To not want neighbours cats in my garden?

[Rainbow3210]

Our neighbour has cats and they keep coming into our garden. They have also made their way into our house several times through the window and back door. I’m currently pregnant and have two young children. The children get upset when they come in as they don’t understand why they come and go (they want them to stay to play with). We have a lot of songbirds birds that sit in a bush in our garden and the cats are constantly trying to hunt the birds.

The cats are also doing the toilet in the garden which my husband has to clean with a hose. I believe it’s not entirely safe to clean up cat mess when pregnant.

I spoke to the neighbour and asked if they could stop the cats coming into my house and garden. They said there is nothing that can be done.

Is it unreasonable that this is bothering me?

I'd be calling the police if you stole my cat.

Whilst I would sympathise that you hadn't asked for them to enter, I would call the police if you prevented them from leaving.

Another thing you could do is feed the cat. I’ve noticed owners really don’t like this and post about it all the time on the community chats.

If I get another cat visitor in the future, I shall ensure I have a few tins of cheap cat food ready to go.

The law absolutely needs changing on this.

cats are in the world we live in only as much and in the same way as dogs are. Its not an argument for letting them roam and shit where they want to.

No! I think cats are too sensible. I have had some Lillies in my garden for nearly 40 years. No unexplained dead cats around here.

If you do that they will come more often!
My cats don't like things that startle them.

something that will give them horrendous runs will be good, feed them then take them home with a big smile

You may think that but it's never going to happen.

It's just roaming wildlife that roamed in my door before I closed it, as you say, nothing we can do about that is there?

The good news is if your annoyed by the beeping then your hearings still pretty good! (Or you are a cat) My neighbours used to have one and i found it infuriating, doubly so as my parents couldn't hear it and didn't get what I was complaining about.

I have a lovely 4 legged cat scarer and it has been incredibly effective, we now have no cat poos in the garden (just dog ones 😅).

In all seriousness I think you just need to be persistent with scaring them off. You'll probably not do much about the garden but they really shouldn't be coming in your house. It possible they go into other neighbours houses and get fed with a warm welcome. Just keep making it clear they'll not get that at your house! ( Water pistol is a good one!)

What is it you expect the cat owners to be able to do about this? They're cats. Can't exactly have a conversation or threaten to take their pocket money away.

Cats have roaming status and dogs don't though.

We have chalky soil that bakes rock hard in a warm dry spell.

Any cat that can bury its shit in my garden atm must be using a pickaxe or a pneumatic drill.

tried those, often they do not work or if they do, they work for a while then the cat gets used to it. Waterpistol everytime for me.

I'm always calling my cats but they ignore me if it suits them!

Oh I wouldn’t force them to stay.

i know the difference, also I have caught bloody visiting cats shitting and abandonning it on my wildlife cam

We’ll see. One of my neighbours is super considerate and picks up poo if her cat does it in one if our garden’s- I do hope you do the same for yours.

yes and that should change. Dogs used to be allowed to roam too.

cat proff their gardens for the umpteenth time

I would tell the police it just roamed in and I don't want it to. Please take it away, I don't want it here!

How many times will we be going back n forth with this before you find a way for it to not roam into my property after all?

I think a water pistol is fine. It doesn't hurt the cat and it will soon associate your house as a place to be avoided!

dogs used to be allowed to roam.

That's the whole point though. There isn't a way. Police will not let you keep someone else's cat so pointless discussing it.