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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

neighbour scaring cat off from her garden

254 replies

DanHumphreyIsA · 27/08/2017 20:46

Ok not by being physical but just chasing him off with a water pistol or shooing him away.

I am not being arsy about that, by the way but wondering if IBU to offer to buy her some cat repellants or something? OH thinks we should leave it and thinks she's just mean lol.

We have only recently moved to this area, have never spoken to her. We said hello a few times, she's not interested, fair enough. We've also put a note through before when we had work done to the house to apologise for the noise (she's quite old, I would say 70+) so I atleast hope she knows we're not mean people.

We can't keep the cat in as he was a stray so used to outdoors and goes crazy if hes kept in. I have tried shouting him when he goes over the fence, but, well he's a cat Grin

I dont like it as he's my baby of course, but if she doesn't like cats or whatever and aslong as he's not hurt I can't exactly say anything.
I'm not really sure whether to just let it be and let her chase him off? I'm just worried he might piss her off enough to start chucking stones at him or something.

She's obviously not fussed about us being 'neighbourly' so I dont know if it would be overstepping to go and offer her some cat repellents or similar (open to suggestions on something 'similar' btw)

OP posts:
vikingprincess81 · 28/08/2017 05:06

And I do realise trying to control a cat is as pointless as me trying to control my kids after a bag of haribos!
I think a note would be best if your neighbour is a bit antsy about people, just as pps have said
'Hi, Dan from no 67 here,
Just a note to say if the cat is bothering you I can provide xyz to help with that.
Blah blah, come round for a cuppa sometime
Dan, smiley face, maybe your mobile number if you're so inclined, job done Smile

vikingprincess81 · 28/08/2017 05:07

staff to a cat Grin

MaMisled · 28/08/2017 05:52

A neighbour asked me to regularly turn over a patch of earth in our garden as this stood them pooping in other people's gardens. They like to poop in freshly dug earth!

Seems to have worked.

Feel quite shocked at the intolerance shown to cats on this thread.

CeeceeBloomingdale · 28/08/2017 06:20

We have problems with a neighbours cat spraying, shitting, dissecting birds in our garden, scratching cars when it sits on them. I'm buying a water pistol after this thread, have been thinking if it fir a while. I don't want chemical repellers nor the ultrasonic one as I like the wildlife we attract (foxes, squirrels, birds, pheasants etc). Not sure why some pp think people need to be tolerant of their pets!

Robots1Humans0 · 28/08/2017 06:37

Pp, I love animals but I hate cats shitting in my garden. Especially with a toddler running around and I'm pregnant. So yes the cat gets the water gun treatment but have found a very cheap cat and dog repellent that seems to be doing the trick from b and m bargains! £2 a tube. Offer to get her some and some pine cones/lemon juice/black pepper to put down in her garden to help deter your cat. Or even one of those silent cat alarm things?
Your cat is your baby and part of your family, but I wouldn't allow my toddler to shit in your garden. Make it right xx

Robots1Humans0 · 28/08/2017 06:38

**OP not pp xx

Rubberduckies · 28/08/2017 07:24

I would buy a cat repellant and take it round - knock and have a chat (not another note) You can always takes it back to the shop if she doesn't want it.

Say you've seen her chasing the Cato it if her garden, you're sorry he keeps going in there - he hasn't pooed has he? Then say you wondered if this would help so she didn't have to go out there each time. Also say that if it doesn't work you are happy for her to chase him off or use the water pistol.

It might be nice to get to know her! And shows you understand. It was a massive relief when our neighbour popped round to say we could use a water pistol to scare off her cats - I was so worried the spaniel would catch it...!

Runningyogabooze · 28/08/2017 07:27

Cat repellent doesn't work - it just makes your garden stink.

Rubberduckies · 28/08/2017 07:34

We've got an ultrasonic one which seems to do the trick. Hedgehog doesn't mind it either which is a bonus.

NC4now · 28/08/2017 07:34

I'm the softest, most overprotective cat owner there is but this wouldn't bother me.

Our boy is a posh breed and not the brightest, so we've catproofed the garden, like this. Occasionally he manages to break through the fence and we have to fix it, and lure him home with Dreamies, but it mostly keeps him safe and contained.

neighbour scaring cat off from her garden
missmollyhadadolly · 28/08/2017 07:41

stonecircle

Stop being an arse, OP was not being ageist. People are naturally more careful about making noise around elderly people. It comes from respect, not ageism.

