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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not want cats using my garden

267 replies

temporarygate · 06/04/2020 13:18

Our neighbours cats are frequently in my garden. Last summer they kept shitting at the bottom of our slide and killing birds a our bird feeder. We installed plastic fence spikes to deter them and the neighbour knocked on our door complaining his cats might get injured and that cats have the right to roam.

We have left the spikes up which has stopped them running across the fences to catch birds but the cats continue to come in through trees at the back of the garden and now have adopted our new garden sofas. We bought some of those ultrasonic sounders things but they are not making a difference. We spent £90 on sofa covers to prevent the cats sleeping on the garden furniture but every morning when we go out the cats shoot from under the covers - this morning there’s wet cat hair all over the cushions. I bring the throw cushions indoors but not the seat as back cushions as they are huge and there’s loads of them.

I feel pissed off that I’m going to a lot of hassle and expense of buying things and covering things for someone else’s pets to use.

OP posts:
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Hollywhiskey · 06/04/2020 16:34

If my cats were causing a problem to my neighbours I hope they would just talk to me about it. I'd probably buy them some sort of motion detector hose attachment
If my neighbour just started trapping my cats or hurt them in any way I would not be impressed, certainly wouldn't do anything to help them with the cat problem, or anything else, ever.
Fortunately we have lovely neighbours. We make sure there is always a freshly dug area of soil to encourage our cats to toilet in our own garden and provide scratching posts etc so they don't fre the need to do that elsewhere either. I would hate my neighbours to have a problem with cat poo from our cats - we all have small children so we have child proofed an area of our garden so none of our kids encounter cat poo. If this wasn't working they could just tell me and we'd work something out.

Rosebel · 06/04/2020 16:34

You can train a dog to stay in the garden, you can tell your children to stay in the garden. You can't do that with a cat.
I won't say on here what response you'd get if you trapped my cat.
If you don't want cats in your garden either live miles away from others or you'll have to cat proof your garden.
It's obviously your choice to feed birds but it's a risk if you have cats in the neighbourhood.

Terralee · 06/04/2020 16:38

This pic is especially for you @izzywizzygood
It's Istanbul where cats roam free & everyone cares for them collectively

To not want cats using my garden
Nottherealslimshady · 06/04/2020 16:42

Get a dog. Or sprinklers. People who own cats think that the fact they decided to get a cat means that all their neighbours now have to accept said cat shitting in their garden.

Spaceprincess · 06/04/2020 16:42

My neighbours to the rear of my house complained that my cat chases their dog. I have no idea what they expect me to do about it.

rubberoftheband · 06/04/2020 16:44

@Spaceprincess stop it's pocket money.... obviously! 🙄

Spaceprincess · 06/04/2020 16:55

@rubberoftheband I have tried grounding him but he just walked off...its like he dgaf

DollyDoneMore · 06/04/2020 16:58

Cat shit is disgusting, stinks and pollutes gardens for children and adults alike. The arrogance of cat owners who allow their animals to shit their way around local neighbourhoods knows no bounds.

bluebeck · 06/04/2020 17:01

The frothing that goes on about this is hilarious. Those of you who are really really worried about the effects of cat poo should have a look at this - www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/61646

Time to buy yourself a plastic or glass dome to cover your garden. Grin

MarieQueenofScots · 06/04/2020 17:03

bluebeck

I’m less worried about cat poo and more the damage their cat does to my property. Sadly they’re not the reasonable type of cat owner and are unwilling to discuss.

Baaaahhhhh · 06/04/2020 17:05

You could try getting a cat - we don't have anyone else's cat in our garden because we have a cat, and he shits here, usually when I have just planted something.

We do however have hedgehog poo in our lawn and fox poo in our drive. That's the outdoors for you, it's not supposed to be sterile. You love birds, but I presume they shit on the floor and table too?

Oldestchild90s · 06/04/2020 17:17

@izzywhizzygood

I think a large chunk of this population are vermin and deserve to be exterminated.. but there you go. Some you win some you lose

mumwon · 06/04/2020 17:18

apparently its illegal to trap cats you could be reported to the RSPCA & possibly be prosecuted. Some of the poo could well be foxes etc as pp says.You cannot expect the owners stop cats -if you don't want them make your garden catproof or deter them (no problem with water pistols!) as pp suggest - in a way that causes the animal no harm - you can trap or poison rats/mice as vermin - that is the only exclusion from this. A garden is a green space - nature is part of it which not only means birds but also their predators - & I bet you have foxes at night most of us don't realize that they are around even in the most urban areas of inner cities

RealLifeHotWaterBottle · 06/04/2020 17:20

Supersoaker or sprinklers,our neighbour used them on our cat and he learned pretty quickly to stay away.

Please dont trap the cat! It is, as others have said, against the law and punishable with a fine as well as obviously having a strong likelihood of the RSPCA taking an interest in your actions

RealLifeHotWaterBottle · 06/04/2020 17:21

That or borrow one of my three dogs...most cats take off on sight of the smallest one alone

Frankenheimer · 06/04/2020 17:23

If there's one thing cheering me up this afternoon, it's knowing that cats have more right to roam than RonnieBarkingMad .

I know which I'd rather find in my back garden.

JosieJosie1 · 06/04/2020 17:29

Just bought a super soaker for this very reason. Must plant some lavender too thanks for the tip previous poster!

Rosebel · 06/04/2020 17:30

Also notice no advice on how to stop a cat leaving your garden just people moaning. You can't train a cat, although ours tend to go in our garden anyway. More luck than judgment

fluffiphlox · 06/04/2020 17:51

You won’t win this one I’m afraid. MN is full of cat nuts. Personally I think the cats should be kept indoors. My husband occasionally lobs a training shoe at the ones that roam here but they just look blankly back. (He’s never managed to hit one with his trainer, more’s the pity).

LexMitior · 06/04/2020 17:53

Cat proof your garden.

Do not trap the animals: cats do have a right to go outside, they are not livestock nor are you responsible for damage caused by a cat.

Cats are their own special legal class; if you hurt or otherwise trap them you can face prosecution.

londonrach · 06/04/2020 17:55

Yanbu. I dont think cat owners realise what a pest their pet in. I wish legally they had to keep them within their garden like dogs. Cv can be caught on cat fur the scientists are suggesting so no idea why you like your pet roam now.

rubberoftheband · 06/04/2020 17:59

@londonrach could you link that information about the CV?

londonrach · 06/04/2020 18:11

@rubberoftheband... goggle its theres loads of articles. One such is this. www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/01/cats-can-infect-each-other-with-coronavirus-chinese-study-finds

Theres been a large cat in a zoo that got cv from the keeper. This virus is so new not overthing is known about it but at present i wouldnt let cats roam.

londonrach · 06/04/2020 18:11

Carried not caught but could be caught as so much not known about this virus

londonrach · 06/04/2020 18:13

Although that article is 1 april id still be worried if they say its on cupboard for three days....