To want cat-owner to acknowledge impact on me?

[SafetyLady]

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?

Get a spade and lob it over their fence. Problem solved.

Are you near a place that has a zoo @SafetyLady?

I'm only asking because you could approach one of the game keepers and ask if they could give you some lion/tiger poo. Cats are very aware of the hierarchy of animals of their species and marking their territory with pee/poo so if you got some from an animal at the top of that food chain and left it in locations around your garden, it would deter the humble house/tabby cat from using your garden as a toilet.

Just a suggestion

Aye get some from those special African tigers, fierce as fuck.

I’ve never understood this, why would you want to replace cat shit with lion shit?!

Apparently when you use scent from an animal further up the food chain, the smaller cats stop shitting on their own doorstep so to speak.
So the theory goes.

It doesn't need to be much but it's how the hierarchy of animals works in the wild. It's only a suggestion.

Oh - and I wasn't suggesting getting a lion or tiger, just some of their droppings.

Or you could go down the route of getting sprinkler systems or cat deterrent spikes installed or whatever. All just other suggestions made by other MNetters.

I would use a trowel (one Id keep specifically for the purpose) scoop it up and dump it over their fence - somewhere they would notice it.

Citrus peel scattered around the garden allegedly helps - Ive done this around my garden and since doing so.......... I havent seen any cats. But that might be just a complete coincidence.

Can't see if anyone else has written it here, but cats apparently hate vinegar. My mum had the same problem with a neighbour's cat until she started pouring vinegar over her drive. It hasn't happened since. Perhaps leave out little bowls of vinegar if you can't pour it on the soil?

@Guiltridden12345 She does sound mad but hardly an idiot for expecting to leave her own door open on her property.

I own cats, I try to keep them in my garden (girls don’t tend to wander but my male cat does - saying that my male cat does 1 and 2 right by my house!).
i’d be mortified if a neighbour felt this way, please have a gentle chat and gently mention it’s upsetting, they will likely apologise and offer to come over. You may not wish them to come into your garden all the time, but the offer and acceptance I think would help.

I don’t think it’s civil to throw it back, but if you get the “that’s what cats do” chant and general non interest, then if they’re out, feel free as winds me up when dog owners say that about their dogs barking all day and night when they’re too busy with life to look after them (rant over).

I have 9 cats. My neighbours are always moaning about it. One is quite vocal in particular and has said he will throw it in my garden. If he does that I will report him to the police/council for harassment/nuisance because whether anyone likes it or not, cats, by law are free to roam and can shit where they like.

I wouldn’t hurt a cat but I hate them. There, I’ve said it and I feel better.

Those aren’t a good idea - the things that send out a “pulse”. It’s not a pulse, it’s a very high pitched noise, but a lot of women and especially children can hear it, and it horrible.

My neighbours got one - to keep out cats from the neighbours on the other side - and I thought I was going mad until luckily I asked DS and he could hear it too. Was a horrible noise.

Our old cat only ever pooped in our garden.....all over it!! She pooed on the lawn so I was constantly out there picking it up 🤢

Since losing our cat, we had others coming to our garden. Tried orange peel, pepper....they didn't work. Ordered lion poo online as apparently that works. Scattered it all over a couple of times and don't have much issue anymore. I shoo them out if I see them, and our neighbour does come and check they haven't pooed just in case too which is good.

Lob it into her garden, every single time

I feel sorry for your neighbour. Id smear it on your front door every time.

More fool you then because that’s an actual offence.

You clear up your own mess. Id be lobbing it in your garden every time. Ridiculous.

Can anyone tell us what tigers do in Africa? And how do they get there?

Cats round here DON'T bury their poo and DO shit in the lawn . Also, more annoyingly, on the raised veg bed.
I have seen them do it with my own eyes and picked it up afterwards. I can't always startle them as I'm in a work meeting, but I can see them.
How can you be so sure that they don't?

I feel sorry for your neighbour too.

I would also return it to you (politely).

Your neighbour/LA could take action against you on numerous grounds - nuisance, environmental health hell even as a breach of his human rights to the peaceful enjoyment of his property.

I suggest you pick up after them.

No he couldn’t. That’s nonsense. Cats are free to roam.

I have birds that return every year to my garden to nest. I love this. I will do anything to keep cats out of my garden. The birds are far too important to me. We don’t have many cats round here, but this summer about 3 new young ones appeared and left unburied poo for me. I have wire mesh fences all round and I have blocked up any gaps they were getting through. I have also bought a super soaker. My husband managed to get one of the cats with this. I haven’t seen the cats or their evidence for a few weeks.🤞

Even when it’s buried it stinks and there’s also the disgusting prospect of putting your hands in it when you’re gardening. Do what others have suggested, put it back into their garden.