AIBU to be feeling cat-related rage?

[IntoTheMystics]

We’ve been living in our home for 4 years and during that time, on and off, a neighbourhood cat has been using our front garden as a toilet.

I’ve used repelling methods from the internet- chilli powder and cocktail sticks, but it didn’t really work. I also used this green gel that you can get in pet shops which gives off a smell cats don’t like, but the cat keeps coming back.

I like gardening and keep the borders looking smart. The children play in the garden too, so the 💩 that we come across is just revolting and dangerous.

I had a suspicion as to which cat it was (there’s a few in our estate) and caught it in the act this morning, so I now know which neighbour owns the cat.

If it was a dog, I’d have no problem approaching the neighbour about the problem, but with a cat I feel unsure about it. I’m not sure why, but I suppose it’s because I thought cats used litter trays in the home, but maybe not all do. And if the neighbours cat doesn’t, how can she control where he does his business?

Not a pet owner so fully prepared to be educated here. What would you do?

@Madcats

Our cats sometimes come in half drenched (neighbour doesn't like them).

You might gain satisfaction from using a water pistol

As it gets colder and wetter my two prefer to use a litter tray.

I might indeed! 😂

I adore cats! I have one of the little buggers sitting on my knee as I type. But I believe in taking responsibility for pets and I find the right to roam thing utterly ridiculous. It doesnt do the poor cats any favours.

@catsandhens

It never fails to amaze me that people think land ownership transcends species. We only own/rent/habit land in a human sense. Animals don't and shouldn't give a shit (literally) about our artificially constructed boundaries. Its a shame it causes issues for your children playing, but quite frankly given how many species humanity has driven to extinction, I think maybe we need to look to our own selfish behaviour before we start complaining about where animals choose to shit..

Given that the animal in question was artificially introduced by humans the OP’s reaction is valid…

When I had a garden and outdoor cats, I had litter boxes for them which were kept outdoors in an out-of-the-way area so it wasn’t smelly. You can get litter boxes with covers, or have a little kennel and put them in there. Cats used them every day so I think it minimised the effect on the neighbours. You have to clean the litter out of course but it’s a 5-minute job and better than picking up poos off the ground.

People always seemed surprised and amazed that we did this so thought I’d mention it!

If you were my neighbour and complained about my cat, I’d be sympathetic but unhelpful. There’s nothing I can do about where he chooses to poo.

I presume someone has at some point sprayed water or a water pistol at my cat to get him out of their garden because he runs a mile when he hears a spray sound. That might be worth a try?

@stayathomer

Just one example of how to catproof a garden: katzecure.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw-4SLBhCVARIsACrhWLU-NeQei2KgQTmtk9OqO6fSgVnUMFRyhazuqR6pJ0_cuBk4Y5aidCwaAvx-EALw_wcB

There are many different companies that have different methods

While we are hating on cat poo can we also stop dogs from pissing up everything on walks? (I don't hate dogs, or cats, or any other animal apart from giraffes )

@Burgerqueenbee Giraffes are gorgeous!! Why?!

Teabags soaked in Jeyes Fluid is a good repellent and rosemary bushes.

Cats are disgusting animals and should be made to use a litter box but I can't see lots of cat owners wanting a box of shit in their houses they'd rather it be someone else's problem.

@ProlesOnParole

I think maybe we need to look to our own selfish behaviour

Agreed. It's completely selfish to breed, buy and own animals for the sake of having mute biddable companions regardless of the impact they have on habitats - in this case, the op's and her children's habitat, plus the birds/insects that live in it.

Mute, biddable companions?

You clearly haven't had cats.

(One of mine is too discerning a feline to crap outside where her arse might get a breeze on it, the other is too physically disabled to climb the ten foot wall so goes behind the shed instead, so I don't have to worry about it - I'd go and clear it up every single time if I did have a cat that was crapping in a neighbour's front garden, though).

I also love my front garden yet do not have same reaction to cat poo. I see it as compost, and just dig it in, takes 2 seconds. Life is way too short and l am a lover of all animals, l am glad to share my space with animals who irrate me a lot less than people, and yes l had young kids of my own, shared a garden with dog, cats, hedgehog, frog, birds, etc and we survived.

It's so selfish and irresponsible.

If you are sure it's that cat or have CCTV then ask the neighbour to come and clean up the mess. If not bag it up and deliver it back.

It’s gross and it stinks. We have loads of cats visiting our garden as they love the birds we get, sadly they also sometimes manage to catch them which is really unpleasant.

@VitalsStable

Teabags soaked in Jeyes Fluid is a good repellent and rosemary bushes.

Cats are disgusting animals and should be made to use a litter box but I can't see lots of cat owners wanting a box of shit in their houses they'd rather it be someone else's problem.

Don't do that Jeyes fluid is poisonous to wildlife.

@Moonface123

I also love my front garden yet do not have same reaction to cat poo. I see it as compost, and just dig it in, takes 2 seconds. Life is way too short and l am a lover of all animals, l am glad to share my space with animals who irrate me a lot less than people, and yes l had young kids of my own, shared a garden with dog, cats, hedgehog, frog, birds, etc and we survived.

Lucky. I lost plants in the most popular toilet area😔 Hence the brambles now

Id rather have rats in my garden than cats.

I've had cats but made my garden secure so my neighbours didn't have to deal with the poop. If you can get motion activated sprinklers that could help.

I always say this sort of thing on these threads, but try persuasion, not force. Cats don't pollute areas where they eat, drink or have fun. Plant some catnip (make sure you surround it with some sort of netted cover or cats will destroy it immediately)

@TheNestedIf

I always say this sort of thing on these threads, but try persuasion, not force. Cats don't pollute areas where they eat, drink or have fun. Plant some catnip (make sure you surround it with some sort of netted cover or cats will destroy it immediately)

As much as I understand what you mean, unfortunately I have to fight because I don't want them hanging about when I have birds on red preservation alert nesting here.

No fight from me. I completely understand not wanting cats around if you have nesting birds. Even the laziest can rarely resist an easy target. It's just that I've never known a cat repellent to actually work.

@TheNestedIf

No fight from me. I completely understand not wanting cats around if you have nesting birds. Even the laziest can rarely resist an easy target. It's just that I've never known a cat repellent to actually work.

Magpies seem to handle them 😁 On the other hand they are also even bigger menaces than the cats😂 I made it uncomfortable for them and it seemed to do the trick except occasional visitor.

@twoforluck. Male urine works better for this. It’s the hormones.

Yeah dog piss. Dog piss everywhere. Every fucking dog I see is spraying
I find that fucking disgusting
And dog owners don’t always pick up shit.

So ban Pets all together or just face the fact in life that dogs and cats shit and piss. As do all the other incontinent creatures you don’t see that only come out at night.

@Thulian

When I had a garden and outdoor cats, I had litter boxes for them which were kept outdoors in an out-of-the-way area so it wasn’t smelly. You can get litter boxes with covers, or have a little kennel and put them in there. Cats used them every day so I think it minimised the effect on the neighbours. You have to clean the litter out of course but it’s a 5-minute job and better than picking up poos off the ground.

People always seemed surprised and amazed that we did this so thought I’d mention it!

This seems like a sensible suggestion.

Cats threads always go the same way. As a cat owner you can't win.

Mine is an indoor cat, so whilst that solves the issue of him shitting in the neighbours garden, it also according to MN makes me a cruel owner.