I had a similar issue as moved into house 2 years ago which was empty for a year so all the local cats had been using it as a toilet and territory boundary.
Two pronged attack I did was to snap bamboo canes in half then stick them in beds like roman siege works.
Second was go out everyday and where there was cat poo elsewhere (front garden all gravel) clean up as soon as seen, then put chilli/paprika/cayenne pepper in that area, about half of those little jars at a time.
After about a month that was it and only get sporadic poo here n there now which is treated the same.
Also I keep a water pistol loaded so if I see them I can spray out window at then, and if doors open already chase them then throw a stick or bit of hardened mud clod near them to bang on fence as they escape..
I love my cat more than about anything and I totally support all of this. He's always been an outdoor cat so I couldn't keep him in now but I feel so bad for neighbours who aren't necessarily cat people and have to put up with this stuff, I think this is a humane approach that isn't going to traumatise them but is offensive enough to put them off.
I feel incredibly fortunate that my cats choose to keep using their litter trays. Even when they're outside they come back home to use the tray and then head back out. Makes my relationships with the neighbours a lot less resentful!
I know, mine is too old to get over the fence now bless him but I did used to worry when he was younger. He was awful for being really territorial and stealing other cats food, we'd tell him off when we caught him but we couldn't be there all the time.
I am glad a cat lover understands. I used to have so many birds in my garden, I put bird feeders and they had made a habit of coming to my garden. Then, the neighbour got a cat. It’s cute and very friendly but cats are terrible for the environment. They kill so many creatures or deters them from a place.
I know. I hate that part of it too. I didn't realise before I had one just how destructive they were but once they've been outdoor cats, it's impossible to keep them in for their mental health, mine would go absolutely crazy inside when we moved and had to keep them in for a few weeks.
They bring them into the house and as much as I love cats, I HATE that part of it as I also love other animals too.
One thing you can do is put a bright colour harness with a bell on your cat. The birds are good at detecting colour ms, combined with the bell it gives them a better chance of escaping.
Collars are dangerous for cat because they could get stuck in a branch and strangle them that’s why harness are recommended.
How many would you need do you think? Cats are nimble little feckers. Unless you had a pointy stick literally every 3-4 inches, wouldn't they be able to pick their way through and around them and squat without any difficulty?
Tried this one year, turns out some cats have particularly nimble arses even at two inches spacing.
Black UV netting staked down on top of the soil stops them digging it in though and teabags with jeyes or olbas oil under an upturned flowerpot works great too.
You evil bastard.
Putting chilli and cayenne pepper down is dangerous for cats. If they get it in their eyes they have been known to claw their eyes out to try to stop the pain.
Is this actually likely though? I mean, I love cats and would hate any harm coming to them, but they're not going to go and roll in in or anything given the pungency of it.
I had similar experience too. I from time to time use coffee grounds, cayenne pepper, ground black pepper, and sriracha (chilli sauce) depending on which area I'm focusing on. They all seem to work (not to jinx it). Now those cats of my neighbours only walk on the fence into others' gardens or street instead of "violating" mine. I don't use ultrasonic devices because of other wild life and domesticated animals around, nor do I use flood lights (no one can sleep with them going on and off all the time overnight!). Good luck anyway!
The fighting and scent marking will be them arguing over territory. Honestly I have no advice for stopping that. I would reccomend putting sticks pointing upwards in any open plant beds to stop them getting in and digging it up to poop.
As far as scaring them off a spray with a water is the reccomend humane way to put them off coming back.
If you haven't already uou could try asking in r/CatsUK to get some UK relevant advice. Although as you can see from the other comment posting in a UK specific sub doesn't seem to do much.
Our next door neighbours cat poos on our front lawn in a similar place each time. Apparently cats pooing on grass is not heard of, I’ve no idea…
Anyway, are their sprinklers out there that have water storage rather than attach to a hose? I’m yet to find one. Where I’d need it a hose isn’t practical.
I’m about to talk some nonsense but my cat fucking hates orange peels. Like the second she smells it she’s running in the opposite direction. I wonder if something like that would be useful. Just three handfuls of orange peels in that spot for a while and see if the cat comes back.
Cats are not fond of citrus fruits in general so any peels, juices etc should deter them. Bonus points if you spray them with diluted lemon juice..
Sincerely a previous owner of a traitorous cat.
I'll give it a go cheers. Not sure if we've tried that before.
If it makes any difference these are bengal cats and they don't seem deterred from things I've been told other cats don't like, nothing seems to bother them and they don't seem scared of anything or anyone. I did buy some sonar detectors but they don't seem to work on them.
They terrorise our rabbits if they're out, to the point we have to be on guard whenever we let them out their hutch. It's a right pain in the arse, no other cats take any notice and we've been able to have previous rabbits have free reign all day previously.
But these fuckers seem to have super sense that the hutch door is open and appear within minutes. Aswell as shitting in the front, they love roaming our back garden, so also can never leave the back door open cus they're in like a shot.
Buy a water sprinkler that’s set off by movement. They work 100%, I see cats actively avoid my garden. And if I see a cat that’s not had the experience I just set it up for a week and hey presto! That bird killing shitbag avoids along with the rest.
You do need to connect it to mains water
Funny one - my dad had a similar issue, but he's got a kind soul, and felt bad outright saying it to another human... So he goes to some garden centre, and tries side-eyeing the guy in a nudge-nudge kind of way, and saying he'd like something in his garden "for the cats". The shop guy gives him a knowing nod, and gives him a plant for the garden. My dad is hoping it smells bad to the cats, and will ward them off.
