To think this is a bit bizarre.

[maybeimamazed456]

This afternoon had a knock on the door from my neighbour who I've spoken to once. She said my 8 month old kitten had been shitting all over her garden and there was shit everywhere.

I find this strange as -

1. Cats usually go in private areas and bury their mess.

1. Other than picking up the shit there's not really much I can do.

I of course said to her I would go round tomorrow (working from home today) and pick it up. But I just find it an odd thing to go to someone's door about.

I'm even wondering if it's a fox that's been making the mess because cats wouldn't usually just leave shit at random all over the place. I also said I will look into anything that can be added to her garden so I've found deterrent spray but if that doesn't work, I can't do much more. They're cats.
And I'm not going round to her garden everyday to pick up shit.

AIBU?

My cat poos in her litter tray (when wet) or in our garden (I’ve seen her do it, tbf she always does it in the flower bed and buries it, or at least attempts to!) I’d be horrified if she did it elsewhere.

Can you imagine the comments if it was a dog.

For some reason people seem to think that cats can shit anywhere but dogs can't.

OP we have had this both with foxes & other peoples cats in our garden. As another poster said, it got v v stressful checking the garden every morning. They regard it as "their" territory. We solved it by making them think another animal was using it as territory...I think that's how lion poo(?) deterrent works? (You can buy this). Applied in your neighbours garden your cat would think another cat/whatever is using it as their territory, and your cat will go elsewhere (ideally in a litter tray).

We solved it in our garden by saving our urine (sorry!) for a few days and sprinkling it round the edges of garden. Sounds grim but it definitely put the cats off coming in & I would rather collect own wee for few days than pick up cat poo on a regular basis (OP I realise you are unlikely to want to do this in neighbours garden, so that's why I suggested lion poo. But the collect own wee suggestion is for those who have poo problem in own garden).

I’ve read elsewhere to put down bamboo spikes in your lawn. Other suggestions include hawthorn thorns. Of course then your children may be affected. It’s ridiculous the lengths people have to go to to make their own gardens safe to use.
Spikes on top of your fence seems a good way to do it.

Much as I'm sure we'd all like to, visiting other people's gardens to pick up shit is illegal under current Covid restrictions.

@SkiingIsHeaven

Can you imagine the comments if it was a dog.

For some reason people seem to think that cats can shit anywhere but dogs can't.

Well by law that's true. So it I can understand why people feel like that. Doesn't make it right, but lots of laws aren't about what is right.

She needs to get her own cat, then your cat won't shit there anymore due to territory, and neither will hers! 😂

@CookPassBabtridge

She needs to get her own cat, then your cat won't shit there anymore due to territory, and neither will hers! 😂

Not true. Both our cats and the neighbourhood cats shit in our garden.

It's about time the law on cats was changed, and that's the great thing about laws, they can be changed.
Roaming free might be fine out in the countryside but in towns and villages/housing estates it makes irresponsible cat ownership a nuisance to others

@user1471447863 completely agree. Nobody’s individual choice to own a pet should so grossly inconvenience other people with no accountability or control. I’m really shocked reading these posts from poor folk who’s gardens are besieged by bloody cats. How unfair.

OP I would strongly encourage you to have at least one litter tray inside your house. The usual rule is one tray for each cat, plus an extra one. Male cats in particular are susceptible to some horrible urinary problems. I sadly lost my lovely male cat last year as he had a cancerous tumour in his bladder. If we hadn't had litter trays in the house, we may not have noticed so quickly and he could have been in pain for longer than necessary. The tumour caused him to have blood in his urine, which we could see in the litter trays, and also to urinate more frequently, which we could see was happening as he was using the trays in the house.

If you use a good cat litter, we buy Biolet cat litter, and remove the wet litter every day or two, smells will be minimal. I can see why you think having a covered tray outside might work, but you still wouldn't be able to keep an eye on the frequency your cat is urinating. With inside trays you can tell if they are going more than usual, and that is an early sign of urinary problems. It's really important to be able to keep an eye on the toileting habits of your cats.

If you want more advice, I would recommend you post in "the litter tray" section of Mumsnet. You will get more focused replies from cat owners who have lots of experience.

I have an indoor cat (the breed is well suited to it before anyone says I'm cruel) and have a litter tray of course that I clean everyday. It makes me seethe when I find other people's cat poo on my property. Why is it ok? It's not ok for dog owners to let their dogs crap and not pick it up. Makes no sense to me.

@LaceyBetty
Well clearly you wouldn't understand the freedom inherent to cats since you've gone and bought yourself basically a furry doll

@CrotchBurn absolutely not true. Where I'm from in Canada they don't even let you adopt rescue cats from the shelter unless you agree to keep them inside. Do you know how many cats are killed by cars, other animals etc.? The life expectancy is half for outdoor cats vis a vis indoor cats.

Sorry, should add, he does actually go outside in my fully enclosed garden. I just don't let him roam away or poo on others property or get hit by a car.

Well I went round this morning, a shit load of shit...not good! So will have to do something.

Clearly this comes from the frustration of not being able to entirely control things: because it's the natural world. I can imagine if youre a complete control freak cats would give you the rage - because they go where they like and resist your arbitrary rules which might apply inside your house but cant in your garden.

Cat shit, slugs, weeds - these arent things I fight and I think it's sad that people do just because they want to grow petunias or whatever

People have explained very clearly several times now exactly what the problem is, and it has very little to do with "growing petunias" (although people should perfectly reasonably expect to be able to do this unhindered in their own garden) and even less to do with being a control freak 🙄 It has more to do with your children being able to play safely in their own garden, with being able to eat food that you grow in your own garden and being able to enjoy your own garden without having to pick up the faeces of someone else's pet every day. None of the other examples that you have given pose the same health risks or inconvenience as cat faeces. They are completely irrelevant. I'm surprised that it's difficult to understand, as it isn't really a complex situation to get your head around. If you are selfish and don't care about the negative impact that your lifestyle choices have on those around you, it's much simpler to just say that, rather than play dumb and come up with irrelevant counter-arguments that fail to address the issue.

@ThroughThickAndThin01

If your cat shits in her garden, you need to clear it up. I’d hate to be her.

Yep! You sound very entitled! 🤷🏻‍♀️

I have 3 cats who go where they please. We do have a litter tray as they are all getting on a bit (one's 17). No one has ever complained about them to me, but I am really not the only cat owner round here. One of them has come in with very wet hindquarters which I suspect is the result of someone spraying water at her. I have no problem with that and think it's absolutely fair enough.

@LaceyBetty, I just wonder how you "don't let him" poo on others' property? If he's an indoor cat then yes, you don't have to worry about any of that, but if you let go outside it doesn't really matter whether your garden is fully enclosed or not, unless you've got a roof on it a cat will find a way out.....

@Jux

I stay outside with him and supervise.

My cat is abnormal maybe because she's very old. She shits in our garden, I've found the cat deterrent pellets from the pound shop work really well but only in dry weather. Leave a bottle of that on her doorstep.

@maybeimamazed456

Well I went round this morning, a shit load of shit...not good! So will have to do something.

Well done on being responsible

Cats shit in my garden. Owners that let their cats shit in my garden are shits.

I love cats but yes they do shit everywhere and its not acceptable at all. Cats should be trained to use a litter tray indoors if possible. If its your pet crapping in someones garden then you need to sort it out or keep it in. I'd love a cat but doubt I'd be able to stop it shitting in neighbours gardens so as a responsible and considerate person I just won't have one.