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

@floribunda18 Funny you should say that. I've got a slightly overgrown small courtyard garden that I actively try to encourage wildlife into. Unfortunately, due to the cats, no birds come by and they've destroyed all the pots I planted to encourage bees and butterflies.

I have two cats and a dog, and lots of birds visit the garden. A very small garden is going to be tricky to encourage birds into in any event as they don't always feel safe enough to venture near to houses.

RhubarbCrumbled All toys can be washed. If they can't why are you leaving them out in the rain/wind/sun anyway?

Seriously?Property?

You say cats discourage birds in your courtyard? Without a pic I can't comment. I have a courtyard front garden and a dog and cat. Eight bird species visit. I know from research that loss of habitat is what results in diminishing birdlife, not cats:

www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/gardening-for-wildlife/animal-deterrents/cats-and-garden-birds/are-cats-causing-bird-declines/

HTH.

Ahh, you're both cat owners. That explains it then. I hope you both keep your cats safe indoors as I'd hate for you to be on here in tears when they go missing. As is the problem with pets who are allowed to roam. And crap wherever they want.

HTH.

Also, why should I have to clean cat poo off toys? And it's the middle of the day and the DC have been playing. Do you tidy everything away immediately even when your DC are going back to play?

And please read on about habitat. They dug up the plants that I have put in to encourage wildlife. So the cats are actively destroying habitat.

I've often said the solution is to get a cat yourself.

I hope you both keep your cats safe indoors as I'd hate for you to be on here in tears when they go missing.

You say that as a kind of inevitability. I've had four cats in my life who are allowed out of the house, funnily enough, and none have gone missing.

@echt And yes. Seriously. Property.

I bought the toys / plants / garden. They are my property. What don't you understand about the term 'property'?

Let's see...you have small children playing in the garden, but it's the cats who are scaring the wildlife off. I see.

@floribunda18 I don't want a cat as I don't have the time to look after a pet.

And it's not inevitable, but always possible that a pet that is allowed to roam may, at some point, not come home. It's just another reason to look after your pets properly and keep them safe at home and within your own boundaries. It's just responsible pet ownership.

I told mine to let me know when they found any and I would go and clean it up, I also offered to pay for any netting or deterrent they wanted to buy to try to deter them. They have so far netted the plant pots over but wouldn't accept any money. I would be gutted if it was a vegetable patch and I think that's even worse

I'd tell them to get a life, frankly.

My neighbours cat was constantly shitting in our garden (only 1 cat round here) I asked them to do something about it as my DD is in the garden a lot and she is young so picks things up, he ignored me and even shut the door in my face!

When my DD nearly picked up a nice fresh stinking shit one day I had ENOUGH so now I collect it and put it on his door step now! hope he stands in it the prick!!! Safe to say I ignore him when he knocks on MY door now!

There is little you can do. That is why it is so annoying for your neighbour. Have some consideration and offer to clean it up regularly. So what if it might occasionally be another cat's- just demonstrate that you are sorry ( because it sounds like you are not at all sorry and the neighbour obviously realises you couldn't give a xxxx) instead of saying empty words.
I'm not a keen gardener but i detest finding cat poo in my garden and delight in borrowing my friend's dog every now and then, to remind the cats my garden is not a safe place for them.
The neighbour is not interested in your cat. The neighbour does not like your cat. The neighbour, in fact, dislikes your cat. There is no emotional attachment which balances out the nasty filthy job of cleaning up after it.
Would you be nonplussed if your neighbour tipped his shit in your garden and left you to clear it up on a regular basis?

I had no idea cat owners were so entitled (not all but someone on here calling the neighbour a cunt for not wanting cat shit?!)
When we moved here there was always a cat lurking in our garden.
Our dog followed a week later and now the little shite stays away. If I found it's shit I'd be delivering it to my neighbour for sure

People are aware cats a wild animals right? Because I got a serious problem about the big groups of birds that's shit in my garden.... who do I send that to?

I've never known neighbours who were bothered about cat poo. Nearly all my neighbours have cats, dogs or both, and I guess the ones who don't just have to get on with it. Sanity prevails, thank goodness.

@Alfiesmom15 if cats are wild animals then they should not be treated as pets. Do not feed them domesticated food or provide warmth or shelter. That should soon sort out the cat population problem. They'll go back to being afraid of humans and return to shitting in the woods and fields. I'm happy with that outcome.

Free the cats!

@floribunda18 sanity is that I have to clean up after other people's dirty animals? I really hope you're not my neighbour and pity all those around you that have such a selfish neighbour with this attitude.

Because I got a serious problem about the big groups of birds that's shit in my garden.... who do I send that to?

Exactly. We also get foxes, badgers and squirrels.

Actually part of my front border kept getting dug up last year and there was a bit of poo. I woke up in the early hours and there were two fox cubs running around, and I saw them a few times after that. I thought "Aw, brilliant!" rather than OMG POO - EXTERMINATE THE VERMIN.

They'll still come and shit in your garden, Rhubarb. They've singled you out as a target now. You do realise the cats are targetting you on purpose.

OMFG! Cat people really are absolutely nuts! Foxes birds and badgers are WILD ANIMALS and do not shit in other people's gardens anywhere near as often as cats do. Cats ARE NOT wild animals. They are pets. People choose to keep them in built up areas and then choose to allow them to roam in great numbers and upset huge numbers of people. They are not endangered. Their habitat is not at risk.

Just treat them as pets and keep them inside your own boundaries!

And if your house and garden aren't big enough to allow your cats to roam far enough then don't have cats as a pet.

OMFG! Cat people really are absolutely nuts!

Pot calling the kettle black here...

Some cat owners are incapable of rational thought. You have only to look at local community groups to observe that. And some ar obviously here as well.

You are supposed to love their cats' shit and not moan about it so that they can have ownership of a pet with no responsibility.

Then they moan when cats get run over and killed on the roads. or accidentally poisoned. Keep the fuckers inside. Problem solved.

@AuntieCJ exactly!