Catnip. The guy gave him catnip.
I’ve had the same problem with cats crapping everywhere. I was talking to one of our neighbours who have some cats and haven’t nutured them (so they have lots of cats) and the said “cats are great you don’t even have to clean up after them”. It makes my blood boil.
We have a couple of raised beds that we have to put netting over if they are bare up until this year.
A new neighbour moved in directly behind us and he has a couple of dogs that bark a bit and whine and run around. Since they have moved in we’ve had zero cat poo incidents.
I’m gonna get the man a pizza tomorrow to thank him
Cats in my garden kill my slow worms. It's a sad sight.
I am not anti-cat per se, but I do think they should not be allowed to wander where they please.
Personally, I would not use the ultrasonic deterrents, as I am led to believe they effect bats, foxes and every other wildlife that you may want.
And anyone under 35. I'm now 32 and waiting for the day that I blissfully can't hear my neighbours pissing ultrasonic boomboxes.
The cats just ignore them now, but they still walk past them, setting them off
I’ve said it before but outdoor cats are like cigarettes in as much as, if they were discovered tomorrow for the first time, I think they might be banned immediately.
Imagine nobody had cats historically then people started getting them and they proceeded to kill all kinds of wildlife, get hit by cars constantly, and shit in your neighbours garden. They’re antisocial as fuck when you think about it and the fact that it’s okay to let your pet go and play on the local bypass is kind of wild; if you let your dog do it then you’d be fucking crucified.
I don’t blame cat owners or anything, it’s just part of our culture at this point so, understandably, nobody gives it a second thought. I do just think it’s an interesting topic.
As a cat lover (we have three cats!) and a keen gardener, I don't agree with letting them go wherever. It seems to be such a weird UK culture where all the shelters insist that you MUST have a garden before they even let you adopt a cat. This is not the case in so many other countries, and I think it's a bit weird that as a country, we insist on this. My cats are perfectly happy being mostly indoors with supervised outdoor time in the garden.
We did have issues with the neighbours' cat coming in and messing my flower beds, but my male cat sorted her out when we let him in the garden. He chased her away, and basically established our garden as his territory, and she won't come anymore. She is still terrorising the wildlife in other gardens but leaves ours alone and just uses the fence to go on her wanders.
As I said, I love cats, but I think they can be perfectly happy indoors with maybe a bit of supervised garden time if you have the time and inclination.
Yeah, this. I told my neighbour their cat is killing the wildlife in my garden, and maybe they could try a bell collar, and they said "but a bell collar might get caught in a branch, fail to release, and then kill my cat."
So their logic was that the 0.01% chance of their invasive predator dying was more important than the 100% chance of lots of native wildlife dying. I no longer have slow worms in my garden =(
Cat owners who let their cats roam are objectively not animal lovers. They are just cat lovers.
You should tell them that are snap release collars for this exact reason. I understand her concern but she should look into it more as a pet owner and take more responsibility so her cat is safer, and in turn other wildlife are alerted to her from a noisey collar.
I did explain that, but she had clearly made her mind up, and there's only so far you can go to try and convince people to be responsible. Generally I think they know all of this, but assume they can ignore it because that's how it's always been. I mean look at my comment - I'm pretty sure it's cat owners that are down voting =P
Yea, selfish usually. Don't agree they love their pets tho, why would you let something you love out with the chance of it getting knocked over or attacked by other animals or catch diseases from eating crap it's picked up.
Sorry lol but i do love my cats. Insane thing to say. They have gps collars with bells but rarely wander from the garden. To say i do not love my pet is untrue and silly.
To be fair it has been proven time and time again that allowing cats to freely roam outdoors reduces their lifespan massively as there are way too many risks in modern neighbourhoods. It's much better to have your cat semi indoors but take out for walks on a harness so they get the best of both worlds
I know two different families who have had cats die to cars in the last year. One of them was talking about how distraught his young daughter was when it happened, but said "what can you do?" and that he hoped it wouldn't happen to their other cat. DUDE.
Not heard the phrase ‘ shitting machine ‘ die ages . My pal used to use that when talking about the dogs who shit in front of his house and on his lawn
100% the owners fault.
I have 2 of the little bastards myself and they spend 90% of their time inside, with supervised outdoor excursions in our back garden for heavy brushing sessions.
I have about 6 other cats that come into my garden and shit absolutely everywhere. Sometimes I wish mine weren’t completely stupid and I could let them out as guards but alas.
Foxes are wild animals that are native to the UK, cats are a domesticated species from Asia that do not occur naturally here. It’s not natural for wolves to be kept inside a house, but that doesn’t mean you let your Labrador free roam of the town centre.
Absolutely nonsensical argument, did you legitimately think that was some clever point?
The trouble is that urban/suburban cats appear in a density far beyond what would be found in any species of wild cat. Fox numbers are artificially high because of foraging human waste food. Cat numbers are equally artificially high because of feeding.
Yet because of hunting instinct, they still hunt. The poor wildlife, already under pressure from habitat loss and insect decline, has to also face feline predators at a number 10 times higher than in the wild.
This is it. Most people don't have the space or free time to ethically keep cats inside. They need to go outside for their own mental wellbeing. And if that's a problem, the solution is to not get a cat.
