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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Neighbors and Cat Poo

83 replies

CurtainstoCurtains · 04/05/2018 23:23

Yes it’s of these ones.. but interesting backstory.

We have very lovely neighbors, Really friendly but I have always in the back of my mind thought they might be a little ott.. (will be the type to do you a favour without you asking, then make a fuss about doing so, like buying you a bottle of expensive wine?)

Neighbors loved our cat when we first moved in. We have a large unusual bread of cat that we rehomed, you wouldn’t usually see one outdoors as it’s it’s an indoor breed normally, but our cat before we rehomed spent most of its time outdoors, and now continues to do so.

There garden is mainly gravel and our boundaries are privet hedges.. so you can imagine that keeping our cat in our garden is tough and how our cat uses their garden as a giant Litter box.

I was more than apologetic when we moved in about the cat, and offered to come round and clean their garden once a week. They said they loved the cat, didn’t mind about the poop and welcomed his visits. They even bought the same bread of cat, but theirs is indoors only. (I have actually overheard them feeding my cat and treating it as their own, including their extended family members)

Fast forward they now have a toddler and are fed up of the cat shit in their garden. They have asked if I can block all holes in my privets so the cat can’t get in..

I have a massive cold, was wearing clothes I wish no one would see me dead in when they asked me so agreed..

Now thinking that if they don’t want cats I their garden they should be the ones to do so..

AIBU to just ignore there request?

OP posts:
Panda81 · 05/05/2018 00:33

Its unlikely the encouragement has made any difference. My neighbour's cat shits in my garden and I don't encourage it. And there are a wealth of threads here and on the internet of others complaining about the same. It's a big problem for many people who don't own or encourage cats.

Loopyloopy · 05/05/2018 00:35

Sorry, but picking up weekly is NOT reasonable. They would still have the toddler picking up vile cat poo 6 days out of 7. I understand why the neighbours feelings will have changed now that there is a toddler in the house.

Tinysarah1985 · 05/05/2018 04:33

This grinds my gears. You have an animal you clear up after it. You wouldn’t expect your neighbour to put up with dog shit in her garden from your dog so why should it be any different as its a cat? There is a cat that always comes into our garden and shits everywhere ( i have seen it!) It annoys the hell out of me. They can be trained to go
In liter trays.

BlueBug45 · 05/05/2018 04:44

Cats aren't fully domesticated and aren't trainable like dogs so you can block hedges and you can super soak them but they will still happily climb over tall fences, in trees and on roofs to get into other people's gardens.

My OH's cat uses a litter tray but also goes outside. She can't be stopped more so because she is a rescue cat who is old. Luckily for her she has found a couple of neighbours who she has befriended so she is frequently in their houses.

Rollawolla · 05/05/2018 04:51

Op you are being unreasonable please sort your cat out without being horrid to your neighbours

Elllicam · 05/05/2018 05:51

I would feel less sorry for poor Mr Kitty and more sorry for the toddler unable to play in it’s own garden. I agree with a PP picking up weekly still leaves a full 6 days of cat shit in the garden.

Brownieb · 05/05/2018 06:11

We had this problem was gross but didn’t want to harm cat so we bought a machine that emits an annoying squeaking noise people can’t hear and planted the boundary with herbs etc that cats don’t like. It took a week or so but now we have no problem whatsoever Smile maybe a friendly compromise?

missymayhemsmum · 05/05/2018 06:28

Their garden is part of your cat's territory, so good luck trying to get him to forget that. Block the gaps with holly and stuff, and give him an indoor litter tray and a planter full of nice soil in your garden, as most cats will only shit on gravel if there is no better place. If they pressure wash their gravel with jeyes or something to get rid of his smell that might help. Also reassure your neighbours that your cat is wormed regularly so even if there is catshit their child is not at risk of toxoplasmosis.

GlitteryFluff · 05/05/2018 06:54

I would do as others have said and block holes/fence what you can, tell them to not encourage visits, shoo him away/water pistol him when he comes near garden. And that's pretty much all you can do and hope the cat isn't too set in his ways, seeing as they have encouraged this behaviour for years. Maybe suggest they buy one of those automatic water sprayer thingies?

I get it though from their POV. We live in a flat with our stairs outside (not in a block or anything) and we keep getting cat poo on our stairs and outside our door, on our door mat. It's disgusting and I don't even have a garden yet have to deal with it. But I would never encourage a cat, never feed it etc.

headhurtstoomuch · 05/05/2018 07:04

How long ago did you make the initial offer of 'cleaning the garden once a week'? I'm assuming 2 years ago at least if they know have a toddler running around.

Times and circumstances change and what was acceptable/ok previously is no longer the case. These things aren't set in stone.

headhurtstoomuch · 05/05/2018 07:06

Now not know!

