Page 8 | To want cat-owner to acknowledge impact on me?

SafetyLady · 2023-09-15T13:06:10+00:00

My neighbour's cats use my garden for a toilet. I'm sick of having to deal with it. On top of plant pots, in my veg bed, etc. They make no attempt to bury it so it sits there stinky until I pick it up. Properly turns my stomach and spoils my enjoyment of my garden on a daily basis. I know they can't be kept out or trained not to. I'd never want to harm them - they're just being cats! I'd just like some acknowledgement from neighbour that their choice to keep outdoor cats is causing this. I did ask if they would be willing to take a turn dealing with it, and got told no, cats bury it so you can't even see where it is (some do - theirs doesn't), and anyway that's why they don't keep them in - they don't want to deal with litter tray (were originally indoor only kittens). AIBU to be upset?

Purplebunnie · 15/09/2023 22:55

Mirabai · 15/09/2023 16:47

The easiest way to keep cats out of your garden is to get a cat.

Nope not true, I have 2 cats and we still getting other cats pooing in our garden.

When our old cat was alive other cats wouldn't dare come in our garden but once she sadly passed it became a free for all with all and sundry paying us a visit. There seemed to be some unwritten deference to her, maybe because of her age

StripyHorse · 15/09/2023 23:09

septembersunrise · 15/09/2023 14:25

This is unusual because cats usually will bury their poo. Are you sure it isn't foxes?

If you are certain it's cats snd have seen them with your own eyes, you can plant short bamboo canes. Cats also don't like lavender (apparently). Or put pebbles around plants (this is good for weeds too). Cats will never poo on a lawn or on concrete. If your borders / flower beds are no good they will go elsewhere.

If there is visible poo on your lawn or on a patio, this will be foxes marking territory.

Cats do poo on the lawn.

We frequently have to clear it up.

No, it isn't foxes - we have seen the NDN cat doing it.

NCforthis1749027104 · 15/09/2023 23:21

Embarrassednamechangeadoddle · 15/09/2023 16:40

I totally agree with you op.
I actually find the situation we are in with cats in this country ridiculous. People often say “well you can’t expect me to keep my cat inside it’s cruel”. I have several issues with this…

They aren’t wild animals existing in a natural state. They’re animals people have domesticated and chosen to have. So when you buy a cat you are choosing to have an animal you intend to allow to shit on other peoples spaces.
actually plenty of countries have rules around cat owners allowing their cats to free roam. I’m Australia they recognise the impact on wild animals and cat proof fencing is common.

Cat ownership seems to have massively
increased since I was a child. I would go so far as to say that in some places I have lives they’re pests. people seem to choose to own cats, take no responsibility for where they roam and poo and they get upset when they inevitable get killed on the busy main road 100ft away. It’s the only animal that people own and there seems to be a social acceptance they can’t be controlled.

In many other countries people keep their cats indoors because otherwise they'd pick infections up from strays! No problems. Only the UK has this strange obsession with cats needing to 'roam'.
Ours is indoors only, she's an older cat but also every couple of weeks the FB page has dead cat announcements. As you said. Stupid to allow your cat to roam then cry buckets of tears when hit.

The thing is people are just too lazy to provide their cat with appropriate stimulation indoors... just want them to come and go as they please so they don't need to do anything apart from feeding them. Why even bother with a pet in that case.

Cupcakekiller · 15/09/2023 23:27

Keeping cats inside is not cruel as someone else stated. I have a pedigree Ragdoll and letting him out would be cruel. He could be stolen and their breed is known for being overly friendly and not streetwise. He is very curious and would very easily run under a car and would be likely to get killed. They do not have much street sense and are too silly to let out. He has lots of toys, cat trees etc and lives a very happy pampered life. Please don't pity house cats.

ultraviolet4753 · 15/09/2023 23:28

Someone had been leaving cat shit on our doorstep for weeks, and never found out who it was.
Eventually found out which neighbour it was, and told her our cats are indoor cats, so not guilty.
If she had used her words to ask us instead, it would have been resolved much quicker and been less embarrassing for her.

drspouse · 15/09/2023 23:29

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 15/09/2023 16:19

Can someone please tell cat rescues that people don't want them crapping in their gardens? My garden is cat proofed, mainly for the safety of my last cat than any consideration for the neighbours but it serves both purposes. Unfortunately a lot of rescues won't rehome to me as 'cats should be allowed to roam'. That was after telling me how many cats they had for rehoming and how many were on the waiting list. I felt like asking them if they preferred the cats to be run over or piss off all the neighbours!

I'm afraid unless there's a good reason (special diet etc.) for a cat it's not very healthy to have an indoor only cat - they get very overweight.
So rescues tend to home indoor-only cats in homes where there's a reason not to go out (3rd floor flat, A road) and other cats in houses with gardens.

Like barbecue smoke and music from garden parties, it's just part of urban life, though there are deterrents that work as others have said.

