AIBU to find it utterly astounding that it's socially acceptable in England for pet cats to poop in other people's gardens??!

[DrawsSword]

I honestly cannot get my head round this. We've moved into a new house and the garden is full of cat shit. Not a single cat owner I know has a little tray for their cat to use. Where do cat owners think their cats poop? Do you honestly not care that it's in other peoples gardens?
My dh is from in a country where this is not socially acceptable and cat owners have litter trays and the cats bloody use them.

English people hating has moved on to English cat hating. I hope my cat doesn't read this he's a very clean boy who always poops in his tray.

@TheDuchessOfBeddington

Cat proof your garden. Saying that humans are the only species that treats their sewage, all other animals put it straight back in the earth to feed the plants.

Don't worry I am. 100 % positive nature didn't intend for 6 pet cats to be shitting in my garden unburied. I think the it's natural arguement is null and void in the realms of city gardens

I have two cats, not sure if they shit in other people's garden, probably.

I have a litter tray.

I’m not mad on stepping in dog shit either but it happens. My cat generally goes in my garden. They are not meant to be kept indoors and I could try having a polite conversation about where she goes to the toilet and being socially acceptable but I’m not sure she’d pay much attention.
I don’t have a litter tray because I don’t think it’s healthy to have animal poo (or any poo) indoors where food and children are. All kinds of animals poo in gardens and I’ve never come across cat poo anywhere other than on the soil.

Really? You have clearly never had a dog roll in fox shit

Why don't you start a petition calling for all cats to be kept in secure gardens or catios because no-one is breaking the law allowing them to roam

They are fine with it because it doesn’t impact them, only other people. A very selfish approach imo

I'm not sure it's something you can really prevent a cat from doing. I have an outdoor cat and I have a litter tray for him but of course he poops elsewhere. Other cats poop in my garden and I can't get worked up about it because I'm sure my cat poops in other gardens.

What should I do? Tell him not to? Put a nappy on him? Keep him indoors and make his life miserable?

I'll definitely have a word with him when he next comes in and tell him it's not socially acceptable to poop in other people's gardens but I'm afraid it will probably fall on deaf ears

I have litter trays. Unless it's raining they prefer to poo outside (although I'm in the middle of no-where so that's not an issue).

It's not that it's socially acceptable as such, anyone would find it annoying to have cats pooing in their flower beds, it's just that in the UK it's considered mildly cruel to keep cats inside (given our tiny houses), and as a result of that, and cat's naturally disobedient character, that means we can't control where they defecate. Cats are treated differently to dogs in law in multiple ways, and this is one of them.

@Immaculatemisconception

It's not acceptable to me. My dog goes in our garden and we clear it up.

Well yes, dogs are a bit different.

We have 3 litter trays for 2 cats, in the hope they won't poo in neighbours' gardens. I would rather they didn't poo in mine either, but they do and that's fine as they're my cats. Have advised neighbours to feel free to scare cats off with a water gun if they catch them trying to go in their gardens. Mostly they just like to go next door and wind their dog up though!

@Kotatsu

I have litter trays. Unless it's raining they prefer to poo outside (although I'm in the middle of no-where so that's not an issue).

It's not that it's socially acceptable as such, anyone would find it annoying to have cats pooing in their flower beds, it's just that in the UK it's considered mildly cruel to keep cats inside (given our tiny houses), and as a result of that, and cat's naturally disobedient character, that means we can't control where they defecate. Cats are treated differently to dogs in law in multiple ways, and this is one of them.

Don't have a cat then

@TwinklyBranch

Quite right. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland there are laws against this sort of thing.

Oh, I wish. This were so.

@bumblefeline

English people hating has moved on to English cat hating. I hope my cat doesn't read this he's a very clean boy who always poops in his tray.

Good boy

To answer your question, mine poo in the litter tray.

I don’t know a single cat owner who doesn’t have one, granted some cats might choose not to go in the litter tray and prefer to go outdoors but it’s not something that any cat owner I know doesn’t care about.

There are loads of options you can try if it bothers you but I won’t repeat them here, just read one of the other weekly posts from cat haters saying the same thing.

Why

@Theunamedcat

Really? You have clearly never had a dog roll in fox shit

Why don't you start a petition calling for all cats to be kept in secure gardens or catios because no-one is breaking the law allowing them to roam

That's my point. Why is socially (and legally) acceptable?

OP I don't think you understand that the cats rule us. They are in charge.

It's just the same as complaining about the other animals and birds that are shitting. The fact they might choose to pop into a human home every now and then for shelter and food doesn't change a thing.

It's not just socially acceptable, it's legally enshrined in a cats right to roam and shit in your garden

If it's going to wind you up this much you should probably move to a flat with no garden.

It's not ok for my dog to crap in someone else's garden. I'm not talking about wild animals, I'm taking about pet cats they have a different legal status. If you accidentally hit a dog with your car, you are required to report it to the police. This does not apply to cats.

And for avoidance of doubt, I am not suggesting you or anyone should set out to run over cats. You should avoid cats just as you would any other animal, wild or domestic.

You could always follow the cat home and curl one out on the owner's doorstep.

Cat proof your garden. Or get your own cat. Problem solved. Cats aren't going to understand that they can't shit in your garden.

You’re absolutely right, OP. I’ve had a stern word with my cat and told her it’s socially unacceptable to poo outside and she must use her tray at all times. I’m confident she took this very seriously. Problem solved. Everyone else just needs to do the same thing now.

@ShinyHappyPoster

There are lots of threads about this already. Most posters probably still feel the same as they did then. It's a shame that you're letting this spoil your new house for you especially since cats aren't a new introduction to the UK so it's not a new development. Most people have accepted cats as the rulers of the universe by now.

It hasn't spoilt anything. I love my house. I'll enjoy planting my garden up to deter cats. I'm curious as to why people think it's ok. No one ever appears to answer the question.

PhilCornwall1

@TMChappyascanbe

OP I don't think you understand that the cats rule us. They are in charge.

It's just the same as complaining about the other animals and birds that are shitting. The fact they might choose to pop into a human home every now and then for shelter and food doesn't change a thing.

It's not just socially acceptable, it's legally enshrined in a cats right to roam and shit in your garden

If it's going to wind you up this much you should probably move to a flat with no garden.

I'm not wound up

@PhilCornwall1

You could always follow the cat home and curl one out on the owner's doorstep.

Tempting