cat gets injured. Photographs of your horrific spikes would be fine. Don't be so cruel.

user0000000001 · 22/04/2017 13:48

Use these

here

The 'spikes' are flat on top so won't injure a cat but they're 'sharp' enough to act as a deterrent.

WhatALoadOfOldBollocks · 22/04/2017 14:34

To the cat owners blaming foxes, I've witnessed my neighbours cat curling one out in the middle of my lawn so I don't doubt the OP. And how do you all know your cats shitting habits anyway if you let them roam the neighbourhood? They could be up to anything and you wouldn't know!

The level of entitlement amongst too many cat owners astounds me. No-one has to have a pet, but if you do choose to have one then take responsibility for how it impacts your neighbours and the eco system. Don't expect your neighbours to put up with your pet shitting on their lawn/in their veg patch etc, or expect them to spend time and money keeping your pet out of their garden. How about adapting your gardens so that your pets can't get out? That would be the sensible and non-selfish thing. It would keep the cats safe too. Horrible seeing them hit by cars. It might also help the wildlife a bit, and god knows it needs all the help it can get what with habitat distruction.

Sparklingbrook · 22/04/2017 14:36

Cat poo in the garden threads are always go the same way.

GoodGirlGoneWrong · 22/04/2017 14:55

If my cat injured itself you spike in your garden I would take you to the small claims court for costs.

Especially as you have not tried other options first.

I am doubtful it's a cat, and I would also make you prove that it was my cat who was doing it.

But them i am a mardy bitch and my cats don't go out.

RortyCrankle · 22/04/2017 15:00

Oh yes, a brilliant idea, a dead, impaled cat on the fence will add a certain je-ne-sais-quoi to your garden design.

Please don't. It's bloody cruel.

JacquesHammer · 22/04/2017 15:13

I am doubtful it's a cat, and I would also make you prove that it was my cat who was doing it

I have video evidence of next door's cat shitting all over my garden. I have video evidence of next door's car scratching my carpet to shreds (it sneaks into my house every chance it gets 😡). They're still trying to deny its theirs

toboldlygo · 22/04/2017 15:14

A cat could not possibly be injured or killed on the blunt plastic spikes that have been linked to.

There's every chance my dogs would harm a cat that came into their garden so I will continue to pursue humane methods of repelling them, even while they continue to crap on my gravel drive. And it bloody well is cats, not foxes, hedgehogs, toads or any other bizarre suggestion on this thread.