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.

@JaniieJones

'But even with a tray you can't actually force the cat to crap in it without locking them inside '

No we can't force our pets to do things but that is where training comes in isn't it.

Why not lock them away anyway, cat proof your own garden cat owners, so they can have a wander then come back inside to continue being cute little pets not wild animals their owners bizarrely think they are.

Can't catproof my garden and my cat enjoys the company of about 5 of my neighbours so he'd be so stressed being kept in my garden in a pen. Not natural at all

@goinggently

This thread is pretty much summing up my thoughts about cat people.

YANBU OP. People should not be allowed to keep pets that they cannot keep under control. Cats are no different from other vermin.

Humans are vermin

@goinggently

This thread is pretty much summing up my thoughts about cat people.

YANBU OP. People should not be allowed to keep pets that they cannot keep under control. Cats are no different from other vermin.

Bit unfair to generalise. I've explained how we made our garden cat proof and the backlash we had from neighbours who didn't want the fence. So we kept our cats under control and the neighbours still didn't like it so unless you think the only reasonable thing was that we couldn't have cats I think we, cat lovers, were perfectly reasonable.

Are the neighbours being rude and nasty and involving the council a fair representation of non cat lovers? Judging by the reaction of the visiting councillors from the planning committee I don't think so.

'Next time my cat goes out I’ll be sure to follow him. I’ll just tightrope balance along all the fences, hop down into people’s gardens, nimbly dash through alleys and haul myself through bushes - all the while balancing a cat litter tray on my head in case my cat needs a poo. I am am a responsible cat owner, you see.'

Just keep it in. Is it a pet or a wild animal? Can I bring my dog round to yours to shit in the garden because, well it's what animals do innit! 🙄🙄

@JaniieJones

'Next time my cat goes out I’ll be sure to follow him. I’ll just tightrope balance along all the fences, hop down into people’s gardens, nimbly dash through alleys and haul myself through bushes - all the while balancing a cat litter tray on my head in case my cat needs a poo. I am am a responsible cat owner, you see.'

Just keep it in. Is it a pet or a wild animal? Can I bring my dog round to yours to shit in the garden because, well it's what animals do innit! 🙄🙄

You can't keep a cat used to going out in. Very cruel. Would you never walk your dog? I think not.

'Can't catproof my garden and my cat enjoys the company of about 5 of my neighbours so he'd be so stressed being kept in my garden in a pen'

Yeah but no but. Jesus.

“No we can't force our pets to do things but that is where training comes in isn't it.“

Oh yes... the TRAINING .

Hello Miffy the cat. Did you happen to poo anywhere other than your litter tray today? Tell the truth now..., Right, that’s only half a sachet of Felix for you. Let that be a lesson...

I had to catproof my garden after the neighbours cat came in constantly and shat in it.

I actually scooped it all up the first few times and put it back in the neighbours garden. They weren't happy but why should I have to deal with it. Dd and ds stepping in it, my dogs eating it then throwing it back up later on, it dug up my plants. Disgusting. They wouldn't be happy if I let my dogs shit in their garden. I put lion poo down, soaked it with a water pistol, let my dogs out everytime I saw it come into the garden.

If you can't keep your cats away from the neighbours then yes, I think you shouldn't have cats. They are unsuitable domestic pets

'You can't keep a cat used to going out in.'

Cat proof your garden. Keep it in your garden.HTH.

'Hello Miffy the cat. Did you happen to poo anywhere other than your litter tray today? Tell the truth now..., Right, that’s only half a sachet of Felix for you. Let that be a lesson...'

You do know it is not only possible but actually very common for pet owners to train their pets don't you .

@JaniieJones

'You can't keep a cat used to going out in.'

Cat proof your garden. Keep it in your garden.HTH.

'Hello Miffy the cat. Did you happen to poo anywhere other than your litter tray today? Tell the truth now..., Right, that’s only half a sachet of Felix for you. Let that be a lesson...'

You do know it is not only possible but actually very common for pet owners to train their pets don't you .

Already responded on the cat proofing my garden comment. Number 1, I can't and number 2, even if I could I wouldn't as it's cruel.

@JaniieJones

'Can't catproof my garden and my cat enjoys the company of about 5 of my neighbours so he'd be so stressed being kept in my garden in a pen'

Yeah but no but. Jesus.

What are you on about?

“You do know it is not only possible but actually very common for pet owners to train their pets don't you confused.”

You do realise cats are not the same (in terms of ‘trainability’) as dogs, don’t you?

Have you ever had a cat, Janiie?

Do share your cat-training techniques with the nation so we can all ‘wake up.’

'I actually scooped it all up the first few times and put it back in the neighbours garden. They weren't happy but why should I have to deal with it. Dd and ds stepping in it, my dogs eating it then throwing it back up later on, it dug up my plants. Disgusting. They wouldn't be happy if I let my dogs shit in their garden'

Grim isn't it it. But think of poor kitty with hapless owners, it's just not their fault !! they must be free to roam all over everyone's else's property apparently.

Cat owners, cat proof your gardens to allow shitting on your premises only or keep them indoors. None of this wibbly 'I can't!' crap.

@JaniieJones

'I actually scooped it all up the first few times and put it back in the neighbours garden. They weren't happy but why should I have to deal with it. Dd and ds stepping in it, my dogs eating it then throwing it back up later on, it dug up my plants. Disgusting. They wouldn't be happy if I let my dogs shit in their garden'

Grim isn't it it. But think of poor kitty with hapless owners, it's just not their fault !! they must be free to roam all over everyone's else's property apparently.

