Neighbour has blocked hedgehog holes in the garden?

[staceyslatericeskater]

My next door neighbour has blocked the hedgehog holes on our shared fence.

The holes were already there when we moved in which was done by the housing developer.

My cat was pooing in her garden and roaming there and from what I understand she didn’t want her toddlers stepping on the cat poo.

Is this even legal?

My indoor cat only poos once a day…. not sure how that could end up everywhere or in multiple places!! Tho he doesn’t always manage to completely cover it up!
That said I believe cat owners should give their pets nicest most agreeable to cat, areas in their own garden! to use as loos. I wouldn’t like some1’s pet crapping in my garden it could spread diseases at least to other animals, let alone daft humans who dig around without gloves on!

Jesus op. Do you not see how absolutely vile that is for your neighbour?!

You are unreasonable, your cat is leaving her disgusting, dangerous mess and you are worrying about something you didn't even establish?!

Cat poo is really annoying (I've never had a cat and they come in my garden) but blocking up a hedgehog hole is criminal. Doesn't she realise cats can climb and hedgehogs can't. Idiot.

Are they ill ?

Omds, her toddlers stepping in your cats poo is the issue here. It is not legal requirement to have hedgehog holes, they are an option. - although I do feel sad about hedgehogs
I think you need to read back what you've written and think about it a bit Toddlers are well known for picking things up and putting them in their mouths, on their faces etc. I think your lucky shes not sending the cat poo back

The cat is probably more than capable of jumping over the fence, so doesn’t sound like it would help matters to be honest.

Sorry, couldn’t resist 😆😆
Hope the photo attaches 🤞🏻

My mother

Oops posted itself! My mother in law insisted cats bury their mess. Then her own cat died and other cats visited, she changed her tune having stepped in the cat poo they left unburied!

Why are you completely nonchalant about your cat defecating in her garden? It’s totally valid, for her to not want that. She shouldn’t have a lower quality of life because you wanted a pet.

Sad for the hedgehogs that can't move around because of your cat. I don't know why people live rurally and have outdoor cats honestly.

Cat owners are for the most part completely deluded. People don’t want your animals crspping all over their property.
FWIW the hedgehog holes are neither here nor there as cats climb fences. We have several local fleabags coming in our garden over a tall fence to shot in our borders.

Cats pooing in your neighbour’s garden must be very annoying, so I can understand why she’s blocked the holes. However, in my experience cats just find another way to get in. Unless yours is elderly, they’ll probably just scale the fence or find another route around. I don’t own a cat, but have come to accept neighbourhood cats will poo in my garden along with urban foxes and other wildlife. Unless you keep them inside 24/7 (which I understand some owners do for safety) you can’t really stop them.

Many don't (or do a very poor job) especially if the are dominant.

I have cats shitting in my vegetable patch OP, it's disgusting and I'd do the same as your neighbour. Unfortunately it's unlikely to stop the problem.

If your property has a covenant (not convent 😆) about hedgehog holes, I’d look up who you can turn to wrt the neighbour covering them up.

Cats roam, cats poo, there’s nothing you can do about that. Your neighbour is being ridiculous in covering up the holes due to your cat, cats climb and this is most likely how your cat is going in their garden, not via the hedgehog holes. Tell them to shoo your cat away, squirt with water … your cat will soon get the message.

It may also be hedgehog poo they’re seeing, not cat poo. Unless they actually see your cat squatting to poo, in which case they can bang on their windows to shoo it away 🤷‍♀️

Presumabley if the holes were put in by the developer the other fences in the area will also have holes in, so with your blocked the wildlife will be free to roam in cat free gardens and less likely to come into yours and be killed by your cat, and your cat is less likely to go and shit in their gardens- win win. If you have such great concern for the local wildlife then perhaps re-think your choice of pet and get one that doesn't decimate native wildlife...

As a previous poster alluded to, the hedgehog highways are probably a condition attached to the planning permission to mitigate the environmental harm of the development. You can check this for yourself if you search the development on your LPA’s planning portal.

Where there is a breach of condition this can be reported to the planning enforcement team who will take a view on whether or not it’s expedient to rectify the breach.

All that said, are you really that bothered? If you have a particular affinity for hedgehogs perhaps there are other things you can do to help them on their way. Speaking to your neighbour about it and trying to come to a reasonable compromise is pretty much always the best solution.

The planning might have said the builder must put them there, but say nothing about whether the home owner must keep them open

This. My cat poos in my garden because there’s plenty of loose soil for him to dig little holes.

Why are you acting so put upon?

I adore cats but I totally see why she doesn't want your cat's shit in her garden.

The less heartwarming sequel to Some Dogs Do

For a start, it won't be a shared fence. It will belong to either your property, or hers. Even if it belongs to you, there is absolutely nothing you can do about her blocking the holes on her side using some extra panelling of some sort that belongs to her and is only on her side of the boundary.

Put them back, but only hedgehog sized holes. The cats won't get through then. Though anyone who thinks that cats won't find another way into their garden is deluded. They will go over the fence for a start!

I was thinking the exact same thing I got distracted by the thought of hedgehogs in a convent