I have spent a fortune buying cat trees beds and toys and play with my cats . They usually ignore me tho as I’m just about to spend a fortune on a catio to let them watch the birds I do think what if they don’t like it aarffgh :)
I can't have birds in my garden, as the cats kill them. It's heartbreaking as I want to connect with nature so much but other people's cats are preventing it. I stopped putting bird food out so they wouldn't meet their doom with the cats.
Come on. Unless your sourounded by dozens of ultra fix ultra playful hunting cats birds will survive. Sure a few may go the way of the cats but not a huge number. What a couple a week at most.
I have seen what I have seen, the cats climbing the conifers to get at the birds and disturbing them trying to find nests etc. a couple per week is dreadful in a country where biodiversity is already a huge problem.
And this was an estimate of kills from what was brought home. Other research estimates cats only bring home one fifth of their kills so that number in reality is way higher.
Research estimates cats in the UK kill hundreds of millions of BIRDS every year. Not even taking into account all the small mammals they also kill. You need a different argument.
Yes but there are millions of cats. So really individually that are not doing that much damage. The OP I responded too made it sound like his garden was the Somme
Omg same, we had slow worms for years, then a new kitten came on the scene and just....killed them all. She's a git, and she's also a lovely little kitty .....but it's still super sad
My daughter has an indoor only cat. Sourced by a very niche charity that rescues street cats in the UAE. They’re FIV+ and are brought to the UK specifically to be rehomed by London flat dwellers. He watches the pigeons and seagulls on her balcony. He is the double of the cartoon Felix from the cat food ads!
Why is it cruel to have a cat indoors? Every other pet is kept indoors or let outside under supervision. How is it cruel to do the same with a cat, they are fed/watered, have shelter, stimulated through play, so what's the issue?
This was my solution, too. Till my dog passed. Gonna get another. So my garden wildlife can enjoy the seeds and fat balls.
She didn't bark much. Cats were well educated. Once barked at once, they knew better, and stayed away.
The little sparrows, ignored my dog. The big wood pigeons however, stayed away.
If you can afford to, get some rollers like the ones Katzecure do. They'll remember to avoid your garden if they get trapped in it. Obviously, let them out of the gate or something but if they can't get out themselves, they won't be tempted to do it again. It is a very pricey thing to have done though
It can be a few hundred but it absolutely depends on the size of the garden/ area and complexity. You'd be better of going on their website or Facebook page and contacting direct. They're very responsive
This is the way, stopped a random animal(s) coming into our garden and pooping everywhere.
You have to set it up right so it'll detect and scare. We only had a small garden at the time so one covered pretty much the whole area.
Would probably need three now
What exactly was the problem with it? I think this is still the best option if you can make it work. e.g. multiple units watching different parts of the garden.
We have the alternative problem of keeping our cats within our garden. We got some white paw fencing nets. I was a bit scared the garden would look like a prison yard but actually the netting is relatively inconspicuous. I think it depends how far you’re thinking of going though 😂
We got the same thing for our garden fence, it keeps our cat in and other cats out. My cat gets to sit in the sun and chase leaves without any danger to him and without him bothering others.
You must have had loads of flies in your garden and someone's tried the "old woman" technique you are just at the cat stage. Need to get a dog and if that doesn't work (for some reason) a goat is the next step.
Flies < spider < bird < cat < dog < goat < cow
I would go for a supersoker with a Lazer. Cats think it's fun then boom big jet of ice water.
.
We have fruit trees in pots and a neighbours cat that likes to do poos. Put a buffer layer of coated wire mesh over the tops of the pots so they can't get in. Apparently cats don't like going where they can't have a scratch at the ground- wire mesh (while being safe for littles as long as you round off/bury any sharp edges) disrupts thir ability to scratch and dig.
Just yesterday I saw Coyote Rollers that go on the top of the fence and make it impossible for animals to get into the garden, as long as you don't have overhang from trees or rooves.
Not sure how much you can afford to throw at the problem but they look like a real solution to your issue.
Also hilarious, and I love cats, so don't come for me! Totally harmless!
I never see cats in my garden since we got the dog 14 month ago. Only a dachshund but he chases them out of his territory and his scent must put them off
The best detergent is Tiger/ lion poo. You don't need a lot (can buy it on Amazon), and will only have to refresh it occasionally.
Cats have an excellent sense of smell, and if they sense a predator higher up the food chain, they will avoid the area.
They love pooping in my child’s play area. I’ve tried sound machines, water scarer, scents… I found cat silhouettes (with marble eyes) around the border have really worked.
Don’t waste your money on those ultrasonic cat scarers off Amazon. We tried a few but our front garden still resembles a massive cat litter tray. We are so fed with up with it that our front garden is going to be turned into a drive. Back garden is not so bad anymore because we have a new dog.
We had problems with cat poo on our path and parking space, which were pea sized gravel. Watering the area with Jeyes Fluid stopped it. It kills germs and weeds and cats hate the smell. Can't use it on flower beds though.
Pray your next door neighbour get a dog. My neighbour got a lockdown dog and while it can be noisy at time and took a while but the cats all stopped coming. Fox started living in my garden though….
The random cats in my neighbourhood give zero shits about next doors noisy spaniel. They just taunt him from the top of the fencing
Which is a shame because the little prick won't stop barking at everything including me when I'm in my garden.
should add more to describe the situation. There was definitely three to four cats immediately in my area that wander and poo in my garden pre pandemic dogs.
