Neighbors and Cat Poo

[CurtainstoCurtains]

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?

Cat! Not car. 🙄

I get defensive because I'm embarrassed about issues my pets cause. I feel offended also, when issues arise and people confront me because I'm very much a live and let live kind of person and wouldn't dream of letting anyone know if I had a problem with their beloved pets! I do everything in my power to solve problems ie cats pooing in neighbours gardens or dogs sometimes barking in garden on summer evenings. Others absolutely shouldn't have to be disturbed or inconvenienced by my pets.

MaMis, I like that you found a solution - actually the "turned over earth" solution is a brilliant one and you should spread the word. It works and is non-toxic. If only all cat owners were as responsible as you.

Please don't take offense - many people are "live and let live" people as well. They simply don't want to be responsible for someone else's pet's shit - it's not that they are attacking your beloved animal.

Cleaning up the poo once a week is no where near often enough if they have kids playing in the yard.

Put some similar gravel in your own garden and try to retrain your cat to go there.

Water pistols are a great idea as they don't hurt the animal. As a cat owner i'd advise trying not to let the cat see you when you squirt it as it may associate the water with you and carry on as normal when you're not around! Try and be like a ninja :-)

We have litter trays and a garden with a lot of soil as my DH likes gardening. So I actually don't think my cats do their business anywhere else. I agree that it's the owner's responsibility to do what they can to minimise any nuisance caused by their pets.

I read that cats dislike human pee.... the morning pee is the most potent so give it a go surely it's worth a try....