At my wits end with neighbourhood cats

[bulliedbycats]

Name changed as I have moaned about this IRL and don't want my posting history being looked up

I'm sick of them, two or three times a week there is poo in my garden, I keep catching one scratching at the cover on my glass garden table (cover changed twice now) if the bin is full and slightly open I have to remember to put a brick on it or they are in it, an unidentified one vomits in my garden every few months (usually If they've managed to get in the bin), I can't leave the door open if I'm in and out to the car because one of them tries to get in the house, they are a total menace.
If I posted that my neighbour let their dog poo in my garden and damage my property I'd be told the owner is irresponsible but as it's cats it's just what the roaming little shits do.
I've tried those sprays and powders to keep them out but it doesn't help.
I am not being unreasonable to be utterly fed up surely? Any advice on keeping them out much appreciated.

Before anyone starts I know some cats are house cats I'm not hating on all cats just these ones!

The motion detector things work on about 90% of cats I think.
A friend set up a company selling the first ones in the UK about 30 years ago. The cat I had then just used to ignore them, and if friend was around, flick him a rude tail gesture.

They love you OP, that's why they come to visit 😸

We have cats and love them. Appreciate though that the neighbours probably won’t.
Before our youngest ones are allowed out in spring, we’re going to install cat fencing to keep them all in our garden.
It probably seems unfair that you have to pay when they’re not your cats but I understand it works very well, keeps other cats out as well as owners’ in so maybe worth considering if you can afford too?

I love cats and used to have a couple but I really can see your point, I would get a supersoaker and spray them everytime I saw them, It wont hurt them it just really pisses them off, they hate being wet.

I would'nt bother getting a dog, our cats took great delight in annoying the dog next door, they would lay on the shed roof and flick their tails over the edge, the poor dog would lose his shit!

I can't get worked up over cat poo. I see it in the garden, swear, clean it up, and that's that. If you focus on an issue, it will seem worse.

Are you sure its cats in the bins and not foxes, squirrels or crows? I've seen squirrels rip a bin lid, and crows lift one and take the rubbish out. Caught them taking my bird feeders off the hooks too.

I'm a cat lover, animal lover. I've yet to let my 2 year old cat out as I'm afraid of what other people would do to it. The human race is not to be trusted. My previous cat had a curfew.

However, super soakers are good and do not cause harm, and some of the other humane methods mentioned above. Or plant more plants, use rocks etc.

@DenisetheMenace

We have cats and love them. Appreciate though that the neighbours probably won’t. Before our youngest ones are allowed out in spring, we’re going to install cat fencing to keep them all in our garden. It probably seems unfair that you have to pay when they’re not your cats but I understand it works very well, keeps other cats out as well as owners’ in so maybe worth considering if you can afford too?

You sound like a very responsible cat owner.

I will look into cat fencing but I think we'd need quite a lot and don't have lots of spare cash. Thank you for the suggestion

Higer fence or trellis at the top?

@EveryDayIsADuvetDay

The motion detector things work on about 90% of cats I think. A friend set up a company selling the first ones in the UK about 30 years ago. The cat I had then just used to ignore them, and if friend was around, flick him a rude tail gesture.

They love you OP, that's why they come to visit 😸

I wish they didn't like me!

I love cats, I have 2, but there’s a particular bastardcat that frequents my garden (and sometimes house) and fights mine, so I’m going to try the rubber snake idea.

I feel your pain.. I love feeding the birds and have feeders up. Bloody cats from next door are constantly in the garden trying to kill them. Pooping as they wait! I’ve put the feeders up on a long pole, concreted in to a large pot right in the middle of the garden so it’s away from all the fences and pretty much out of reach.

I’ve got a dog who will chase them away but I am afraid he will actually catch one and hurt it, which I don’t want. If I see a cat in the garden I bang on the patio doors to alert it, then let the dog out to chase, it gives the cat enough notice to scram and hopefully acts as a deterrent..

@Icenii

I can't get worked up over cat poo. I see it in the garden, swear, clean it up, and that's that. If you focus on an issue, it will seem worse.

Are you sure its cats in the bins and not foxes, squirrels or crows? I've seen squirrels rip a bin lid, and crows lift one and take the rubbish out. Caught them taking my bird feeders off the hooks too.

I'm a cat lover, animal lover. I've yet to let my 2 year old cat out as I'm afraid of what other people would do to it. The human race is not to be trusted. My previous cat had a curfew.

However, super soakers are good and do not cause harm, and some of the other humane methods mentioned above. Or plant more plants, use rocks etc.