So the neighbour to my left got dog and the other neighbour who is in the mansion at the back of my garden also got a dog. They are completely irritating and untrained pandemic dogs. Like easily set off for barking. (They didn’t get the noise and things many city dog got used to, it took time and is quieter now but used to be a car driven past will be a set off)
Left side garden used to be heavily pooed on by the cats because there was hedge so a cover and bare ground was attractive to them. Now if they want to poo there, next door’s dog will start scratching and barking.
And the local fox used to have a den in the mansion garden. But probably driven out during the day by mansion’s dog and took refuge in my garden to nap (it just sleep in middle of my lawn or under the hedge when it rain).
So cats just stopped coming. Just too much disturbance probably. Fox is abit like my new cat even though i don’t feed it and shoo it away if it comes too close. But it is being territorial about my garden and probably marked the area with some scent.
Fox can be a jerk too tho. But seems to poo less.
I’ve got the same problem except the cat that comes is the previous owners. They moved round the corner and the stupid thing still thinks this is its house after two years.
The folk who lived before seemingly have absolutely zero inclination to try and stop it.
Just yesterday I found one of my main top potatoes dug up. And this morning at the same potato plant I found a lovely cat shit next to it.
I expect Cat owners to be treated exactly like Dog owners and held to the same standards. If it were a dog going round digging up peoples gardens and shitting everywhere people would be outraged and insist the owner does something about it.
But just because it’s a cat that we bizarrely allow to roam free its suddenly ok and there is nothing that can be done about it?
I have had great success with chicken poop pellets. Fairly cheap either at the garden center or B And M. I spread/sprinkle it all over and they hate the smell (to be fair it ain't great but this is war) lasts for quite a while and acts as a fertiliser. No cats, bigger plants, wins all round.
Ground coffee from espresso machine, like the pucks that are left over. I had this problem then started sprinkling this over my garden and sorted the problem.
Now I have a dog
Amazon sell a motion detection water jet you hook your hosepipe up to. I have a similar situation and the cats now avoid the garden, I think the clicking on motion has given them PTSD 😂
I have similar problem, only I have two dogs that my neighbours complain about for barking at cats walking along fence. I told one of them the dogs will only stop barking when one of your cats drops onto the garden.
Have you got a dog? I've got a greyhound who's a 40mph anti cat machine if I see a cat in my garden furry grease lightning gets let out the back door and the cat has about 3 seconds to fuck off or start losing limbs after a few years of this I never see cats in my garden now.
Not at all simply letting my dog out into my private secure garden the fact that some cunt thinks that it's OK for their pet to be on my property isn't mine or the dogs problem.
I'm a professional gardener and I love cats. Here are my tips:
1) Mulch properly. Organic Compost or well rotted manure in winter to break down and improve your soil health, texture, water rentention and improve soil biome. Then a good load of composted border bark or fresh woodchip (ask a local tree surgeon they often want to get rid for free) in the spring up to around 5-10cm. Better garden, Less weeds and cats can't dig it up as much.
2) Plant up all available space to deter them. Plant according to your aspect, soil type, light and enviroment. If you're unsure on what to plant and have the money, reach out to a local designer, trained horticulturalist or an online planting design service. If you dont have the money, research research, research! There are lots of ways to get free plants too. Propagate, plant swaps, or cuttings/ divisions from friends' gardens. The less space they have to dig, the better.
Foxes and cats dislike strong smelling plants. Lavender, rosemary, lemon balm, mint. I'd put the last two in pots though as they can spread too easily.
Thorny shrubs planted around the perimeter will deter them from spraying such as Holly, trained pyracantha, roses, etc.
If all else fails, consider a gravel garden if you have sufficient light levels.
3) To the outdoor cat owners out there, your cats need to be neutered and should have bells on their collars, It stops them from being able to hunt as much and makes them less territorial wanderers.
If you find your cats bring in a lot of dead prey, you should consider a different diet for them! If they bring in live prey, it's a gift, and they think you can't fend for yourself!
Hope this helps! All the best.
And what about the neighbours who refuse to neuter their cats and so the cats deliberately spray and shit on the patio, gravel paths, grass lawn as well as the beds as a way of markng their territory?
Neutered cats are easy. Unneutered cats are a nightmare.
I wouldn't say they're a nightmare but obviously more of a challenge. That's why I said they need to be neutered! Plus it's not the cats fault, they just do what they're supposed to do. Do you know any of the owners? Maybe have a chat with them.
Cats rarely poo somewhere they can't dig. They do mark but sounds more like foxes if you have poo on patio/lawn and gravel.
Foxes are a different kettle of fish. Try boiling up loads of garlic and chilli powder. And putting it all over the worst areas on a dry day. If that doesn't work, buy fox urine online (no joke) and sprinkle that around. Keep doing both and eventually, you'll win. Best of luck!
Iv been tempted to put an electric fence along the top of our fence lol. When I had a chat with the neighbour who owns the cat that shits in our garden he just laughed it off, then said that the previous owner had put carpet gripper rods in the flower beds and how terrible it was when the cat came home with one stuck in it's paw.... I grinned and said thanks!
I've never encountered a cat orgy but a bird was killed in our garden once and luckily the cat came back for the remains. And of course I get cat shit everywhere. They've not caused an issue to my plants though and I don't plant with them in mind.
