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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think sonic cat deterrents should be banned

33 replies

solarbirdscalm · 01/09/2022 20:43

Aside from the fact that they don't deter cats, children and young adults can hear them, and lots of people get headaches from them. I don't understand why they are still allowed. I currently can't go more than half way down my front garden without setting off the one in the garden of the neighbour opposite. They aren't particularly friendly people and if it is pointed out to them will probably just shrug and say they can't hear it. Which they won't be able to as they are probably in their mid 70s. If I had more time I would consider dumping a load of junk in my garden just to annoy them. Also, of all the things to retain as I get older, I get to still hear sonic cat deterrents? Really?

OP posts:
CactusBlossom · 01/09/2022 20:46

It worries me that these devices will trouble wildlife.

Rather than "point it out" to your neighbours, had you thought of pointing one at them? 😂Let me know how it goes. If it's any good, I'll get one for when the neighbours have their hot tub out again...

stuntbubbles · 01/09/2022 20:47

We had one for a while to try to stop the neighbours’ cats constantly shitting all over our lawn. Didn’t work and DD could hear it as you said, so we stopped using it. But I can see why they’re sold: bastarding other people’s bastarding cats crapping all over your garden drives you to try anything. Hosepipe more effective but you have to have constant vigilance and no drought.

MassiveSalad22 · 01/09/2022 20:47

Oh my god I often draft that post in my head!! I am a full grown 32 year old woman and I can hear them. Soooo anti social and actually uncomfortable to walk in the vicinity. I would 199% have a breakdown if I had to live next door to one.

MassiveSalad22 · 01/09/2022 20:49

Also I have lived in many houses and never noticed cat poo, barely even cats, in my garden, let alone enough to be mad about it. I often think I live in a parallel universe!

ClocksGoingBackwards · 01/09/2022 20:49

I agree with you that they’re horrible things but until you can convince all the cat owners to keep their pets in their own gardens, people have a valid reason to use them.

Sunbird24 · 01/09/2022 20:50

I’m sorely tempted to get one to keep both the cats and next door’s kids out of my garden…

MyNameIsAngelicaSchuyler · 01/09/2022 20:50

Stop your cats shitting in our garden and we’ll stop using ours. It works brilliantly, we got the RSPB one.

Pixiedust1234 · 01/09/2022 20:51

I'm not young but I can hear the bloody things. Think of fingernails down blackboards. Neighbour couldn't hear it but was kind enough to move the direction from towards my house, they pointed it at theirs and said I was imagining that I could still hear it. Apparently they don't know how echo location and sonar work. Idiots.

Fortunately the paperboy accidently stood on it 😅

Wombat27A · 01/09/2022 20:51

I can hear them, definitely not young. I thought I was hearing DHs watch alarm and he couldn't work out why I was telling him to put it off.

Zeb81 · 01/09/2022 20:52

My neighbours has started to malfunction. It's made it more annoying if that was even possible. It is irritating to my husband, kids and me so so much can't even have the bedroom window open at night. Cats and our dog, it doesn't bother in the slightest, so not sure of the point really

OvaryActions · 01/09/2022 20:52

Argh yes my sons reception class had one in the playground! It was right where parents had to wait at pick up 🙉

I also wonder about the possibility of them affecting wildlife 🤔

Choconut · 01/09/2022 20:53

I'd rather than cats were banned - terrible for local wildlife (we often have dead slow worms/field mice/voles and even had a dead rabbit on the path to our house a few days ago) and they shit all over my garden particularly in the fruit and veg patch - grim. My neighbour seems to be collecting them unfortunately. There would also then be no need for cat deterrents so it's actually a win win if you think about it.

LifeAintEasy · 01/09/2022 20:54

We have one to stop cats crapping in the rubber bark chips we have down beneath the climbing frame in our garden. Our children play quite happily in that area and can't hear it. And the cats have stopped crapping there.

Yellowblanketofdoom · 01/09/2022 20:55

YABU.

The only alternative to stop my neighbours cat using my garden as a toilet is a rifle. Would you prefer me to use the rifle?

Choconut · 01/09/2022 20:56

MyNameIsAngelicaSchuyler · 01/09/2022 20:50

Stop your cats shitting in our garden and we’ll stop using ours. It works brilliantly, we got the RSPB one.

Oh interesting, I just read that the catwatch one doesn't affect wildlife, not sure if it's the same one. Thanks to this thread I think I might get one.

AnnaMagnani · 01/09/2022 20:56

My neighbour had one as she hated my cats and me.

I used to see one of my cats sitting on it regularly, made me feel v proud as she was for many reasons, an awful neighbour.

KaitK · 01/09/2022 20:57

I'm in my mid-thirties and can still hear them. My parent's neighbour has one, it doesn't stop cats going in her garden but it drives me crazy!

Motorina · 01/09/2022 20:57

My neighbours have one and it's horrific. It seems to be activated constantly, too. Awful thing.

Juancornetto · 01/09/2022 20:58

I can hear them. Also the ones that you have in your house to deter spiders and insects (I've never tried shooting spider webs from my wrists, maybe should give it a try sometime)

Scianel · 01/09/2022 20:58

The only alternative to stop my neighbours cat using my garden as a toilet is a rifle. Would you prefer me to use the rifle?

How about neither?

MrsTerryPratchett · 01/09/2022 20:59

stuntbubbles · 01/09/2022 20:47

We had one for a while to try to stop the neighbours’ cats constantly shitting all over our lawn. Didn’t work and DD could hear it as you said, so we stopped using it. But I can see why they’re sold: bastarding other people’s bastarding cats crapping all over your garden drives you to try anything. Hosepipe more effective but you have to have constant vigilance and no drought.

Or do what I did and accidentally step on the neighbour's cat. Really, actually accidentally. Poor thing never came back. I mean I hated their shit but the yowl was terrible. I still have guilt and the cat is long dead.

MessyBunPersonified · 01/09/2022 20:59

Yanbu, people who use them are selfish arseholes.

My dd has tourettes and the noise of one of them sets of a major, painful attack for her that lasts for hours and the repercussions last for days.

Palmfrond · 01/09/2022 21:01

I’m mid forties and can also hear them. I also loathe cats, murderous, slimy shit laying little bastards. But you know, let’s not let this descend into another mumsnet anti cat orgy.
But seriously, they should be banned.
(joking joking)
(not joking)

Snugglemonkey · 01/09/2022 21:02

Choconut · 01/09/2022 20:53

I'd rather than cats were banned - terrible for local wildlife (we often have dead slow worms/field mice/voles and even had a dead rabbit on the path to our house a few days ago) and they shit all over my garden particularly in the fruit and veg patch - grim. My neighbour seems to be collecting them unfortunately. There would also then be no need for cat deterrents so it's actually a win win if you think about it.

I am with you!

CoodleMoodle · 01/09/2022 21:09

I'm 33 and can still hear them sometimes. I was about 18 when we moved into the house DM currently lives in, and her NDN had one. It drove me bananas, but DM couldn't hear it and neither could anybody else! Eventually it stopped so either my ears changed or it died, but it was awful. And it didn't stop any cats at all! We had two who weren't bothered by it - they used to stroll quite happily through his garden on their way home!