OP, YANBU. I agree with MissJ about a sonic repellant. I bring my mum bags of used ground coffee and hich she scatters around the edges of her garden. That has definitely kept the cats away, when before they loved to have a poo there. However, your neighbour may not go for that suggestion, so I would offer the sonic repellant.

JacquesHammer · 28/08/2017 07:43

But I can't stop him from going in other people's gardens

Of course you can. Just many cat owners choose not to do it.

Feel quite shocked at the intolerance shown to cats on this thread

Really? You're shocked because someone doesn't want someone else's pet crapping in their garden and killing all the wildlife?

Blondefancy · 28/08/2017 07:45

You would HATE us then 😂😂 we discovered cats were shitting in our garden so we attached a water pistol to an automatic sensor motor and laughed as cats got their bums wet 😇 Honestly though I love cats, I grew up with them..but if they start shitting in the middle of our patio you bet I will set water on them 😁

Esspee · 28/08/2017 07:45

You need to cat proof your garden to keep it in. It is your pet and it is your job to deal with it's shit. I have no sympathy with pet owners who think it OK to allow their pets to roam free.

Blondefancy · 28/08/2017 07:56

Espee
Have you ever met a cat before? You don't own them, they own you 😂 There are some breeds, such as the Persian cat and Siamese that are typically indoor cats..if you tried to keep most other cats indoors you'd end up paying the price. It's also in a cat's nature to explore and have its own territory among neighbourhoods..

JacquesHammer · 28/08/2017 07:58

if you tried to keep most other cats indoors you'd end up paying the price

Pet owners problem not neighbour's.

Oops4 · 28/08/2017 08:02

Esspee I'm afraid cats have a legal right to roam and are considered differently than dogs in terms of an owners responsibility. OP is under no obligation to cat proof her garden, I'm not even sure that is possible, but of course the most corteous thing to do is to provide some repellent and try and attract her cat back to her own garden

LittleLionMansMummy · 28/08/2017 08:15

I have 2 cats. We always tell our neighbours to use any humane means to keep them off their gardens, including water. Luckily they prefer to shit in our garden (plenty of soil for them to use as a litter tray!) but I totally understand how annoying they can be. And no, unless you keep them in there is nothing you can do about them wandering and going in other people's gardens. Some people advocate orange peel. I don't think anything works tbh.

AtHomeDadGlos · 28/08/2017 08:20

'The cat's my baby'

I bet the midwife had a surprise when a kitten popped out of your vag.

CantThinkOfAUserNameNotTaken · 28/08/2017 08:31

Yanbu to be thinking of helping your neighbour op. I'd cat proof your garden, it works well and try Turing over some freshly dug as someone suggests. We did thus and gave the neighbour a 'just in case' water gun instead. Cats a home body though and just enjoys our garden to sun herself then it's back behind the sofa for a laze.

CantThinkOfAUserNameNotTaken · 28/08/2017 08:33

I'd always recommend cat proofing much as cats have the right to wander. Aside from neighbour relations, There's been reports of the psychopath whose been torturing and decapitating them not a million miles away. Plus fast roads, foxes etc....

DressedCrab · 28/08/2017 08:33

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insancerre · 28/08/2017 08:39

I really nearest my neighbours cat shitting in my garden, teasing the rabbit, sitting on the CSR, and coming into my house through any open window or door
I hate it so much that I now don't talk to my neighbour
When i see it I shoo it away and sometimes chuck water in its direction, though it is quite fast.
I am considering getting a super soaker

People with cats have no idea just how much nuisance they cause

MrsTrentReznor · 28/08/2017 08:44

Haha! Cats. The lazy person's pet.
You can offer all the repellent you like. They won't work.
I had a tiny garden the size of a postage stamp, I lovingly tended that garden. I bought compost, little pink flowers, bulbs etc. It was wrecked by cats digging and shitting in it. I could half fill a carrier bag with shit in a few weeks. I tried every repellent I could find and none worked. So I gave up and stopped using the ONLY garden I ever had.
Cat owners need to accept that if their precious little bird killing, shitting machines are going to be allowed out (So you don't have to deal with the shit) they are going to be soaked, have things thrown at them, get hit by cars etc.
It's the way of things. As a few of you have said, apparently you can't stop them roaming.

CantThinkOfAUserNameNotTaken · 28/08/2017 08:46

insancerre a supersoaker works well. The one we got our neighbour they never used on our cat as she cant/doesn't want to go out. She got a very annoying shitting one on the bum with it as he raced off and sulked in his own garden instead.