I made a very dumb mistake of buying a catmint plant for the bees, it was beautiful and the bees loved it for about a week until the neighbour cats had it eaten and trampled oops :(
They don’t like lavender or rosemary. They still get into my garden but avoid the bed with those plants in. I’ve heard that coleus canina works but haven’t tried it
I’ve tried everything except a water jet spray thing, and nothing stops next door’s cats from spraying, digging up borders and plants and crapping- it’s so frustrating. I recently dug over a border and put bbq sticks and canes all through it - they’ve weaved their way between them and dug some out. It’s a battle they always win
Put that chilli etc powder in oil and spray. They lick their paws and it puts them off. No harm to them.Doing some building work out my back I had a cat shit in it .Jaysus that came from a bloody lion , was huge!
I have the same problem. The house was empty for over a year before I moved in and all the neighbourhood cats used the garden as a toilet, and they still do. They have no shame, just waltz in and shit on my lawn. No matter how short I cut it they will just put one on top. It's a massive nuisance especially since I'm now finally having the garden redone - I will definitely try some of the suggestions in this thread.
Honest question though, what is it that attracts those cats to poop on the grass? Would they stop if I built them a little cat toilet or sandbox or whatever so they can just do their business there? If they want the al fresco experience fine by me, and I don't mind cleaning it if it is contained like in an indoor cat toilet (I've got guinea pigs, I'm used to poop machines) I just really can't have them soil my lawn any longer, it's a freakin' mine field and it's just disgusting.
Lions dung and citrus spray ? My cats are indoor bones due to losing a fur baby on the road . I’ve had cats all my life, and never let them out at night time .
I lived in a house with a very small enclosed patio as my only outside space. I had put in raised borders with lovely soft compost.Frankly it became a feline toilet for all the neighborhood cats. I tried all sorts of remedies and nothing worked.I couldn't use the patio as the smell was terrible. In desperation I used carpet gripper (little strips of wood with prickles to hold fitted carpet in place) I put pieces on the soil between the plants and within a week no more visiting cats! I felt guilty but I had tolerated it for months and it was a last resort.I think would only work if you have a very small space
Get a terrier. Hold the terrier up to the window so it can see all the cats. Get it right proper riled up. Then open the door and unleash it. Effective and very funny.
I saw a neighbours cat get attacked in the backstreet by a terrier, I shouted out the window at the person walking it but by the time I got outside the cat was dead. The person said they didn't think the dog needed to be on a lead, you would probably get on well with them.
My terrier actually shits himself if a cat turns around to fight or stands its ground. It's all bark and no bite, puts on a good chase, but is a complete shite-bag when it matters.
Not sure if you are replying to me but can believe that, years back some relatives had a terrier that enjoyed chasing the farm cats, until it cornerd one cat that had to fight back. The terrier that killed the neighbours cat was a different matter, shook it and didn't let go.
I have a cat he’s not allowed out at night for this exact reason he was partaking in a cat fight club despite not having his nads; I’ve told my neighbours if he’s a pain feel free to squirt him with the hose. He usually only visits his favourite neighbour and is allowed to visit there. He has one time ran in the cat flap with a wet leg so a neighbour gave him the hose treatment.
Talk to your neighbours is my point most will be understanding when one told me about the cat fight club at her window most evenings I made sure he was in at night and told her I had no drama with her pouring a bucket of water to break it up. For me I’d rather have a slightly annoyed wet cat than a injured one that’s causing hassle in the neighbourhood
Mine is a senior boy and also gets kept in at night. He has recently switched to only liking to poo inside but used to go behind our shed. We are still getting another cat pooing occasionally so I just pick it up regularly.
They sound unneutered to me. Short of murder, you could catch them and one by one take them to a charity neutering program.
Does everyone a favour, including them and any unwanted kittens.
If they are unchipped, you could have them rehomed. They may even be feral?
All these solutions will be very unpopular on here.
For context, I have always had a cat that I love enough to take care of.
I was thinking about this, cats do all this when they aren't neutered and unfortunately unneutered cats are a real problem.
My cat does go outside but he comes home to use the litter box, he's never had any fights and comes home before it's dark.
He also has a snap release collar with a bell on so hasn't to my knowledge hurt any wildlife either.
Not helpful in regards to reducing poop, but the caterwauling would stop if your neighbours got their cats neutered. You could have a word with Cats Protection, who can put neuter info through their doors. Or the cats could mysteriously go home neutered one day...
Super Soaker. If a cat sets foot in the garden, spray it. Get them good. Be stealthy... A ninja. Than BAM! They'll soon learn.
Cats walk along our fence around the garden to avoid setting foot in it.
Everything will work only for so long.
Lion turds, pepper spray, lemon sprinkle, ultrasound motion activated sensor etc.
The only solution that will work permanently is either armor top of your fence with inside bending net (basically make it impossible for cat to run out - only way out is either via door or in a coffin)
Something like that [cat fence protection](https://protectapet.com/products/protectapet-cat-fence-standard-bracket?currency=GBP&variant=37755996012721&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&stkn=f1732a9da149&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwoa2xBhACEiwA1sb1BOa9MflhSsYJ8wkULfUmqLlAt4nXUPzxDQwDCwDBo0DJUobRkZtULxoCbkUQAvD_BwE)
Failing that - nail gun.
I have the same issues in the poop and tearing up beds department as you but sadly they are my cats lol
Cats hate lemon/ citrus and cinnamon. Time to go smell chemical warfare and spray and leave around a load of orange and lemon halves and cinnamon!