PositivelyPERF · 05/05/2018 07:14

missymayhemsmum, please don’t use Jeyes anywhere a cat might have access to. Cats are attracted by the smell but it is poisonous to cats. Causes an horrific death.

MyOtherUsernameisaPun · 05/05/2018 07:15

I think you should be the one to block the holes in your hedge, but I doubt that will stop the cat. Cats find a way!

I would speak to them and say that you will do your best but they also have to stop feeding and petting the cat as it's encouraging it.

How do you feel about a water pistol? It's a pretty convenient and painless way of discouraging a cat from being in a particular space! If they give your cat a quick spritz when they see it in the garden, it will soon learn to avoid that area. I know some people will find the idea objectionable though Grin

Springnowplease · 05/05/2018 07:16

Their circumstances have changed. Your cat is no longer welcome. They are worried about the health of a child. Clearing up once a week isn't enough. You should do it daily or cat proof the fence. The child's health is more important than your cat, surely you can see that.

dontticklethetoad · 05/05/2018 07:25

curtains for starters stop projecting onto your cat "Poor mr Kitty. He is going to feel very rejected" ffs no he's not. He'll just go elsewhere.

Honestly you sound so entitled.

agedknees · 05/05/2018 07:50

You should clean their garden daily, weekly is not enough. As someone else said, it still leaves 6 days of smelly ditty cat poo in their garden.

We have 2 cats who come and shit in my garden, it’s disgusting. One of the poos was crawling with worms. Why should I have to put up with that?

obviouslymarvellous · 05/05/2018 07:57

Agedknees do we have the same cats visiting? I have two cats that visit one crawling with worms they kill all sorts on my front lawn and the owner is like oh well Blushthat's cats for you. I think I may go and put the shit on her lawn full of worms and see how she feels... it's disgusting I'm not so arsed about the cats shitting it's the worms. I have children and a dog and is basic bloody medication. Also she could sort the cats killing things with a collar and bell but no Angry

allthegoodnameshadgone · 05/05/2018 08:02

How can she stop the cat doing that though?

If that cat wants to go in the garden it will find a way.

Also, I doubt that it's the only cat in the area using the gravel as a litter tray. They love that type of stuff.

We've got two cats. Only one goes outdoors and both use the litter tray. Whether the one that goes outside always comes back to use it i have no idea however I have no way of policing that and neither does the OP.

Second the super soaker idea though we've used this to stop our cat going in next door. But it still does occasionally.

Chattymummyhere · 05/05/2018 08:03

I think you’ve been lucky that for 2 years they haven’t cared. If someone new moved in they wouldn’t want it covered in cat poo, they have a toddler now they want their child to use their garden not a giant litter tray. As horrible as it sounds for your own cats safety you need to keep on top of it. Some people when nothing seems to work will do things not always nice to keep cats out of their gardens and as you’ve seen someone unknowingly mentioned jayes fluid witch is actually poisonous without meaning any harm.

19lottie82 · 05/05/2018 08:06

“You wouldn’t expect your neighbour to put up with dog shit in her garden from your dog so why should it be any different as its a cat? “

Really? You must be pretty thick if you don’t know the difference between a dog and a cat.

Sparklingbrook · 05/05/2018 08:10

I haven't got the energy for a cat poo in the garden thread but I am intrigued by a garden that is mainly gravel, especially with a toddler.

19lottie82 · 05/05/2018 08:12

You can’t tell a cat where to shit. They are independent, free roaming little buggars and will go where they like. And you certainly can’t fence a cat in so it stays in your garden........ they can climb!

How can your neighbour certain all the shit in her garden is from your cat, and not from other cats / foxes? They can’t be.

You should give your neighbour a super soaker and tell her she is welcome to spray your cat any time she sees it in her garden. I’ve also heard they hate citrus, so other forms of repellent might be available.
Also continue offering to pick up in her garden once a week, but unfortunately you may need to kindly point out that it may be easier to teach a toddler not to pick up shit, than it is to to train your cat (and every other cat / fox) in the area not to go in her garden!

Peanutbuttercups21 · 05/05/2018 08:12

You can't really stop cats pooing in your neighbours garden... (our neighbours' cats do in ours, and leave dead mice and frogs on our doorstep Envy

But you need to be seen to pretend to try, I think

Cats and cat owners..... annoying! Cats never seem to shit in their own gardens!

Idontdowindows · 05/05/2018 08:13

Ok, it is possible to train cats to only use a certain places to do their business. You can even train them to use the toilet. You can even retrain old cats, as I had to do with mine when I moved the last time.

It takes patience and consistency and attention, but it can be done.

agedknees · 05/05/2018 08:14

19lottie - once a week isn’t enough. Op should do it daily. It’s called being a responsible pet owner.