Cat poo

[Sunkist12]

We've got a cat and for the past month someone keeps delivering cat poo in a bag to either our front door or the back garden. This has happened 4 times already. I get this must be annoying, especially if you don't have cats... but is posting the cat poo back really okay?! Also, how does that person know the poo they bagged belongs to our cat? There must be tons of cats roaming in the area. I'm at a loss at what to do and have 3 young dc, so finding bagged up poo around our property is not on. My aibu is what would you do, if a cat frequently visited your garden? Would you take back the offending poo?! If the person who did it was genuinely upset, I'd buy cat deterrent supplies and do what I can. But honestly, he's a cat, I can't police her everyday.

Although to be fair same neighbours wanted me not to pull up a Bush their cat liked sleeping under and suggested said feline could get into my shed when it wasn’t open so suspect they’re not the most rational of folk.

Haha I’d love to know what the farmer would do if I started taking bags of feral farm cat poo back to him 😂

I don’t expect my neighbours to make allowances for my cat... if they want to take steps to prevent my cat going in their garden I’m fine with that (short of actually harming her! Cat deterrents, water pistols, etc. are fine imo).

Cats should not be cooped up indoors though, it’s cruel. They are not like dogs... they should be free to roam, and it is nigh impossible to stop a cat shitting as it goes. If cat owners were truly in the wrong here, there would be laws (as there are for dog fouling), but there isn’t.. because it’s fairly common sense that it cannot be helped.

The law relating to trespass in the context of domestic animals is found in the Animals Act 1971. However, cats enjoy a unique position as the Animals Act 1971 does not apply to them. This is how cats have this ‘right to roam’ and they cannot, therefore, trespass in the legal sense. Therefore, an owner cannot be legally responsible for where their cats go.

You don't have to cat proof your bloody garden!

willow

I guess you want dogs to roam free too?

What on earth are you taking about?

What really startles me is the sheer entitlement of some cat owners.

And then you give one example to support this generalisation. Right.

I've never understood how with every other pet owners are responsible for their animal's mess, but somehow cat owners aren't held to the same standards.

Because it's the law.

And then you give one example to support this generalisation. Right

You do see that word “some”? It’s rather important.

You CANNOT car proof a garden. They will get out of anything. It’s utterly impossible. They can climb walls if they have a mind to FFS.

In some countries it is actually illegal, yes, that means it’s a criminal offence to keep your car indoors permanently.

OP, just dispose of the bags, maybe leave a note for the neighbour on your door to knock and speak to you.

I have cats too, both litter trained. I have a litter box and I’m not disgusting so you can FO Twinkle.

OP, perhaps keep a small patch of your garden constantly dug over? Cats love using this and mine only go in my garden when we have this.

*cat indoors, not car

You could do something really really simple. Keep your pet indoors.

Some cats are perfectly happy as indoor cats. Some have been indoor cats since kittens and are used to it. Others haven't and it is cruel to try to keep them indoors.

Never mind impractical. Unless you're planning on never opening a window or door in a room they have access to.

You do see that word “some”? It’s rather important.

Yes I see it, and my understanding of the word “some” is that it means more than one.

How the hell do you cat proof your garden? They're cats, they climb, they wander the neighbourhood they shit & piss wherever they want, they own the land.
I have three cats one uses the litter tray but I couldn't for love nor money get the other two to use a litter tray, they'd have my eyes out.

Cats can't be trained or told what to do, they're cats!!
My cats like to "play" with butterfly's I've told her not to but she won't listen

Yes I see it, and my understanding of the word “some” is that it means more than one

Indeed. And the people next door (yes plural) are a couple which is more than one.

Thanks, Osirus. That's a really good idea and I'll give that a try.

Indeed. And the people next door (yes plural) are a couple which is more than one.

They are one example.

Wow Jacques, I take it you're not a cat person?? 😂

Agree with a pp, put a note inviting the neighbour for a chat, you could offer to collect the crap or provide a deterrent. Their behaviour is rather passive aggressive and a bit weird

I am a cat lover but am sick of having to do a cat pick up every day so kids can play out. Last night I'd had enough and moved my fake grass on to where it's happening and it's there again this morning😩

I sympathise with the poo returners. I imagine that they think you'd not be up for discussing and helping to provide ways of discouraging your cat and have resorted to this in desperation and the hope that you'll try more things to stop it. Do you have a few sandy bare soil areas around the edges of your property for them to use - perhaps with lightly buried old poos to encourage use?

My previous neighbours had an indoor only cat aroundabout the same time that one started digging up our flat roof and leaving daily turds on it (plus a few on top of our gravel). Turns out, after I finally managed to catch sight of it and give it a gentle rinse, that it was indoor right up until they put it out each morning. On the flat roof... They seemed cross that I was taking steps to prevent it (and up to 5k of damage) and blamed us for having moss on the roof. They were... not reasonable folk, shall we say.

The polite note where they leave it also sounded like a good idea - perhaps there's a scent or texture, or creature, your cat hates enough to stay away if it's introduced into their garden?

So wait... You find it annoying that your neighbour returns what is rightfully yours but they should live with having your cat's poop all over their garden. Your solution is to stand outside at night to catch your cat in the act and spray it with your supplies. How kind of you.

I wonder how you'd react if one of your neighbours told you they had a pet python that's contained in their garden. I wonder if these free roaming cats would be allowed to roam freely to that garden.

I don't have a cat so I really hate cats pooing in my garden. I shouldn't have to clean up after them.

YABU OP.
If your kids crapped in your neighbour's garden would you expect your neighbour to be okay with it?

@suburbanrhonda

I think it’s obvious what I’m talking about. You had the cheek to sarcastically reply asking if my cats were blind or disabled - thus implying those are the only safety concerns that would legitimise the need for them to be indoor pets. So I wonder if you’d object to people just letting their dogs out to roam free too (seeing as it’s safe unless they’re blind or disabled - according to you anyway).

Ffs! Cats crap. It’s a fact of life. To be fair most cats are quite discreet about shitting, they don’t leave it steaming on a pavement.
I agree that having shite where you don’t want it is unpleasant but as a cat owner wtf are you supposed to do?
Everything in this world craps, it’s just a matter of how big it is, who steps in it and whether you are are going to let it affect your life.