Definitely cats in the bins I've caught them at it.

I do her worked up over the poo, I'm very squeamish and a bit of a germaphobe it makes me gag

I had the same issues with the neighbourhood cats. They also used our garden as a shag pad and the screeches were so loud it would scare my DC's. Also dodging cat Poo in the wild garden we had was horrendous. We got a dog! After the little buggers had very close escapes they moved down the road. We can still just about hear their amours but not near us!

I have a cat but I completely understand your point. Mind pees in certain spots in my garden (grass is ruined there completely) and does her poos on a patch of grass outside which I poop scoop regularly). Just because I pick up her poos (unless she goes elsewhere too but judging by frequency of my picking up after her I doubt it), I'd be fine with any neighbour using non harmful deterrents. Water pistols, sound deterrents, fence cat spikes and even chasing her off screaming and shouting, making their garden a hostile place she's too scared to enter.

I've just remembered what I have done. I had to cut back a holly bush and laid the cuttings over the empty beds (it'll be veg in the summer). Funnily enough the cats are avoiding those areas now.

Watching this page. Loads of cats around my way and I really dislike them, so disruptive. I regularly have to pick up their mess in the garden and they’ve ruined some garden equipment by clawing them to death.

You can get a cat fence. They work both ways meaning they don’t just keep cats in but they make it impossible for other cats to climb your fence to get in. That said, you may get holes dug by wildlife under the fence and keep an eye on it.

Or plant catnip and those stoners will just chill and stop pooping where they get high 😂

Neighbours get it worse than owners. If cats are fighting over your garden as territory, that's when they start leave poo about and generally be obnoxious.

I favour supersoaker or a motion operated sprinkler. I don't think the latter will ruin the garden, the cats aren't going to be going in there much after the first few tries. Anything motion activated is better than something that's on all the time or that will wash away in the rain IMO.

Can you install the anti cat rollers on top of the fence?
Curry plant (Helichrysum italicum) seemed to help in my case as well.

Chasing cats away like a mad woman screaming and shouting works pretty well. It makes them scared of your territory. Same with a super soaker every time. I'm lucky that my very tiny runt kitten sized (adult) cat is very territorial and she's scared away the giant unneutered Tom cat who moved in the area and started pissing on my shed door, clean laundry, back door and even open bedroom window which made my whole bedroom reek for days. (Get your fucking moggies neutered people!!!)
I wouldn't recommend getting a cat as you'd probably end up with a friendly welcoming one. But acting like a crazy lady scaring off cats might work after a while.

@megletsecond

I've just remembered what I have done. I had to cut back a holly bush and laid the cuttings over the empty beds (it'll be veg in the summer). Funnily enough the cats are avoiding those areas now.

I did same with brambles. No cat was injured, because they step carefully but it made ffor uncomfortable pooping so now these areas are clean.

Cat fencing is really expensive if you have anything more than a postage stamp garden. Apparently Lion poo works - if you have a zoo nearby they might sell it. I mean you could just end up with more cats coming in looking for the granddaddy of cats but it's supposed to deter them

They hate citrus, so orange/lemon peel may help. Or throw water at them. I love cats 🐱 but I can understand your frustration

You could try putting citrus peel or coffee grounds (you can ask a local cafe for grounds if you don't drink it yourself) around the garden as they don't like the smell. We successfully stopped an old neighbourhood cat from pooing in our front garden with coffee grounds. We have also used the motion sensor high pitched things successfully before on gravel that was used as a litter tray. (I'm a cat owner BTW).

I think that actually you should 'get worked up' about cat poo, It is disgusting, full of quite dangerous germs and bacteria, thats why pregnant women are advised not to clean litter trays.

I have a close relative who has toxoplasmosis and its a devasting disease, her eyesight permantly damaged.

I love cats, have owned them and miss having one now BUT, you have to be sensible and aware!

OP I get you. Spent so much money on bulbs for this spring, and "lasagne layered" them into beautiful pots, all of it dug up and cat crapped on. Same with vegetable patch.
Fuming.
As well as your chosen deterrent, try shovelling up some of the crap and putting it in a place where you think they ought to go instead (if there is one). If they live round your way, they will need to poo, so your strategy ought to be to divert them. They tend to poo where there turds already lie.
You cannot stop them crapping. They are antisocial crap machines disguised as fluffy old lady comfort, and they kill lots of useful and valuable wildlife such as frogs, birds, baby rabbits, and and and...
Really pisses me off too.