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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU To want to stop our neighbour’s cats crapping on our grass several times a week?

127 replies

wildfellhall · 14/08/2025 12:19

Does anything work?

We’ve tried chilli pepper in one flower bed but it doesn’t work for long. They keep crapping in the middle of the grass regardless.

I know it isn’t fox crap as that smells and looks different.

I know cats just don’t crap in their own gardens so how is it ok that the owners know that and just shrug?

It is such a huge imposition on your neighbours.

OP posts:
YodasHairyButt · 14/08/2025 12:22

Water sprinkler with a motion sensor? They don’t like water, after a few harmless dousings they might be put off.

Summeriscumin · 14/08/2025 12:24

Sprinkle Jeyes fluid.

Torturedsoul · 14/08/2025 12:25

My cat is offended by your statement. 🐈 He enjoys a crap in only his garden. Every house we've lived in, he has taken over an area of the garden for his business.

I am glad he doesn't irritate the neighbours as it's bad enough (but expected) clearing up after your own animal, let alone someone elses. My neighbours know to let me know if he is causing a nuisance.

I would love him to use a litter tray ideally as then my beds would be a lot better but I don't want to upset the applecart as he then may start going in the neighbour's and I can't have that.

Hope you find something that works.

💐

BMW6 · 14/08/2025 12:31

Cats have a legal right to roam.

You could chuck the shit back over into his own garden or
Cat proof your garden with the angled fencing or
Try feeding it as I'm told cats won't shit where they eat, or
Spray the fucker with water every time its comes to your garden or
Get a dog

There's been endless threads about this issue with other suggestions that I can't remember

ilovesooty · 14/08/2025 12:42

wildfellhall · 14/08/2025 12:19

Does anything work?

We’ve tried chilli pepper in one flower bed but it doesn’t work for long. They keep crapping in the middle of the grass regardless.

I know it isn’t fox crap as that smells and looks different.

I know cats just don’t crap in their own gardens so how is it ok that the owners know that and just shrug?

It is such a huge imposition on your neighbours.

My cats use the litter tray before going out or generally use the bit under the hedge at the end of their own back garden. However this will be yet another thread of people who want to raise their dislike of cats and their owners.

Original poster
wildfellhall · 14/08/2025 13:24

I don’t dislike cats or their owners but I just don’t want them to crap all the time in my garden. In fact I really like cats a lot.
But I could not justify having a pet which craps on my neighbours gardens, any more than I could justify keeping a cat indoors or having a dog who crapped on other perople’s property.
It is the ethical blind eye I find so peculiar. My sister has it. She adored her cat and just shrugged when I asked about all the places he was crapping that weren’t her garden.
All the suggestions are at my expense.
Why don’t the owners take responsibility- it is very strange to me ethically.
The only responses are from owners who are, it would appear, responsible.
Nowadays, certainly in my area, most dog owners are much more responsible then maybe decades ago.
but the cat owners are given a free pass - it is weird isn’t it?

OP posts:
Puppylucky · 14/08/2025 13:26

Can I just say that the cat proofing angled fencing is designed to keep cats in not out. Worst case scenario is your neighbours cat will still get into your garden but won't be able to get out again!

noramoo · 14/08/2025 13:28

We had this issue until my DH peed around the perimeters of our garden. Bit grim I know but we were desperate as had to be on constant poo watch in case our toddler stepped in it. He only did it once and the neighbours cat hasn't been back since!

Personperson · 14/08/2025 13:29

YodasHairyButt · 14/08/2025 12:22

Water sprinkler with a motion sensor? They don’t like water, after a few harmless dousings they might be put off.

This and put either garden sticks up around your flower beds and/ or lollipop sticks around your flower beds so they cannot lower to squat.

Sincerely a cat owner.

SereneCoralDog · 14/08/2025 13:30

A very hefty water pistol, a motion detector and a good aim.

Cats are clever. They usually avoid areas that they have unpleasant experiences in.

MidnightPatrol · 14/08/2025 13:30

What exactly do you expect your neighbours to do about it?

Personperson · 14/08/2025 13:32

wildfellhall · 14/08/2025 13:24

I don’t dislike cats or their owners but I just don’t want them to crap all the time in my garden. In fact I really like cats a lot.
But I could not justify having a pet which craps on my neighbours gardens, any more than I could justify keeping a cat indoors or having a dog who crapped on other perople’s property.
It is the ethical blind eye I find so peculiar. My sister has it. She adored her cat and just shrugged when I asked about all the places he was crapping that weren’t her garden.
All the suggestions are at my expense.
Why don’t the owners take responsibility- it is very strange to me ethically.
The only responses are from owners who are, it would appear, responsible.
Nowadays, certainly in my area, most dog owners are much more responsible then maybe decades ago.
but the cat owners are given a free pass - it is weird isn’t it?

