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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To HATE cats and not want them in my garden. Any solutions?

75 replies

TotallyAndUtterlyPaninied · 19/05/2009 20:21

I know there are animal lovers out there but I am not one of them and I really hate cats. They go through my rubbish bags and poop on the lawn where my 1 year old plays.

I don't want this happening any more. Any solutions? I don't really like any animals, so a dog is not an option.

OP posts:
claricebeansmum · 20/05/2009 11:10

Get a dog

JustWannaBeMe · 20/05/2009 11:38

Have to disagree with cats shitting on your lawn to be highly unlikely!!

Our local cat regularly used our front lawn as his shit hole and on one occasion refused to move until he had done his business!!! bastard!!

Then came snow, lots and lots of snow, and (fingers crossed), he found a new shithole and we havent had trouble since.

Of course now i have said this, i'm sure there will a lovely present on my front lawn all over again!

catsmother · 20/05/2009 12:14

I have 4 cats (5 until recently) and understand how horrid it must be to find cat poo in your garden ... I hate it in mine, but obviously can't complain (and have in fact made a dedicated, unlanted, soft earth patch for them to use, which I then re-bury very deeply on a regular basis).

However, I have made a point of asking my immediate neighbours to tell me if it gets to be a problem in their gardens - I have offered to come round and clean up, and have also said I have no problem with them turning the hose on them to deter them. So .... if you know whose cats they are, it may be worth having a word. They could also encourage their own cats to use their own garden, as I have done, by providing a cat friendly space.

As others have suggested, citrus peel is a reasonably good deterrent, but you do need to replace this quite often as the citrus oil dries out and evaporates. Alternatively, some people reckon moth balls put them off. There are also physical barriers you can put down ...... eg. lots of twiggy stuff between plants, so they can't get on the bare ground in between. I appreciate this doesn't stop lawn problems, but IMO, it is very unusual for a cat to do it on any sort of hard ground as they are normally fastidious about burying. It might be hedgehog poo you're seeing .... they do quite big poos for a small animal, or even foxes (which really stinks).

You can get a plant called "scaredy cat" from the garden centre which is supposed to repel cats. Another idea is lion poo which you can get in pellets (Google it if the garden centre doesn't have it). I know it sounds like you're replacing one lot of poo with another, but it's actually sterilised before it's sold so it's hygenic, though the smell that remains of the lion frightens little cats. It's a fertiliser so it will improve your garden at the same time.

Queenoftheharpies · 20/05/2009 12:16

Cats usually bury their poo unless they're in some kind of border dispute with another cat. Leaving it uncovered is a territorial thing.

We have 2 cats and use orange peel to keep them away from the houseplants - but not sure if it's strong enough to work outside (but it does also kill slugs, so potential double-win there).

My cat behaviour book says that if all else fails, you can try actually putting human urine on the boundaries of your garden - the offending cat will then think there is some giant ubercat prowling the neighbourhood and stay away.

I don't know anyone that's tried it though.

PuppyMonkey · 20/05/2009 12:19

Best way of deterring other cats is probably to get your own cat.

Cats going through rubbish? Pooing on a lawn? Doesn't sound like a cat at all to me.

Lovesdogsandcats · 20/05/2009 12:40

doesnt sound like a cat to me either.

Foxes poo on open lawns and rip rubbish bags up.

trixymalixy · 20/05/2009 12:42

I think it's more likely to be foxes going through your rubbish bags and pooing on your lawn. Cats tend to hide away and cover up their own poos rather than poo in a wide open space.

SarahL2 · 20/05/2009 12:43

Have been using potty training to my advantage and pouring DS's pee in the garden Queenoftheharpies does seem to work for a short while then then leave an extra big present unburied to "claim" thier territory back!!!

I do not want a cat Puppymonkey as I am allergic to them. I am also sure it is a cat pulling our rubbish bags to bits as I have seen the damn thing/s at it!

I also do not want a dog. Our house is not big enough and I do not have the time to walk one. Plus, I do enough picking up of baby and cat poo and do not want to be picking up after anything else!

5Foot5 · 20/05/2009 13:19

FrustratedMom: 4 year old with a water pistol and permission to use it - love that solution!!

PM73 · 20/05/2009 13:51

Well we must have bloody clever foxes around here who shop at the fancy dress costume shop & dress up as cats cos i have seen cats ripping bin bags open & shitting on next doors gravel drive.

Who would have thought it was foxes all along eh

earthpixie · 20/05/2009 13:57

Cats certainly use my lawns as a toilet; I've seen them doing it frequently!