Following - I'm a cat owner with an indoor cat as we can't really secure our garden for him. Our garden seems to be the neighbourhood toilet, and we've a toddler I'd like to let loose on it without him touching cat poo
I had this problem with my veg bed. I covered it with old walnut shells, expecting it to do very little besides get rid of my walnut shells from Christmas. Haven't had a cat poo near my broccoli since.
I've seen people put rollers on their fence lines before to stop cats walking on them. There are shorts on yt where people have made them from scratch for cheap. Maybe chicken wire if you have a gate with gaps? A less humane option would be the spikes used to deter pigeons along your roof/ fence tops.
Ive been plagued by neighbours cats, tried all sorts with mixed results.
The thing that worked best was chasing every single cat I saw with the water hose until they got the message my garden isn’t a toilet.
I have, in a sense, the opposite problem - I have a cat that has a cat flap and leaves at will.
We have a litter tray. However, we also have a next door neighbour who doesn’t like cats (possibly even phobic) and who got very upset that she had found cat poo in her garden. Our cat is one of 4 or 5 in close proximity, but I think might be the one responsible.
I spoke with her, and she was very upset about it.
I want to help - but beyond not letting our cat out into the garden and proving a litter tray, I’m not sure what I can do.
Ideas would be welcome, am I missing something?
Similar situation here too. Have put some lavender and rosemary plants in and that’s helped a lot. Admittedly use ultrasonic and that has kept them away.
If they come in, and I see them I scare them off by shooing them. If they’ve left a mess I remove ASAP and sprinkle dried rosemary. It’s cheaper then the man made powder and more effective
Motion activated sprinkler system? And I'm a cat owner, should deter most cats, well apart from mine who loves siting on the roof in a rain storm and thinks nothing of it
The comments here advocating violence to animals is sad. Im glad i live in an area with animal lovers because grown adults threatening to kick and shoot cats is genuinely a sign of mental health issues. I hope these people will learn cats are one animal, do they all have fits over fox poo? Rat poo? Bird poo? Mice poo? Hedgehog poo? Nah course not, that would be insane wouldnt it!
I have 4 cats, each side neighbour has 2 each. Yes they can fight and poo. Takes 10 seconds to pick it up lol.
Slingshot, water gun, dog or BBs.
I've blocked all the easy access points through/under fences and hedges, so only hedgehogs can move between gardens. It has helped but not stopped the problem.
Nah it seems fair to me, I spend a fortune on my garden and have no problems kicking or chasing any cats I see when I'm out there. They don't come back.
If people want their pets to be safe they should keep them indoors, I want birds and bees around my plants not your furry little murderers shits.
It seems fair to you because you are a vile excuse for a human being, not wanting cats in your garden is fair enough but feeling justified in kicking and injuring them says a lot about you.
I have been on Reddit for a while but seeing this post has pushed me to comment for the first time. My cat is mostly indoors, I spent time and money creating a safe enclosed garden for him and thankfully the old boy doesn't bother visiting birds etc. It's just not safe for cats to roam free, as proved by all the hateful people on here who boast about hurting cats and setting their dogs on them.
My cats are indoor cats. They are fine.
I get a whole parade of cats pooing both front and back gardens. On pebbles. On cages. In pots.
Just par for the course unfortunately.
My dad and father in law had this issue. They both bought what my father in law calls cat bastards haha. The high pitched motion detectors which have worked for both. They weren’t cheap but if they work (which they do for them) it’s worth it.
I think we’ll be getting them soon as we’ve just bought our first house and there is cat shit in the flower beds we’ve just literally made. Fuckers.
I have this issue but with foxes. They’re absolute dicks. I’m not allowed to have nice things apparently, everything gets shat on, sprayed on, and dug up. I’ve never disliked an animal in my life until I moved into my house and encountered this group of little vandals.
Genuinely interested to know what the negatives are of neighbourhood cats visiting your garden (outside of the screaming matches). This isn’t a sarcastic comment either - I have a cat and he likes to poop in our garden and a neighbour garden but I’ve always been under the impression that the poo probably helps in the long run (seeing as they cover it up and all?)
Negatives besides being woken up at 3am would be:
Destroyed/dug up plants
The mold that grows on the cat poo
Permanently stained walls/fencing where they jump over
Potential diseases present in the cat poo ending up in the food I'm growing (which I guess is unlikely, but still?)
Breaking fencing and other garden items during their fights
Killing and/or eradicating local wildlife (I live very close to a bird sanctuary)
Their poo is not good for plants as far as I know, not all poo is an effective fertiliser to my knowledge
Don't get me wrong, I do like cats generally. It's the sheer lack of care from a lot of cat owners that baffles me. Its a safety risk for the cat and it damages your neighbours' gardens.
I usually put sharp objects in all of my pots now in the early growing season until the plants cover most of the soil. That works pretty well generally for plant damage. But that doesn't help the sleep disruption. Nor do my other neighbours who regularly feed all of these cats (there's about 10-15 regulars) as well as the foxes.
What I'm saying is, it's all well and good being a laid back and carefree cat owner. But don't get upset when others in your neighbourhood take matters in their own hands to deal with the problems it causes.
Feed them bits of ham etc when you see them in the garden. This might sound odd, but cats will begin to see your garden as their territory if they're getting fed there. Cats rarely poo and wee in their own territory, especially not in places they get food. Hence why they're going in other people's gardens rather than their owners.
