Cats in my garden AGAIN...

[fattybumbum]

Some of you may remember a recent thread on here where I said that my neighbour (semi detached) had acquired 4 kittens (as well as having an older cat already) and they were all shitting in our newly done up garden. It has been a big problem often up to 5 deposits a day. I couldn't clear them up as I was pregnant and have a 3 year old who couldn't play out over the summer as the garden was full of shit and he has eczema. WELL, the problem has now escalated. We started spraying the cats with a hose to keep them out. It was working, then we noticed that the neighbours were not talking to us (including their kids).

I hadn't sprayed any cats for the last few weeks as I'd had the baby and had been ill too but today I saw one trying to poo under the tree where my son always plays so I got the hose and squirted it.

Next thing a voice SCREAMS, 'Don't you squirt my cats you fat fucking bitch!' and she is hanging out the upstairs window with her son. I said, 'Don't tell me what to do in my own garden.' She started screaming more stuff at me but I walked inside shouting, 'That is anti social behaviour I am going to report you to the council.' and shut the door.

Flaming hell, I don't want to start a whole 'thing' with our neighbours but the woman is nuts. I've seen her having ding dongs in the street with the neighbours on her other side and don't want to start all that. Plus she is really a nasty piece of work, very big build and very aggressive (She called the other neighbour's son a black bastard to the mother's face.' Should I report her to the council (we are not council tenants ourselves so not sure how it stands.) But seriously, I can't believe she just screamed at me like that. The woman is a bully! So what now?

I don't think I can cope witht he stress of all this right now. I have a new baby, an infection in my section wound and my son is beinginvestigated for epilepsy. This is just the last straw.

[fattybumbum]

She knows - she is just a control freak.

[HansieMom]

There is a sprinkler attachment you can buy called ScareCrow. It looks like a rather humorous crow and sits about 3' off the ground. It is motion activated and when it detects a deer, cat, rabbit, person etc., it sprays several arcs of water and then quits.

I used it to deter deer when I had an extensive mixed border, mostly perennials. When I'd stroll the path admiring the flowers, I had to duck below the plants when the ScareCrow came on! Around $60 is U.S. You can google scarecrow deter cats.

Our cat will ask to get in the house when she wants to go potty. She will head right to the litterbox. We have five acres of partly forested land. But she is otherwise purrfect!

Just an observation though while we are on the subject of catsmany of you in England seem to expect your cat to go potty outside. And in fact to let it spend much of its life outside. That seems very dangerous to me in a city or town with traffic, cats to fight with, etc. Our cat has to come in the house when I leave, and when dusk approachesjust too dangerous with coyotes and raccoons. I've trained her to come in by banging a spoon on a can of cat food and calling her--I'm still kind of amazed she will do that.

[6feetundertheGroundhogs]

I'm having same problem... Dogs in the front garden too!!

So I have put down some pet repellant crystals, and this has worked up til yesterday... So dare say I need to put more down.

A sonic repellant may be a short sharp shock for the cat, but they are able to get away and stay away. It'll work fast and not be a poison risk for DC.

I just picked the poo up and popped it back over the cat owning neighbours fence... thinking it'll encourage the cat to poo in her own sodding back yard....

YANBU for wanting to preserve the safety of your own garden, she sounds like a shrew. You have a right to protect your little ones from all the diseases they can pick up from animal faeces.

I like cats, used to own some, but they didn't soil in my neighbours gardens.

[Parmageddon]

I'd have thought the cat repellent stuff was a better idea as your neighbour will have no idea you have used it - it is less obviously confrontational. If I saw a neighbour spraying my cat, I'm not sure I'd be pleased, although I understand that you don't want it pooing in your garden. Your neighbour was obviously very out of order screaming and swearing at you. To avoid further conflict, imo use the 'catapult' stuff.

[bb99]

Haven't read whole thread, but I rate those sonic cat deterent noise things. They could be subtley placed around the garden, and if you're feeling spiteful, even 'aimed' across the boundary fence, by accident

Think there are battery operated ones. Very humane apparently as the cats just stay away from the nasty noise.

Hope it all works out - there is always neighbour reconcilliation services, usually that run as a local charity, but I know that is often a bit of a tedious use of time if neighbours are totally unreasonable.

Good luck - YA soo NU

Like the giving back of the gifts idea on prev post

[Uriel]

Use the hose. I'd be ok with water being sprayed at my cats.

I wouldn't get a cat yourself though. Mine seem perfectly happy to use our flowerbeds.

[PeedOffWithNits]

you need "silent roar" , pellets made from animal poo at zoos, odourless to humans but scares the crap out of cats (pun intended) so they stay away

[PeedOffWithNits]

silent roar

[almostreal]

Emsyj: Contact the council about the dog.
The dog isn't coming onto your property so it really isn't the same thing.
I wont answer the question about the baby since your being ridiculous.
The cats are being pests and fouling in the OP garden, the excrement can be dangerous to young children. Therefore she should take the appropriate action to remove such a threat. Why should the OP care more about her neighbors cats than her own children! Especially if it's owner isn't willing to deal with it and is only interested in abusing the OP.

[Fibilou]

Amostreal, you sound like an extremely nasty piece of work if you think it would be appropriate to poison someone's pets.

I'm glad you don't live next door to me.