Used to quite like cats but since having a child I relly resent the disgusting, noisome mess they leave exactly where he needs to play.

earthpixie · 20/05/2009 13:57

really

mum23monkeys · 20/05/2009 14:02

We've been using a multi-pronged approach to try and keep the cats out of our garden. (one neighbour has 3, the other neighbour has 5. I have a child with severe eczema and pet hair irritates so we can't get a cat ourselves to keep the others away).

I use a sonic thingy. Seems to work, but one particularly bold cat has been back twice this week, grrrr.

I have put chicken wire over the top of all pots and over exposed ground.

I use stinky granules to sprinkle onto pots and soil.

I have a bucket of water to throw over any cat who comes into my garden. (neighbours are happy for me to do this)

I think I have spent about £100 this year on stuff to keep the cats away. It makes me very cross. I live in a city and it is not an appropriate environment to have so many animals around.

One neighbour told me that her cats are her substitute children (I think I'm meant to feel guilty or something because I have 3 dc and she always wanted more). I'm tempted to allow my dc to go and poo in her garden. (joke - obviously!)

Peachy · 20/05/2009 14:06

TBH I'd have no problem with someone water pistolling my mog if her was on their garden; chilli can blind though so would absolutely call the RSPCA about that one if put onto cat. Put on garden is different I think.

Cats will use a lawn if there is no alternative, have you thought about asking their owner to supply a space in cats own garden? It's their responsibility, we leave a space for our cat. they do also rip open bags and again its down to owner to sort- if you take the animal you agree to that IMO

Peachy · 20/05/2009 14:08

(but being angry with opwners before telling them that there's an issue is prob. U though)

pollywobbledoodle · 20/05/2009 14:10

we have had 4-5 different cats in our garden...they do crap on the lawn and anywhere that has recently been dug over.

we have tried every preventative measure suggested on this thread previously, to no avail

its a pain in the ase collecting sht every day....why should it be non cat owners forced to sort out the results of their filthy habits.

i don't know why owners aren't expected to train their cats to use litter trays and fined if they crap on other people's property/public spaces.....

MIAonline · 20/05/2009 14:15

My garden is covered in cat poo too, and yes it is cat poo, have seen the 2 local cats frequently in the garden. The people who the cat belongs to are not the sort you would go and have a polite word with, but I am sick of cleaning up after someone else's pets, it's not really their fault I suppose, though I wish peachy lived next door to me.

Peachy · 20/05/2009 14:16

owners can provide litter areas outside but that's hard to enforce as cats have other boundary reasons for this stuff, its not always feasible for an owner to give access to indoor tray (if we installed a flap it'd be a breach of our tenancy)

I do think many owners just dont realise other people have these problems though, I never did until I saw it on MN, nor did my parents

Someone did actually piour chemicals over my cat, bastards as he sufferd burns. Our last moggy had been given to us after being given such a severe kicking that he lots limbs, and only survived a year .

Water OK, chilli cruel, talk to owners first- it aint rocket science

Peachy · 20/05/2009 14:17

MIA no you don't the kids mroe than make up for cat consideration LOL

CandleQueen · 20/05/2009 14:24

Cat-a-pult spray doesn't work on the cats here.
I've laid holly branches over my seed beds to stop the cats - Who'd want prickles up your bum when trying to have a c**p?!
I have been trying to encourage DH to pee in the garden to ward the cats off, but he's not keen on al fresco urination. DS1 is more than happy to oblige though.

pollywobbledoodle · 20/05/2009 14:26

sorry, but if dogs can be house-trained {and they also mark territory/boundaries} i don't see why cats can't....i think the only reasons are that ,as peachy says, cat owners often aren't aware of the problem and there is no drive for the majority to make housetraining a priority

mum23monkeys · 20/05/2009 14:27

I want Peachy living next door to me!!!!!

Last time I approached my neighbour she said "oh, he's a little tinker isn't he?" Not helpful. I might have to be more specific about the possibilities of her providing a poo area in her own garden. What's wrong with a litter tray though?

Peachy · 20/05/2009 14:38

I don't think cats are easy to train in all honesty, partly simply due to the fact that catswanderwhilst dogs don't plus they have a very different temperament and quite simply dont give a toss.

It is mostly an education thing though, the biggest prb IMO is concreted over gardens, if you have a cat in one they are forced elsewhere

OrmIrian · 20/05/2009 14:41

Fox not cat re the bins.

OrmIrian · 20/05/2009 14:43

A big plastic bottle half full of water is supposed to deter them. Can't vouch for it or explain it but that's what I've heard.