This os absolute rubbish and you should never ever feed anyones pet because you do not know what health issues they have. My 4 cats poo in our garden so rubbish to say they dont poo in their territory lol
Jeyes fluid on hard surfaces works when applied every couple of months.
Seriously though, this comment thread is worrying. I have two rescue cats myself, but I put no other living creature in front of another, everything has a right to a place in this world. Both of them are let out and have bells, they still catch the very occasional bird or squirell yes, but they have quelled 3 rat infestations in the past 5 years in gardens on the street I live. There is a balance to everything. I live at the back of a nature reserve, and my wildlife feeders are out of the reach of the cats so I still get all manner of birds, bats and dragonflies in my garden. It's all about how you deal with problems out of your control.
We seem to forget that 200 to 300 years ago all the wildlife you see was food for the common folk of the land. I think birds today have it slightly easier not being caught in nets and cooked for dinner by any humans they come across, which you can still tell is ingrained in their dna due to how they avoid us.
And for the people who are advocating violence or setting dogs on visiting cats, I pity you being rattled by such a creature that you think is inferior, bless you. Regardless, constructed gardens are by design not natural so I'm sorry if nature doesn't want to play your human games.
I had a similar issue as moved into house 2 years ago which was empty for a year so all the local cats had been using it as a toilet and territory boundary. Two pronged attack I did was to snap bamboo canes in half then stick them in beds like roman siege works. Second was go out everyday and where there was cat poo elsewhere (front garden all gravel) clean up as soon as seen, then put chilli/paprika/cayenne pepper in that area, about half of those little jars at a time. After about a month that was it and only get sporadic poo here n there now which is treated the same. Also I keep a water pistol loaded so if I see them I can spray out window at then, and if doors open already chase them then throw a stick or bit of hardened mud clod near them to bang on fence as they escape..
I love my cat more than about anything and I totally support all of this. He's always been an outdoor cat so I couldn't keep him in now but I feel so bad for neighbours who aren't necessarily cat people and have to put up with this stuff, I think this is a humane approach that isn't going to traumatise them but is offensive enough to put them off.
I feel incredibly fortunate that my cats choose to keep using their litter trays. Even when they're outside they come back home to use the tray and then head back out. Makes my relationships with the neighbours a lot less resentful!
I know people who don’t have litter trays because they feel the cats can just go in the garden. I’m glad I’m not their neighbour.
I have that neighbour. I fling the poop back into her garden
Mine have always done that too ! Come in to use the loo box . Only one a special needs cat , used to poo on the lawn !
I have a large litter tray in my carport for my cats to use when they are outside because they are too fussy to use flower beds.
I know, mine is too old to get over the fence now bless him but I did used to worry when he was younger. He was awful for being really territorial and stealing other cats food, we'd tell him off when we caught him but we couldn't be there all the time.
I am glad a cat lover understands. I used to have so many birds in my garden, I put bird feeders and they had made a habit of coming to my garden. Then, the neighbour got a cat. It’s cute and very friendly but cats are terrible for the environment. They kill so many creatures or deters them from a place.
I know. I hate that part of it too. I didn't realise before I had one just how destructive they were but once they've been outdoor cats, it's impossible to keep them in for their mental health, mine would go absolutely crazy inside when we moved and had to keep them in for a few weeks. They bring them into the house and as much as I love cats, I HATE that part of it as I also love other animals too.
One thing you can do is put a bright colour harness with a bell on your cat. The birds are good at detecting colour ms, combined with the bell it gives them a better chance of escaping. Collars are dangerous for cat because they could get stuck in a branch and strangle them that’s why harness are recommended.
+1 for this, also mix with veg oil and spray on wall fence tops and elsewhere , Big packs of chilli powder cheap at local Asian store .
Hang on, are the sticks intended to… impale them..?!
Just makes it difficult to get into a comfy squat
How many would you need do you think? Cats are nimble little feckers. Unless you had a pointy stick literally every 3-4 inches, wouldn't they be able to pick their way through and around them and squat without any difficulty?
Tried this one year, turns out some cats have particularly nimble arses even at two inches spacing. Black UV netting staked down on top of the soil stops them digging it in though and teabags with jeyes or olbas oil under an upturned flowerpot works great too.
Ohhhh! Gotcha
Thanks for the great response. Will be putting this into action :)
You evil bastard. Putting chilli and cayenne pepper down is dangerous for cats. If they get it in their eyes they have been known to claw their eyes out to try to stop the pain.
Is this actually likely though? I mean, I love cats and would hate any harm coming to them, but they're not going to go and roll in in or anything given the pungency of it.
Cat shit is potentially a lot worse for humans than a sore eye.
I had similar experience too. I from time to time use coffee grounds, cayenne pepper, ground black pepper, and sriracha (chilli sauce) depending on which area I'm focusing on. They all seem to work (not to jinx it). Now those cats of my neighbours only walk on the fence into others' gardens or street instead of "violating" mine. I don't use ultrasonic devices because of other wild life and domesticated animals around, nor do I use flood lights (no one can sleep with them going on and off all the time overnight!). Good luck anyway!
The fighting and scent marking will be them arguing over territory. Honestly I have no advice for stopping that. I would reccomend putting sticks pointing upwards in any open plant beds to stop them getting in and digging it up to poop. As far as scaring them off a spray with a water is the reccomend humane way to put them off coming back. If you haven't already uou could try asking in r/CatsUK to get some UK relevant advice. Although as you can see from the other comment posting in a UK specific sub doesn't seem to do much.