RobertaFirmino · 15/09/2023 23:34

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NCforthis1749027104 · 15/09/2023 23:42

drspouse · 15/09/2023 23:29

I'm afraid unless there's a good reason (special diet etc.) for a cat it's not very healthy to have an indoor only cat - they get very overweight.
So rescues tend to home indoor-only cats in homes where there's a reason not to go out (3rd floor flat, A road) and other cats in houses with gardens.

Like barbecue smoke and music from garden parties, it's just part of urban life, though there are deterrents that work as others have said.

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That's not true, as long as proper care is taken to build a stimulating indoor environment cats can run, jump scratch etc, And play with humans. Unless of course it's already used to the outside.
People are just lazy and many get cats because they're 'less work than a dog'.
We don't need to walk our meow of course but she gets lots of playtime from us and can roam around the house.

Sandcone · 16/09/2023 00:10

Chucking it back over the fence would be illegal, you legally have to dispose of it safely (if you dispose of it at all). Unfair though it is.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 16/09/2023 07:46

drspouse · 15/09/2023 23:29

I'm afraid unless there's a good reason (special diet etc.) for a cat it's not very healthy to have an indoor only cat - they get very overweight.
So rescues tend to home indoor-only cats in homes where there's a reason not to go out (3rd floor flat, A road) and other cats in houses with gardens.

Like barbecue smoke and music from garden parties, it's just part of urban life, though there are deterrents that work as others have said.

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But it wouldn’t be an indoor cat! The garden is cat proofed so he or she would have free access to the garden, just not the road or the neighbours gardens.

Guiltridden12345 · 16/09/2023 07:50

Dontstoptherain · 15/09/2023 14:56

You’re not being unreasonable. A sad number of cat owners believe they don’t have to take responsibility for their pets. They allow them out into a dangerous environment (and blame everyone but themselves when they get killed/injured), they kill wildlife for fun, they kill other people’s small pets while trespassing, and they foul other people’s property. All domestic animals should be contained, it’s a simple as that. Sadly the law hasn’t caught up with civil society on this one yet, I guess they’ve had more pressing things to concern themselves with, but this is a real and every day problem for a lot of people I promise you.

It is indefensible, and it’s not unreasonable for you not to want to clear up after some lazy sod’s pet.

some people simply have no place in society.

They kill for food, not fun. It’s instinctive. And the world isn’t dangerous, it’s not risk free but nor is life for any animal, including humans. Cats cannot be contained in a non-cruel way, they are built to roam. There are many ways to deter them crapping in your garden, as evidenced on this thread, but the high drama is unhelpful.

animal owners of any kind should always aim to pacify neighbours annoyed by their pet. But if those neighbours present with hyperbole, as here, it really doesn’t help.

Guiltridden12345 · 16/09/2023 07:56

NCforthis1749027104 · 15/09/2023 23:42

That's not true, as long as proper care is taken to build a stimulating indoor environment cats can run, jump scratch etc, And play with humans. Unless of course it's already used to the outside.
People are just lazy and many get cats because they're 'less work than a dog'.
We don't need to walk our meow of course but she gets lots of playtime from us and can roam around the house.

Show quote history

And cat ownership for ‘many’ is not about being ‘lazy’ ffs. They are clever, affectionate, funny creatures who (ime) are extremely clean, bury their poo, and give so much calming love and affection. Hence they are fabulous house mates. I don’t own them over other animals (we have other animals actually) because I’m lazy. What a stupid, lazy comment.

Dontstoptherain · 16/09/2023 08:15

@Guiltridden12345

they do not kill for food, they are pets. They are fed by their (often ignorant) owners. They absolutely kill for fun, evidenced by my baby birds, whose heads were ripped off and bodies left for me to find INSIDE my property where no one else’s pet should ever be. The constant abandoned corpses of wildlife, the ones the ignorant owners laugh about, are also testament to this. Funny though, how people lose their MINDS whenever a dog kills a swan on the locals lakes….. apparently that’s not ok? Apparently those owners are irresponsible? Yes, they are, just like outdoor cat owners. Dogs have a predatory instinct, but it’s an owner’s responsibility to protect others from that and not simply allow it to do what it wants because they’re too lazy to do anything to prevent it.

The world isn’t dangerous? 😂Oh ok, perhaps tell that to all the cat pancakes that are constantly being posted on Facebook with “RIP, run free over the rainbow bridge, felix” or to the one who came back with its leg MISSING! Yes, very safe. Oh, what about the one that came home dying of some form of poisoning? Probably from leaked antifreeze on someone’s drive where the cat shouldn’t have been.

All animals are designed to be free. All animals want to roam. The dogs, the cats, the rabbits, the snakes, the tarantulas, the lions at the zoo…. shall we just let them all out? No. We don’t. Because it’s not safe for the animals, it’s not safe for the humans and it’s not fair on the wildlife. If you want a domestic pet, you contain it, if you think that’s cruel then don’t have one! It’s that simple.

Cats are an invasive predator. They have no place roaming with our wildlife. If Joe Exotic managed to contain his tigers, I’m sure you can manage with a little house cat.

