To wonder what you would say to a neighbour complaining about your cat weeing and pooing their prize vegetable garden?

[Upthepong]

Just that really. I'm a bit non-plussed about it all

But in practice, cases involving damage to property or injury to people by cats are few and far between.
Judging by posts here incidents of damage caused by cats is actually quite high it's just not recorded is it?

And where do they record injury caused by toxoplasmosis passed on by cats?

Littlechristmas quite often within the first year of moving to my property. I'd regularly find dog poo in my front garden, especially when I was trying to dig up the old patchy lawn and rake the dirt over to put stones down.

I ended up planting a hedge (as it was an open front to the pavement) but the problem didn't completely solve it until the hedge started to fill out.

Even now I find the odd dog turd on my front path, so I put up a front gate and quite often dogs cock their leg on it to pee and a few times I've gone out to my car to find a dog has pooed on the pavement right outside my front gate.

All the dog shit collectors here: you don't pick up every poop if you let your dog off the lead, ever. So someone might bump into it.

I watch my dog like a hawk when she's off the lead, so that I can pick up any poo if she happens to have one. She's very regular in her habits though, so she rarely poos other than in our garde, and even then she uses the same area of lawn.

Dog owners who don't pick up after their dogs give me the rage, because they give ammunition to the anti-dog lobby. However, they are in thr minority these days. I can't recall when I last saw dog shit in a public place.

I don't think the law sees cat poo as damage to property do they?

Judging by posts here incidents of damage caused by cats is actually quite high it's just not recorded is it?

Such as?

The primary source of infection with toxoplasmosis is undercooked meat:

www2.health.vic.gov.au/public-health/infectious-diseases/disease-information-advice/toxoplasmosis

The cats poop on my Astro turf in my front garden here. Lazy sods. I ran a white cat off mid poo the other day before anyone try’s to claim it wasn’t a cat at all. I have my own I know what their poo looks like.

I’m pretty sure those scratches on my fence and gates caused by cats climbing and scratching are erm damage.

I’m pretty sure those scratches on my fence and gates caused by cats climbing and scratching are erm damage

Report their asses. Bastards.

The cats poop on my Astro turf in my front garden here

Hose it off. Isn't that why you got that hideous stuff in the first place?

Damage to property - broken our wooden fences by using the slats as a ladder, digging up my bulbs and young plants, shredded a bbq cover by using as a scratch post.

That toxoplasmosis study is Australian. I don't know if it would apply here. Pregnant women in the UK are advised against emptying litter trays due to risk of toxoplasmosis so cat faeces is clearly a risk. As is cat scratch disease. Cat's aren't harmless.

The cats poop on my Astro turf in my front garden here

It's a statement they're making there, not just a poo.

😼

Honestly I'd try and do something. There have been a raft of animal poisoning near us lately. I have no proof but slight suspect a keen gardener neighbor who stops people on the street giving out about animals peeing in his garden..😠

We got the Astro turf because we where fed up of them shitting on the grass.

I have no proof but slight suspect a keen gardener neighbor who stops people on the street giving out about animals peeing in his garden.

It's more likely that they've ingested rat poison. It's a rare street that doesn't have a few rats and thus some poison to get rid of them. We have poison down now, trying to keep them at bay. We back on to farm land.

It's more likely that they've ingested rat poison. It's a rare street that doesn't have a few rats and thus some poison to get rid of them.

Yup. And this is what I find so galling about cat owners (and to a lesser extent dog owners): not only are you supposed to put up with the shit and the damage from their pets but you’re also supposed to take care to avoid accidentally harming them.

No Jeyes fluid, no rat poison. Fuck that. They roam, they take their chances.

Yup. And this is what I find so galling about cat owners (and to a lesser extent dog owners): not only are you supposed to put up with the shit and the damage from their pets but you’re also supposed to take care to avoid accidentally harming them.

The thing is, most people don't actually want to cause unnecessary suffering to animals

The thing is, most people don't actually want to cause unnecessary suffering to animals

No they don’t. But they want to get of rats and other vermin. Why shouldn’t they do that to the risk of cats or dogs?

[bold] To the person suggesting bamboo skewers - we tried this but took them up because you couldn't weed the beds without nearly loosing an eye

That would be me. That's why I said pointy end down. Don't know about you, but I don't put my face within six inches of the soil to weed. [/bold]

I’m afraid my toddler does and I’d prefer him not to lose an eye to a sharp stick (pointy end up or down!). I’d also rather not sprinkle lion dung round the veg beds any more than cat poo or use a sonic repellent as I can often hear them and a young child almost certainly would (something very similar is used to stop teenagers loitering in the entrance to our city train station as most adults can’t hear it but younger people can). Any other practical suggestions would be welcome. As I mentioned we have built a fruit cage for the fruit bed that will go up soon but it’s a pain in the arse to try to do something similar to the veg beds that have bean poles taller than me in sometimes.

Caging is honestly the easy thing unless you can say net your whole garden as if you where trying to keep a cat in.

That toxoplasmosis study is Australian. I don't know if it would apply here

Hope this helps. Because it's the same here:

www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/pregnancy/what-are-the-risks-of-toxoplasmosis-during-pregnancy/

That would be me. That's why I said pointy end down. Don't know about you, but I don't put my face within six inches of the soil to weed

Use the paddle ones. I suggested this earlier.

Cats pooing in my garden drives me up the wall. Last year all my summer pots were destroyed by cats pooing then digging. The DC have come in covered after digging in the garden or just walking over it when they just poo on the patio. Toys have been pood on. And the smell is horrific in hot weather.

I have tried pepper, car deterrents and water pistols. And all the neighbours do is make head tilty 'sorry' face. Generally I'm very mild mannered and love animals but I really fucking hate this attitude with cats. YOU ARE DESTROYING MY PROPERTY AND ENJOYMENT OF IT BY LETTING YOUR PETS SHIT ALL OVER IT.

Use paddle skewers.

I have a cat and dog and veggie patch so know it works.

Take your toys in.

Hose the patio.

Oh, and they are so NOT destroying your property.

@echt I do hose the patio. The toys were shit on in the middle of the day. WTF are paddle skewers and why should I pay out for other people's pets foul habits?
Keep your cats in your own garden. They're YOUR pets that YOU chose so cat proof YOUR garden to keep them in. If they 'need to roam' take them out on a long lead.

@echt yes they are destroying my property when I have to throw away perfectly good toys because I can't wash the shit off and when healthy plants are dug up and destroyed and have to be thrown away.

That's destruction of my property.

I have a vegetable patch and several herbaceous borders have never been remotely bothered by cat poo. If any cats do poo in the garden it's probably up at the top behind the shed where the compost is, and it's nice and soft to dig in. The "gardeners" who seem to be plagued by cat poo seem to be the ones who have horrible neat freak gardens with plastic lawns and decking and hardly any herbaceous plants, and actively discourage wildlife, like a chavvy outdoor living room. It's karma.