Cats shitting in my back garden

[Murfs]

Totally posting here for traffic. There are a few neighbourhood cats knocking about. We have found a few dead birds in our back garden (we feed the birds) and now im finding cat shit out there too. We have a lovely gentle lurcher who detests cats but she is generally an inside dog. She runs any cats that come in the back garden on the rare occassion she goes out the back. Any tips to keep the bloody cats away? We use our back garden with our toddler and now need to check the garden for shit or dead birds before I let my toddler out to play. We have a 6ft fence enclosing our garden and its defo not the dog shitting/killing the birds.

I have this problem and I can’t do anything about it as the cats in question live in the flat above mine

Best way to deter other cats, is to get one of your own. He will guard your garden and chase off others. Never seen or experienced a cat pooping on grass or on doorsteps though.... that does sound more like a fox or a hedgehog.

I have two cats and a dog. I wouldn't want a random cat coming in my garden to take a shit so either get a water pistol and shoot at the cats ( do this to my dog when she either barks at the cats or digs up my garden), let the dog out more, or actually get a cat.

@BigWoollyJumpers I have two and they're both useless! I've had to use the water pistol on a neighbour's cat that was coming in and scaring mine, wrecking their home, eating their food etc.

Just want to say as a cat owner, I would actively encourage my neighbours to chuck water at my cats or chase them off if they were being a nuisance. As long as it's not a cruel method then have at it. They need to learn.

Do you know which cats are culprits? Do you ever see them?

I only ask because there are two cats that live in a house whose garden backs on to ours and they were always pooing in our garden. It was a total nightmare. Having to screen your garden before letting your children play in it and then having to pick up someone else’s cat’s poo is just disgusting. It was a daily occurrence for us.

Anyhow, my friend told me that the way to address it is to buy the cats lots of treats and feed them in our garden - the theory is that the cats then see our home (garden) as one similar to its own (where they are fed) and therefore do not poo in the vicinity.

I was dubious at first but I gave it a go and it totally worked!!

It may cost me some money each week to buy some Dreamies but they’ve never had a poo in the garden since I started doing it

Most mornings I wake up now and see the two cats sitting outside the kitchen door waiting for an early morning treat

Just want to say as a cat owner, I would actively encourage my neighbours to chuck water at my cats or chase them off if they were being a nuisance. As long as it's not a cruel method then have at it. They need to learn.

Totally agree. My neighbour made a comment about one of mine crapping in her garden, I told her to get a water gun and shoot them, and if she ever sees them crapping then I'll come and pick it up.

If you have a solid 6ft fence, one or two strands of strimmer line strung 6 and 8" above that should do the trick.

For flowerbeds and borders, at least, you cant beat Cat Scat Mats - search on Amazon - cheap, loads to choose from and very effective...

I have personal experience - they work instantly - and I enjoyed watching the cats try and take a dump after installation...!!

we got a sonic deterrent thing - its motion activated so only goes off if something moves in front of it( as opposed to some that are constantly on) that way its only sounding if an animal moves in our front garden and is pointed towards the gravel area where the bins are. the next door cat wont be disturbed if it stays in its own gard but if it comes in to ours to use the toilet the sound will go off and the light flashes to scare it away/

If its the same space or bedding area plant some lavender there, they hate it. Trick is to move them on for long enough they get comfy shitting somewhere else.

I set up my nice new raised beds, filled them with compost and left for the garden centre for some plants. Came back to not one but 2 large dollops of cat poo bang in the middle of the beds.

DH bought me a solar powered cat scarer from Amazon (www.<a class="break-all" href="https://amazon.co.uk/vonivi-Repellent-Ultrasonic-Deterrent-Rechargeable/dp/B08JLZVV2D/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&crid=94OXKTHSH0V0&keywords=cat%20scarers%20for%20gardens&sprefix=cat%20scarer%2Cundefined%2C182&qid=1625688916&sr=8-6%29%2C&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-am-i-being-unreasonable-4290682-Cats-shitting-in-my-back-garden" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">amazon.co.uk/vonivi-Repellent-Ultrasonic-Deterrent-Rechargeable/dp/B08JLZVV2D/ref=sr_1_6?crid=94OXKTHSH0V0&dchild=1&keywords=cat+scarers+for+gardens&qid=1625688916&sprefix=cat+scarer%2Cundefined%2C182&sr=8-6), and I also put down some of the gel cat repellent. No problems since!

So gross. Its unfair that you can't let your child play out in your own garden, without having to check. Grim. Feel your pain

@FrankButchersDickieBow

Someone will come on and ask 'are you sure it's not a fox' 😂

Yea

Closely followed by the assertion that it can't be cats because they ALWAYS bury their shit

@RealBecca

If its the same space or bedding area plant some lavender there, they hate it. Trick is to move them on for long enough they get comfy shitting somewhere else.

My cat sleeps in the lavender - I have it everywhere!

My next door neighbour's cat shits in our garden and doesn't bury it. He also digs up weaker plants to give himself a bigger space. I've seen him do it. I bought a super soaker on amazon for £8.99 and have it ready. Annoyingly he shits right next to a plant called "Kick Off Cat" which was supposed to deter him. He's also not bothered by lavender.

Next spring we're planning to fill his preferred place with prickly plants that cover the ground and can't just be dug up.

I need to have a look at suggestions in the meantime.

I have the same problem but they're my own cats who have 3 clean litter trays indoors. I tolerate it because they're mine and I'd rather they used my garden than someone else's. I do go out and scoop it up every day or two in the hole that they don't go looking for new toilet spots. If they are using neighbouring gardens I'd have no problem with the neighbours using a water gun or chasing them away.

I have a theory..... it may be nonsense, but I do wonder.....

Cats with litter trays never really have to bury their poo, so get lazy. When they go outside, they use the same strategy, just laying a log wherever.

Outside cats, who don't have access to litter trays, dig down to Australia, squat, dig a bit more, squat again, and spend ten minutes covering their poo up. Mine do anyway!!

I saw a garden which had metal things like coat hooks ( the ones you attach to the wall) round the inside of the garden fence about 6 ft apart, then netting run along it - ie you have a sloping net fence leaning into the garden, a foot or so wide, making it impossible for them to get out and difficult to get in. I suspect it was for foxes but would stop cats too. These animals are wily and won't want to be trapped in a space.

BTW this was near the top of the fence but not visible unless you looked over and dark netting meant it wouldn't look unsightly.

I have tried everything, and nothing works apart from having dogs. The amount of cat shit really gets me down.
I just have to accept that some people don’t care about the effect their pets have on others’ wellbeing and that I have to clean it up daily.

I have seriously considered poison.

The only real deterrent we found, that worked, was having a dog. They'll act aa a deterrent while playing in the garden, and their scent should do the trick the rest of the time.

@DavidTheDog

I have seriously considered poison.

You night want to retract that .

My cats go outside but the minute they come in they go in their trays,
Surprised having a dog doesn’t deter them, never see another cat with my dogs the pup barks at them

Of course I wouldn’t lay poison because I wouldn’t want an animal to suffer, but the thought has crossed my mind when yet again my new plants and compost have been dug up overnight and I’ve stepped in car shit just hanging out laundry in my own garden.