Cat deterrent | Mumsnet

Runnerinthenight · 25/04/2024 16:19

Get your own cat.

everythingisgoingup · 25/04/2024 16:23

Moth balls

Also is it cat poo? Could you have a fox?

Cats don't harm guinea pigs in my experience (had both 😊)

fromaytobe · 25/04/2024 16:45

I'm amazed at the sheer number of people who report cat poo on their lawn.

I've had cats my entire life (currently have 4), and I have never ever seen one poo on the grass. They like to bury their doings, and will find bare earth, gravel, or somewhere like that, so they can cover it up.

I'm honestly baffled. We often find hedgehog poo and the occasional fox turd on on the front grass, but not once have I found cat poo on grass unless it has been flung there by NDN's gardener (and yes, I have seen him throw it over. How he manages to distinguish between our cats' poo and all the shits done by the many other cats in the neighbourhood I don't know).

Original poster

NellyTimes · 25/04/2024 16:47

everythingisgoingup · 25/04/2024 16:23

Moth balls

Also is it cat poo? Could you have a fox?

Cats don't harm guinea pigs in my experience (had both 😊)

It's definitely cat poo. I know they won't harm them but the guinea pigs don't know that. Thanks for the moth balls tip, will look in to that.

OP posts:

Original poster

NellyTimes · 25/04/2024 16:50

fromaytobe · 25/04/2024 16:45

I'm amazed at the sheer number of people who report cat poo on their lawn.

I've had cats my entire life (currently have 4), and I have never ever seen one poo on the grass. They like to bury their doings, and will find bare earth, gravel, or somewhere like that, so they can cover it up.

I'm honestly baffled. We often find hedgehog poo and the occasional fox turd on on the front grass, but not once have I found cat poo on grass unless it has been flung there by NDN's gardener (and yes, I have seen him throw it over. How he manages to distinguish between our cats' poo and all the shits done by the many other cats in the neighbourhood I don't know).

Edited

Well I can't explain that, but it's definitely there on my lawn! But even if they aren't pooing on the lawn, why should I put up with them in my garden, they're not my pets. I love birds and am trying to attract as many as I can to the garden and it seems unfair that I can't have my garden how I'd like it because of other people's pets.

OP posts:

CatamaranViper · 25/04/2024 16:51

There are certain smells they don't like so you could somehow put that around the garden?
I know you can get the high pitched beepy things too but that would put off other wildlife too

Runnerinthenight · 25/04/2024 17:33

fromaytobe · 25/04/2024 16:45

I'm amazed at the sheer number of people who report cat poo on their lawn.

I've had cats my entire life (currently have 4), and I have never ever seen one poo on the grass. They like to bury their doings, and will find bare earth, gravel, or somewhere like that, so they can cover it up.

I'm honestly baffled. We often find hedgehog poo and the occasional fox turd on on the front grass, but not once have I found cat poo on grass unless it has been flung there by NDN's gardener (and yes, I have seen him throw it over. How he manages to distinguish between our cats' poo and all the shits done by the many other cats in the neighbourhood I don't know).

Edited

I don't understand it either - there's 8 or so cats that roam around my garden (neighbours' cats) and I don't get poo in my grass either, nor tbh in my beds that much either. My own cats are indoors. I've always had cats too!

Runnerinthenight · 25/04/2024 17:35

NellyTimes · 25/04/2024 16:50

Well I can't explain that, but it's definitely there on my lawn! But even if they aren't pooing on the lawn, why should I put up with them in my garden, they're not my pets. I love birds and am trying to attract as many as I can to the garden and it seems unfair that I can't have my garden how I'd like it because of other people's pets.

Show quote history

As per post above. We still put out bird feeders and have a large variety of birds feeding from them. There's the occasional casualty sadly, which I hate, but I think the benefits outweigh the risks. There's a prime suspect - well not even, I know it's him. The rest don't really bother that much.

Curtainsforus · 25/04/2024 19:38

We have loads of cats visiting our garden all the time - and it does annoy me - my dog has been injured several times chasing them - the vet bills have been £££ and dealing with an animal in pain isn't fun either.

longtompot · 26/04/2024 13:34

@fromaytobe our cat sometimes poos on the lawn, usually near where our dog does it! It is very different to a dogs, does have a smell but not strong like fox poo. One of our other cats used to poo in the borders but he'd cover it up.

I wish I could find a way to stop most of our neighbourhoods cats from using our gravel drive as their loo. It stinks when it's warm out, and if we don't see them when going out to the car we have occasionally stepped on them🤢

IsadoraQuill · 26/04/2024 13:37

They poo on our lawn as soon as it gets any length to it. I've made it impossible for them to poo on my flower beds through carefully placed sticks and plastic spikes so they go on the lawn instead.