It’s not ok to inflict constant stress, upset, anxiety and indeed heartbreak, onto other people. Whether you like them or not. Completely indefensible.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 16/09/2023 08:28

Although I think some of your wording is downright nasty @Dontstoptherain i do agree with some of what you’ve said. I have a small flat so we chose to cat proof the garden as it wouldn’t be fair to have an indoor cat here. I don’t like the netting and the neighbours might not like it either but needs must. It also keeps their cats out of my garden! I know it means the cat can still catch wildlife but I do nothing to encourage anything in so it’s a chance we take.

To be completely honest we cat proofed for the safety of our last cat, not for the neighbours convenience or any thoughts for the local wildlife (he wasn’t a hunter anyway). Sadly idiots speed down the road and there was a spate of little shits with catapults killing the local wildlife so we didn’t want to take a chance. In the end it benefited everyone and we’re keeping it for our next cat

LadyRoughDiamond · 16/09/2023 08:32

Lavender, lemon balm, curry leaf, rosemary and other citrusy plants are good cat deterrents - plant them in the effected beds. Cat Off granules can also be good but you need to keep renewing them. All helps to keep them away.

AnneElliott · 16/09/2023 08:40

That does sound unreasonable of your neighbour op. Do they acknowledge it's their cats and are you sure it is?

My ex neighbour used to scream at me that my cats were pooing in her garden as she'd seen them. But it turned out that she didn't actually know which cats were mine! She told me one of mine was on her bed, I went in to go and sort it out to find a large ginger Tom. I had 2 black and white girls.....

Have you tried the car déterrants? There's stuff you can pour on the ground that they don't like the smell off. Jeyes fluid works as well I think.

RoyalGala · 16/09/2023 08:40

I can’t help wonder if those that are talking about wildlife being killed by cats are vegan. If not, it’s hugely hypocritical to express your horror of cats catching and killing prey whilst munching on animals yourself.

Dontstoptherain · 16/09/2023 08:45

@RoyalGala you’re missing the point.

cats kill for fun, not food. They don’t eat their prey and there are large quantities of victims, to the point some species have gone extinct. They’re invasive and not a part of the food chain.

I doubt anyone in here has an issue with a true native predator genuinely killing for food. Cats are fed (meat still!) by their owners. They’re not a part of our ecosystem and simply damage it for absolutely no reason whatsoever.

Nevermind202020 · 16/09/2023 08:47

RoyalGala · 16/09/2023 08:40

I can’t help wonder if those that are talking about wildlife being killed by cats are vegan. If not, it’s hugely hypocritical to express your horror of cats catching and killing prey whilst munching on animals yourself.

The problem is that many cats hunt simply because it's in their instinct to do so, many even play with (torture) the food before killing it, and often don't actually eat any of the prey. Based on what I see in my garden, deposited by neighbour cats, very few of them actually consume what they have killed! Humans tend to kill animals to actually eat them/allow others to eat them. I don't think much of the humans who hunt only for the pleasure either!

Maray1967 · 16/09/2023 08:48

BMW6 · 15/09/2023 14:17

Get a beach spade or big old spoon to scoop it up and put over the fence into theirs.

Agreed. I would do this. Try to chuck it on to her grass and if she complains, make it clear that you’re not stopping.

Ozarkz · 16/09/2023 08:52

Throw it into their garden EVERY TIME. I did this with my neighbours cat, doesn’t do much for neighbour relations but they did start keeping the cat in 😂

Whataretheodds · 16/09/2023 08:56

LoobyDop · 15/09/2023 14:25

YANBU. I have to admit, I have little patience or sympathy for cat-haters, I just see it as a personality defect. But if one of my neighbours asked me to help remove my cat’s poo from their garden, I’d happily go round and skip it out a couple of times a week. And I’d far rather they asked that than rigged up traps or poison or threw things.

OP hasn't said she hates the cats. She hates shit all over her lawn and inconsiderate neighbours.

If she does dislike cats then of course this preference is not a personality defect, don't be so silly.

OP's neighbourdon't sound as though they're willing to skip anywhere.

Windy1234 · 16/09/2023 09:03

Chuck a bucket of ice cold water over the fat if you catch it doing the toilet in your garden, surely that would make it think twice next time 🙈

Catopia · 16/09/2023 09:04

My MIL fills clear 2L plastic bottles with water and puts them around the garden. Apparently it keeps the cats off. She swears by it!

Foxes were using my veg patch as a litter tray and I just put a whirly windmill in it and it seems to be keeping them away for now.

wheresmymojo · 16/09/2023 09:43

I've got 3 cats and think it's super rude.

I'm always dreading the day when a neighbour might tell me that mine have taken to shitting in their garden (they actually shit in my own).

Personally I would be apologising and thinking of ways to dissuade them from your garden. I'd buy you a water gun or sprinkler as after a couple of soaks cats generally get the hump and never go back.

I'd also be dropping off wine and chocs!