[squashedfrogs]

I have read on another MN thread that putting urine around the garden boundary will deter cats from entering from neighbouring gardens. If you can persuade your DH/DP to help out with that (prob best done at night ) it could be the end of your problems - you won't have to bother with the cat problem and your neighbour will think you have stopped "torturing" her little darlings. It probably needs reapplication after rain though.

[AnnieBeansMum]

What a horrible sounding woman!! Get yourself to the zoo and get some lion poo. I had 4 or 5 neighbourhood cats using my garden as a toilet earlier this year and someone told me about lion poo. I put some down in my garden and haven't seen a single cat back there since.

[madamearcati]

I feel your pain.Our next door have 2 cats who crap on the stepping stones leading uo to our door and even once on the doorstep.I scoop them up and chuck them over the fence again in the hope their toddler steps in them and trails catshit all through THEIT house .The law on cats really needs updating.Cat owners are not responsible for any damage their cats do.

I thinki they are an antisocial pet- scratching cars with their claws ripping open bin bags ,crapping on gardens .If you hate your neighbours -get a cat !!

[shockers]

I wondered about lion poo for our school garden as we are plagued by pooing cats. I wasn't sure though because they are carnivores... don't you get flies/ maggots etc?
I have a cat, I love cats but if the neighbour's cats come into my garden to toilet or bother my rabbit, I will happily sqirt them with a washing up liquid bottle filled with water that I keep by the door specifically for that purpose. It doesn't hurt them!

[shockers]

squirt..

[pugsandseals]

I feel your pain!
We have neighbours with 6 cats and they are constantly pooing in our garden & playing on DD's play equipment. It has been a nightmare for us as both DD and I are highly allergic to cats!
We have hardly been in our back garden in 2 years! If we do DH has to go and inspect first to save our allergic reactions
Some people just don't realise the harm that their cats can do- they should be banned!!!

[shockers]

Just had a vision of cats on swings and trampolines

[pugsandseals]

They will go down the slide, sleep in the roof of the climbing frame and even push the swing!!!

[toddlerama]

Pretty sure the OP doesn't want her DC touching lion poop either!

[biggirlsdontcry]

you can get a plug-in device in Argos that deters cats as it gives off a high frequency sound (only animals can hear) they don't like & it really works , pity there is no such device you could use on your nasty neighbour .

[IfYouCouldWouldYou]

Emsyj Spraying a cat with a hose is not cruel they learn pretty quick not to go somewhere if they are going get a wet.

I had one of my neighbours complain that our cat was stalking thiers and they threatened using the hose. We told him to go right ahead if it stops the cat going into thier garden,(which surprised him) They did and it worked. No more hassle.

OP Yes do report to the council (if she is a council tennant) It is my understanding that the council will only allow 2 cats per property - you will need to check with your local council's rules. And if they are causing a nuisance to you then thier cats could be taken away.

I reported a neighbour years ago. She had six cats, and several litters of kittens. Two of the male cats were causing a nuisance. Spraying the garden, Coming in and eating our cats food and One actually entered my house and peed on my sons bed!!!

It got to the stage i couldn't leave my windows/door open.

In the end the RSPCA got involved due to the complaints (neighbours had complained also) and they did take some of the cats away

[ShinyAndNew]

I have two cats and recommened to my old neighbour that she spray my elder cat with a spray bottle or water pistol to stop him going into her plant pots. I have little control over where he goes when he is not in the house.

I have to say I'd be a bit miffed she used a hose.

Apparently catapult is good. And some one once told me pepper is good too.

[PeachyInCarnivalFeathers]

Goodness how do you ban cats pugs? Put them all down?

If our neighbours squirted our cat I would be fine with it. years ago someone DID poison my cat, before we moved here, and I don't lose my temper but if I ever find out for sure who did it I think I would. Harming a living creature is horrid, full stop. We'vealso ahd builders for neighbours (as if its their problem) pour chemicals on a cat and burn them (if it sounds as if we have lots we don't, never more than two,many of which won't go outside our garden as they are very badly hurt rescued animals who often die within a year).

I know where our cat goes BTW- on the drain in the road.

What is awfulabout the OP is the way she was spoken to and that is out of order and needs reporting.

Do people really think that when you ahrm a cat its OK?We homed a cat for a year before it died who, as a tiny kitten had been injured so badly that it lost limbs and a tail, and shook badly and soiled itself when anyone other than DH and I (who he would happily cuddle up to) approached. There's never an excuse for caying that sort of suffering. Welost him after a year and it was so sad, thank goodness that little mite had the year with us.

No issues whatsoever with water pistols, sprinklers, repellants- not sure aboutt ehr ange on sonar things, happy if it was neighbours agrden but if it affected him in ours I would be annoyed as he has the smae right to the enjoyment of our garden that they have to theirs IMO.

[PeachyInCarnivalFeathers]

'It is my understanding that the council will only allow 2 cats per property' varieswith area. If so and you report them though, be aware that with the catteries full atm chances are they will be put down.

[andgodcreatedwoman]

I agree about reporting her to the council. She sounds a charmer.

There's no problem using a hose although a hand held squirter would be slightly less harsh. (Unless you're pregnant and can't run up to it in time)

Could you not talk to her and explain why you're doing it? She may just think you hate cats and are trying to hurt them.

Lion poo