I've seen them do it!

You need a motion activated sprinkler OP. Aim it away from the guinea pigs and it will stop the little bastards. They hate water!

shiftingsandsoftime · 26/04/2024 13:45

Ultrasonic cat deterrent works to stop them hanging out (they may still pass through, but the sound only they can hear stops them sitting around).
The sounds from these don't bother the birds.
Also claim to deter foxes (which are possible culprits of lawn poo).

fromaytobe · 26/04/2024 21:42

longtompot · 26/04/2024 13:34

@fromaytobe our cat sometimes poos on the lawn, usually near where our dog does it! It is very different to a dogs, does have a smell but not strong like fox poo. One of our other cats used to poo in the borders but he'd cover it up.

I wish I could find a way to stop most of our neighbourhoods cats from using our gravel drive as their loo. It stinks when it's warm out, and if we don't see them when going out to the car we have occasionally stepped on them🤢

Chopped-up orange peel sprinkled all over the area is supposed to put them off as they don't like the smell of citrus.

CottonPyjamas · 26/04/2024 21:50

fromaytobe · 25/04/2024 16:45

I'm amazed at the sheer number of people who report cat poo on their lawn.

I've had cats my entire life (currently have 4), and I have never ever seen one poo on the grass. They like to bury their doings, and will find bare earth, gravel, or somewhere like that, so they can cover it up.

I'm honestly baffled. We often find hedgehog poo and the occasional fox turd on on the front grass, but not once have I found cat poo on grass unless it has been flung there by NDN's gardener (and yes, I have seen him throw it over. How he manages to distinguish between our cats' poo and all the shits done by the many other cats in the neighbourhood I don't know).

Edited

Unfortunately I have witnessed the neighbourhood cat defecating on my front lawn. I'm also a cat owner.

RogueFemale · 27/04/2024 00:27

NellyTimes · 25/04/2024 16:17

There are 3 or 4 cats that live in my close and they are constantly in my garden! I found one sitting on my bird table this morning and I'm constantly picking up poo from the lawn. We also have guinea pigs in the garden and I've found one of the cats sitting on their run a couple of times.

I'm so sick of them. How can I keep them out of the garden but not use anything that will affect the birds or the guinea pigs?

I'm a cat owner. I agree with PP that it'd be very unusual for a cat to defecate on a lawn, they instinctively do it in earthy areas so that they can afterwards cover their poo.

I have a lawn and flower beds and my cat always poos in the flower beds. Lawn, never.

And I have a bird table far too high for my cat to access; if he tried, it'd topple over.

But anyway, as for deterring neighbour's cats, - get a motion-sensitive water spray device.

RogueFemale · 27/04/2024 00:38

fromaytobe · 25/04/2024 16:45

I'm amazed at the sheer number of people who report cat poo on their lawn.

I've had cats my entire life (currently have 4), and I have never ever seen one poo on the grass. They like to bury their doings, and will find bare earth, gravel, or somewhere like that, so they can cover it up.

I'm honestly baffled. We often find hedgehog poo and the occasional fox turd on on the front grass, but not once have I found cat poo on grass unless it has been flung there by NDN's gardener (and yes, I have seen him throw it over. How he manages to distinguish between our cats' poo and all the shits done by the many other cats in the neighbourhood I don't know).

Edited

Yes, totally agree. Long term cat owner also, and have NEVER seen my cat poop on the lawn (and I can see him pooping from where I sit at my computer). There's a fairly long performance of finding the right spot/digging a bit first, in the flower bed. Then post-pooping another performance of covering the poop with soil. Both performances impossible on a lawn. It just doesn't happen.

RogueFemale · 27/04/2024 00:46

@NellyTimes I love birds and am trying to attract as many as I can to the garden and it seems unfair that I can't have my garden how I'd like it because of other people's pets.

I love birds, too. I have an inaccessible-to-cat v. high bird table, and inaccessible-to-cat hanging fat ball feeders. I also have a bird bath. Rarely any casualties. Once a year at most.

Marymary77 · 30/04/2025 19:03

IsadoraQuill · 26/04/2024 13:37

They poo on our lawn as soon as it gets any length to it. I've made it impossible for them to poo on my flower beds through carefully placed sticks and plastic spikes so they go on the lawn instead.

I've seen them do it!

You need a motion activated sprinkler OP. Aim it away from the guinea pigs and it will stop the little bastards. They hate water!

Hi @IsadoraQuill Do you mind me asking what type of sticks you use? I'm so sick of our neighbour's car digging the plants from our flower pots and pooing in them. No herbs or orange peel seem to work.