Cat owners, cat proof your gardens to allow shitting on your premises only or keep them indoors. None of this wibbly 'I can't!' crap.

Wow you're like a broken record. I'd focus all your anger on something you can actually change if I were you. Because people are never going to stop their cats roaming.

@paloma2

“You do know it is not only possible but actually very common for pet owners to train their pets don't you confused.”

You do realise cats are not the same (in terms of ‘trainability’) as dogs, don’t you?

Have you ever had a cat, Janiie?

Do share your cat-training techniques with the nation so we can all ‘wake up.’

Well the Cat magazine has training tips, do they know cats can't be trained? You must let them know

'Wow you're like a broken record. '

I'm like a broken record because irresponsible cat owners need it spelling out to them it seems, all this ridiculous enabling on this thread. It isn't ok, they aren't wild animals and do not need to roam, if they do let them roam in your own garden only. I do not want cat shit in my garden and I'll keep saying it thanks.

I have litter trays.

They still shit in the kids sandpit.

We had to invest in an industrial strength lid.

Dirty buggers.

@JaniieJones keep saying it all you want. It's literally falling on deaf ears. My cats are allowed to roam and do need to as much as your dog needs a walk. Keeping them in, even in my yard is cruel when they have been allowed to roam their whole lives. The elderly lady my cat visits everyday will be very upset if he stops. She even said herself he was what kept her going during lockdown.

They have litter trays. In and out and they can use them if they wish. I can't force them unless I lock them in and that is never going to happen

@JaniieJones

'I actually scooped it all up the first few times and put it back in the neighbours garden. They weren't happy but why should I have to deal with it. Dd and ds stepping in it, my dogs eating it then throwing it back up later on, it dug up my plants. Disgusting. They wouldn't be happy if I let my dogs shit in their garden'

Grim isn't it it. But think of poor kitty with hapless owners, it's just not their fault !! they must be free to roam all over everyone's else's property apparently.

Cat owners, cat proof your gardens to allow shitting on your premises only or keep them indoors. None of this wibbly 'I can't!' crap.

Honestly, if you are that bothered just cat proof your own garden? I do not understand people not dealing with something that causes them such anger. It's like you enjoy the angst and the moaning.

Cat's come from far and wide as they naturally roam and therefore you'll never locate all their owners.

@AllThingsServeTheBeam

I agree, humans cause far more destruction to the planet than any other species but off course many will pretend otherwise.
In fact cat poo is far better for the environment than human waste which causes water pollution. It’s bizarre how humans label some animals as vermin when we’re the vermin and are far worse than animals, who existed long before we existed and entered a path of destruction.

Those also spouting keeps your cats in etc, unless you’re shitting in your own gardens, then you really are nothing less than a hypocrite! Which I assume you don’t, so you’re no better than the cats shitting on the grass.

Janiie - the fact is, you can’t train a cat in the same way as you can a dog.

As kittens, cats are kept indoors and yes, they can be ‘trained’ to use a litter tray - in the sense that you put them in it if you see them scrabbling with their paws as if they’re trying to dig to go to the loo.

If this is what you mean by ‘training,’ well, all cat owners do that .

However, once a cat starts to go out, it may well continue to use its litter tray, but beyond that, how can you be sure whether the cat is also pooing elsewhere? How would you know?

How can you tell if a cat is ‘trained’ or not?

I’ve already explained to you that if I balanced along the fences to try to follow my cats, I would

a) break the fence
b) do myself an injury
c) get reported as an intruder

It is cruel to keep most cats indoors, in exactly the same way as it is cruel to keep most dogs indoors.

Would you keep your dog indoors all its life? I think not. So stop talking bs. The only difference is, you can train a dog to go for walk with you in a lead and dogs do not climb. You can’t take a cat out on a lead because they climb. Dogs are pack animals with totally different instincts to cats. I can’t believe I’m even having this ridiculous conversation.

@paloma2

Janiie - the fact is, you can’t train a cat in the same way as you can a dog.

As kittens, cats are kept indoors and yes, they can be ‘trained’ to use a litter tray - in the sense that you put them in it if you see them scrabbling with their paws as if they’re trying to dig to go to the loo.

If this is what you mean by ‘training,’ well, all cat owners do that .

However, once a cat starts to go out, it may well continue to use its litter tray, but beyond that, how can you be sure whether the cat is also pooing elsewhere? How would you know?

How can you tell if a cat is ‘trained’ or not?

I’ve already explained to you that if I balanced along the fences to try to follow my cats, I would

a) break the fence
b) do myself an injury
c) get reported as an intruder

It is cruel to keep most cats indoors, in exactly the same way as it is cruel to keep most dogs indoors.

Would you keep your dog indoors all its life? I think not. So stop talking bs. The only difference is, you can train a dog to go for walk with you in a lead and dogs do not climb. You can’t take a cat out on a lead because they climb. Dogs are pack animals with totally different instincts to cats. I can’t believe I’m even having this ridiculous conversation.

And you'll be having it again when someone starts the exact same thread in around a week's time 😂

It isn't "socially acceptable" but cats are not as domesticated as we like to think.
Don't start comparing different cultures - in some cultures it's acceptable for kids to crap in the gutter..!

'And you'll be having it again when someone starts the exact same thread in around a week's time'

Yes because it isn't ok or acceptable despite all the lame excuses. Why tf should we put up with manky cats in the garden killing birds let alone digging plants up and shitting. Keep them on your own property.