To NOT want the neighbours cats shitting in my garden?

[legolimb]

Newish house - with a large garden.

Our neighbours seem to all have cats which wander where they like.

Just been out to shoo one away and caught it casually squeezing one out whilst staring me in the eye. It couldn't care less.

Obviously IANBU to not want this - so what suggestions does anyone have to keep the dirty little beggars out?

I can still smell it sick, not envy..

Also the poos of many of those creatures are less noticeable and less offensive.

WTF? Have you never encountered fox shit? Their spraying or urine smells awful too.

I've heard Jeyes fluid watered around the area they use to shit in deters them.

Jeyes fluid is toxic to cats. Do NOT do this.

Foxes are pretty rare in most places.

Rare?

Jeyes fluid is toxic to cats. Do NOT do this.

It has many uses in the garden. We use it for many things.

From their website-

ODOURIZE DRAINS:
CLEAN WATER BUTTS:
DISINFECT WHEELIE BINS:
DISINFECT PATIOS:
CLEAN GREENHOUSES:
DISINFECT ANIMAL HOUSING:
CLEAR PATHS:
DISINFECT STABLES:

Very useful stuff. Can't be that toxic or it couldn't be sold for these uses.

Can't be that toxic or it couldn't be sold for these uses

raisins are toxic for cats. They're sold.

Can't be that toxic or it couldn't be sold for these uses.

You literally just needed to take a couple of seconds to google is Jeyes fluid toxic to cats to find a resounding yes. 🙄

We look after a friend's dog every now and then. When a cat is spotted in the garden, we unleash the dog. He shoots out of the back door at 90 mph growling and barking savagely and chases it off the premises at top speed. The cats avoid us for a few weeks.

Can't be that toxic or it couldn't be sold for these uses.

Why does it say "use away from pets, especially cats and fish" then?

I'd tell the neighbours and ask if they can create an area in their own garden for the cats ot put some covered litter trays out. Film the cats in your garden, put the poo in a box and give it to the neighbours to get rid of. Tell them it's becoming a health hazard and your DC are at risk. Water pistol them when you see them.

www.viovet.co.uk/Jeyes-Fluid-Cleaner/c8864/

And a quote form a spokesperson from Jeyes fluid:

“All other usages require at least a 1:20 dilution and animals and children should be kept off any areas where it has been used until completely dry.”

I found a catapult and a supply of dried beans worked well. Not, I hasten to add, to shoot the cat. I aim at the fence and the thwack is loud enough to scare off the bravest cat. However, the only absolute cure, as someone has said upthread, was getting a dog.

Well to be honest even as a cat owner. If someone doesn't have a cat then they don't need to avoid that product because any cats aren't their concern.

I’d go with orange peel or other smelly suggestions to put round the garden, cat proof fencing if it’s an option, or an electronic noise deterrent.

If you’re new to the area, spraying the neighbours cats with water runs the risk of making you pretty unpopular (I caught one of mine squirting my cat with the hose because he walked through her garden...words were had, she’s never done it again).

The PP whose husband uses a BB gun - I hope you’re joking. If not, your husband is a total cunt and this is absolutely, without doubt, animal cruelty.

Dettol and Zoflora are also toxic to cats. Should I stop using those too, to avoid harming the shitty neighborhood cat who thinks it's fine to come into my house through an open window?

Jeyes fluid and ultrasound scarers did the trick for us.

they don't need to avoid that product because any cats aren't their concern.

No, but there is a huge difference between simply using a product and using it specifically to deter an animal for which is it toxic.

@HeckinHell if you told me off for spraying your cat I'd turn the hose on you.
It doesn't hurt the cat and it sends the right message that the little creature isn't welcome.

Studies looking at the impact of cats on bird populations don't separate feral and domestic cats so the statistics are pretty ropey. Man-made structures, particularly ones with a lot of glass, are more of a hazard to birds than domestic cats.

Hmm. Now who should we hold to account for the ginormous population of feral cats?

I'm perplexed by some people's insistence that cats should behave differently to other animals.

It's straighforward. Where an animal is domesticated, I expect it its owner to deal with everything related to it. Where an animal is wild, I expect local governments to deal with it. Not sure how that's perplexing.

I realise the law is not on my side, but it's basic neighbourly consideration innit.

I can lend you my dog for the weekend, he ensures that cats stay well clear (and protects the neighbours chickens from foxes)

So you would be OK if your neighbours dog used your garden as a toilet? @McT123 I would pick it up and put it in a flower bed, cover it with soil and get on with my day. I'd be more concerned that the neighbours dog could escape from my garden and get lost as there are lots of gaps in the hedges.

So you would be OK if your neighbours dog used your garden as a toilet? @McT123 I would pick it up and put it in a flower bed, cover it with soil and get on with my day. I'd be more concerned that the neighbours dog could escape from my garden and get lost as there are lots of gaps in the hedges.

I can see you're incredibly zen about dog poo or deliberately avoiding the point. You do know that it's illegal to not clean up after your dog, right? Most people object vigorously to dog poo.

Contraception - it’s a good thing we don’t live next to each other! I imagine we’d end up on one of those horrible TV shows about neighbours from hell, both of us pissed off.

(For what it’s worth, I didn’t tell her off - just said “Did you just spray my cat with your hose!?” She was pretty sheepish about it...he was literally just walking through, there was no need).

Most of the time any poo you find in your garden will be foxes etc - cats (for the most part) prefer to be discreet and bury it. Granted, some cats are assholes about it...but if one of mine was causing a problem I’d hope to be able to work with my neighbour to try to solve it, rather than the neighbour just deciding to try to scare my cat!

No but OK. She did the right thing. She didn't want him in her garden. A few more warnings with the hose and he probably wouldn't step foot in the garden again.

We have 4 cats; I've never had reason to believe they poo in our neighbours' gardens. We have plenty of flower beds in our garden they can and do use. We also have litter trays.

I would have no problem with any of the suggested solutions (apart from anything that would harm our cats or any others obviously).

we have dogs that hate cats and for some reason, the cats are scared of our dogs so they have never come into our garden. I would get those things you plug in, a friend uses it and works for her.

Our cats always bury their poo. I suspect foxes are responsible for at least some of these incidents described.