How are you supposed to stop a cat going anywhere to do it's business when they have free reign outside? I don't follow my cat about although she seems to stick to the bushes in our communal garden. I can't enter other's gardens so I'm afraid the onus is on you. I mean because you own that bit of land, owners can't stop them entering but you can.

Mine refuses to use a litter tray as well although she is trained.

Try some of the suggestions above first. A motion acivated sprinkler is the best that seems to work.

Peaceisenough · 14/08/2025 13:32

No, you’re not being unreasonable but good luck finding a solution.

TheAutumnCrow · 14/08/2025 13:33

We cat proofed our garden to keep neighbours’ thuggish bored Bengal-cross cats out, and our elderly cats in and protected from their attacks.

Cost a few quid but worth it.

MsJen · 14/08/2025 13:35

I had this issue with my neighbours cat, I started firing it over their fence with my shovel. Just into their flowers/mud . Definitely their cat, I see it on my doors. It’s definitely reduced, not sure if it’s shitting next to the returned shite, maybe they see that as their toilet, not sure but definitely had hardly any on my garden since I got flicked a few piles back over.

TY78910 · 14/08/2025 13:35

You can buy these motion activated high pitched noise things that deter cats. Our neighbour has one, probably because of our cat 🤷🏼‍♀️

Fair play to him as the noise goes off ALL the time and it annoys me probably as much as my cat annoys him.

CopperWhite · 14/08/2025 13:35

Cat owners are very selfish when it comes to their cats, and use the ‘right to roam’ as an excuse to take very little responsibility.

They could cat proof their own properties to prevent their chosen pet bothering other people but they don’t.

They could ensure that their cat wears a bell to help prevent them killing wildlife but they don’t. They have extra excuses for that one too.

They could offer to provide their neighbours with various deterrents when they choose to let their cats roam but they don’t.

Selfish, inconsiderate fuckers the lot of them.

YANBU.

TheLurpackYears · 14/08/2025 13:37

Get a dog, mine took it upon herself to keep all cats out, all of the time. And cat poo she did find she gobbled up immediately.

Peaceisenough · 14/08/2025 13:38

CopperWhite · 14/08/2025 13:35

Cat owners are very selfish when it comes to their cats, and use the ‘right to roam’ as an excuse to take very little responsibility.

They could cat proof their own properties to prevent their chosen pet bothering other people but they don’t.

They could ensure that their cat wears a bell to help prevent them killing wildlife but they don’t. They have extra excuses for that one too.

They could offer to provide their neighbours with various deterrents when they choose to let their cats roam but they don’t.

Selfish, inconsiderate fuckers the lot of them.

YANBU.

Completely agree.

Cluborange666 · 14/08/2025 13:39

We ended up in a war with our neighbours re their ten (yes!) cats. She took umbrage at us spraying them with water (as per the RSPCA recommendations) and started a campaign of abuse including screaming through our semi detached walls. It was also racist so the police were called by us twice. In the end we just moved. If you are the woman who bought our house, I’m sorry 😔

m00rfarm · 14/08/2025 13:41

MidnightPatrol · 14/08/2025 13:30

What exactly do you expect your neighbours to do about it?

Cat proof their garden so they can enjoy clearing up their own cat shit.

ByLemonFish · 14/08/2025 13:44

We had cats using our raised vegetable beds as a toilet. Tried all sorts
Water gun did the trick as cats gate water
Just aimed near them and they soon found somewhere else to go

Jijithecat · 14/08/2025 13:48

Former cat owner here and I have to confess I just didn't realise what a nuisance/imposition they are.
Now that we regularly have a visiting cat who digs up our veggie patch or craps on our lawn or the gravel if the veggie patch is overgrown, I feel like I'm experiencing karma
I do like cats, but I don’t think I'd get another one because of this.

ByQuaintAzureWasp · 14/08/2025 14:00

I'd put a blink camera up ... once you have the evidence ask the neighbour to stop their cat crapping on your garden and to remove it when it does. If it doesn't stop, chuck it over.

ilovesooty · 14/08/2025 14:24

CopperWhite · 14/08/2025 13:35

Cat owners are very selfish when it comes to their cats, and use the ‘right to roam’ as an excuse to take very little responsibility.

They could cat proof their own properties to prevent their chosen pet bothering other people but they don’t.

They could ensure that their cat wears a bell to help prevent them killing wildlife but they don’t. They have extra excuses for that one too.

They could offer to provide their neighbours with various deterrents when they choose to let their cats roam but they don’t.

Selfish, inconsiderate fuckers the lot of them.

YANBU.

I can't cat proof my property. It's not logistically possible. Neither of my cats will tolerate a collar. I'd be happy to provide deterrents to neighbours if they told me my cats were a nuisance though.