Cat spikes around garden

[VividDenimTiger]

So, we live in house with a small garden. The neighbours cats have been shitting in our garden every day for literally 5 years. We have tried EVERYTHING to deter them- sensors, water sprays, planting cat deterrent plants, lion poo, spraying stuff. You name it, we have tried it.

Our garden stinks of cat shit all the time. The neighbours who own the cats- sit outside in their garden all the time enjoying life because their cats don’t shit at home.

It’s broken me - we can’t actually use our garden at all at the moment as it’s terrible- they shit in the beds, dig up our plants and spray against the shed.

So we have put up cat spikes to try and deter them as a last resort. I hate them and they look awful but I am hoping it might deter them. Neighbour has already made it clear how unreasonable we are - they are on our side of the fence so no boundary issues. I am trying not to fall out with them but we have asked them many times to try and contain their cats- they have 4.

so AIBU? I am literally at the end of my tether. My kids can’t play in the garden as there is constant shit. It’s stressing me out so much - we just want to use our own garden so this is honestly last resort. I am really upset by it all.

Not unreasonable at all. Really hope the spikes work for you and you can enjoy your garden again.

The spikes look awful and it has upset me but I can’t go on. We actually found maggots in some of the cat shit recently- it’s so horrendous

I used to throw the neighbour’s cat poo back into their garden. Every morning.

YANBU - do what you like on your own property.

YANBU. Neighbour's cats have ruined my garden, too. I don't know what else to suggest, but I agree that it can be exhausting and upsetting.

No doubt the cat lovers/defenders will be on soon to defend them, unfortunately there's an aspect of cat owners' psychology that fails to see what the problem is, or denies that there's a problem at all - selfish and obnoxious.

You need to fix cat-proof fencing on top of your fences. Netting and angle brackets. You can DIY it if you Google. They will get over the spikes if they are determined. If they injure themselves make sure your house insurance covers you!

YANBU! I hate cat spikes, too, but they're better than the sight and smell of cat poo all over the place.

Not unreasonable at all. If she really wants you to remove them,the other option would be she comes into your garden 3 times a day to clean up after her cats. If she's not happy with that option then the spikes stay. It's disgusting and a health hazard, especially if you've got young ones.

I believe Holly leaves strewn all along flower beds are a good deterrent but sounds like you’ve already tried a lot. Even on days when I can’t get outside, I get so much out of watching birds hopping about in our garden so constant bday presence wood effect my enjoyment of my home and garden. Really feel for you.

Yanbu OP. Definitely throw the poop over the fence as well. This isn’t fair of your neighbours.

We’ve done it too. We got pig sick of the multiple cats in our street using our garden as a litter tray. The family over the road has 5 cats. If they don’t like it they can always keep them in. We’ve planted a few curry plants and lavender plants too. The cats hate the smell of them.

Constant cat presence would affect, I meant!

Sorry you're going through this, OP.

When I had a cat, I didn't let him go outside.

I have never thought it was fair that the public have to be the toilet, entertainment, food source etc for someone else's pet cat.

I was also very scared that someone would get tired of him shitting in their garden (rightly so) and do something mean to him.

I didn't want him run over by a car, cat fight, disease etc.

When we had him, I worried about all the cat shit in our garden and if it would carry a disease to him, parasites etc as he was an indoor cat. The poo clearly looked diseased, maggots like you found and in many instances (sorry for TMI) bloody.

Anyway, I don't think you're being unreasonable.

It is certainly a stressful situation and a very raw deal for you.

We have tried lavender too and citronella and everything. Nothing worked - it’s totally last resort for us.

But what can they do? You can't train a cat to not go in certain places.

Two things are true - OP can do what they want to try and deter cats from their garden. And also, there isn't anything the neighbors can really do about it.

I am a cat owner / lover. As long as the spikes are legal and installed properly then you are not being unreasonable.

My cats are indoor cats as I couldn't live with myself if something happened to them outside.

This, 100%

Cat owner here. If this was happening to my neighbour I’d arrange to pop over twice a week and scoop. Have you tried getting them over to see the extent of this issue?

They are legal- we aren’t trying to hurt cats at all. Just deter them from coming into garden

Not. Fucking. Funny.

Psychotic. Vibes.

I own cats. You wanna put spikes up to stop them coming in your garden that’s fine with me

We have tried but they have 4 cats and it’s all the time and I am exhausted by it all. I shouldn’t have to do that - neighbour offered once but it’s so extensive and they are at work a lot- it’s too much. We just want to deter them from coming at all.

Clean up after it. Every day. Pretty simple if they are going in next doors garden.

I never questioned you on this point, OP!