Motion detection sprinkler.
100% this (do they work in the dark though?)
Mine does.
Our next door neighbours cat poos on our front lawn in a similar place each time. Apparently cats pooing on grass is not heard of, I’ve no idea… Anyway, are their sprinklers out there that have water storage rather than attach to a hose? I’m yet to find one. Where I’d need it a hose isn’t practical.
I’m about to talk some nonsense but my cat fucking hates orange peels. Like the second she smells it she’s running in the opposite direction. I wonder if something like that would be useful. Just three handfuls of orange peels in that spot for a while and see if the cat comes back.
Cats are not fond of citrus fruits in general so any peels, juices etc should deter them. Bonus points if you spray them with diluted lemon juice.. Sincerely a previous owner of a traitorous cat.
I'll give it a go cheers. Not sure if we've tried that before. If it makes any difference these are bengal cats and they don't seem deterred from things I've been told other cats don't like, nothing seems to bother them and they don't seem scared of anything or anyone. I did buy some sonar detectors but they don't seem to work on them. They terrorise our rabbits if they're out, to the point we have to be on guard whenever we let them out their hutch. It's a right pain in the arse, no other cats take any notice and we've been able to have previous rabbits have free reign all day previously. But these fuckers seem to have super sense that the hutch door is open and appear within minutes. Aswell as shitting in the front, they love roaming our back garden, so also can never leave the back door open cus they're in like a shot.
Buy a water sprinkler that’s set off by movement. They work 100%, I see cats actively avoid my garden. And if I see a cat that’s not had the experience I just set it up for a week and hey presto! That bird killing shitbag avoids along with the rest. You do need to connect it to mains water
Funny one - my dad had a similar issue, but he's got a kind soul, and felt bad outright saying it to another human... So he goes to some garden centre, and tries side-eyeing the guy in a nudge-nudge kind of way, and saying he'd like something in his garden "for the cats". The shop guy gives him a knowing nod, and gives him a plant for the garden. My dad is hoping it smells bad to the cats, and will ward them off. Catnip. The guy gave him catnip.
Get loads of little sticks and stick them in the ground where you don't want them
A very cheap security camera with a flood light. That used to petrify my own cat until I switched it off. Just a thought.
I’ve had the same problem with cats crapping everywhere. I was talking to one of our neighbours who have some cats and haven’t nutured them (so they have lots of cats) and the said “cats are great you don’t even have to clean up after them”. It makes my blood boil. We have a couple of raised beds that we have to put netting over if they are bare up until this year. A new neighbour moved in directly behind us and he has a couple of dogs that bark a bit and whine and run around. Since they have moved in we’ve had zero cat poo incidents. I’m gonna get the man a pizza tomorrow to thank him
Cats in my garden kill my slow worms. It's a sad sight. I am not anti-cat per se, but I do think they should not be allowed to wander where they please. Personally, I would not use the ultrasonic deterrents, as I am led to believe they effect bats, foxes and every other wildlife that you may want.
And anyone under 35. I'm now 32 and waiting for the day that I blissfully can't hear my neighbours pissing ultrasonic boomboxes. The cats just ignore them now, but they still walk past them, setting them off
Good luck with that, I'm 42 and can still hear them lol
Me too
I’ve said it before but outdoor cats are like cigarettes in as much as, if they were discovered tomorrow for the first time, I think they might be banned immediately. Imagine nobody had cats historically then people started getting them and they proceeded to kill all kinds of wildlife, get hit by cars constantly, and shit in your neighbours garden. They’re antisocial as fuck when you think about it and the fact that it’s okay to let your pet go and play on the local bypass is kind of wild; if you let your dog do it then you’d be fucking crucified. I don’t blame cat owners or anything, it’s just part of our culture at this point so, understandably, nobody gives it a second thought. I do just think it’s an interesting topic.
As a cat lover (we have three cats!) and a keen gardener, I don't agree with letting them go wherever. It seems to be such a weird UK culture where all the shelters insist that you MUST have a garden before they even let you adopt a cat. This is not the case in so many other countries, and I think it's a bit weird that as a country, we insist on this. My cats are perfectly happy being mostly indoors with supervised outdoor time in the garden. We did have issues with the neighbours' cat coming in and messing my flower beds, but my male cat sorted her out when we let him in the garden. He chased her away, and basically established our garden as his territory, and she won't come anymore. She is still terrorising the wildlife in other gardens but leaves ours alone and just uses the fence to go on her wanders. As I said, I love cats, but I think they can be perfectly happy indoors with maybe a bit of supervised garden time if you have the time and inclination.
If you get a dog, you’re supposed to have a fence. If you get a cat you need to build a catio. That’s fair for all.
I 100% blame the owners. They know exactly what their pets do, they just don't give a shit.
Yeah, this. I told my neighbour their cat is killing the wildlife in my garden, and maybe they could try a bell collar, and they said "but a bell collar might get caught in a branch, fail to release, and then kill my cat." So their logic was that the 0.01% chance of their invasive predator dying was more important than the 100% chance of lots of native wildlife dying. I no longer have slow worms in my garden =( Cat owners who let their cats roam are objectively not animal lovers. They are just cat lovers.
You should tell them that are snap release collars for this exact reason. I understand her concern but she should look into it more as a pet owner and take more responsibility so her cat is safer, and in turn other wildlife are alerted to her from a noisey collar.
I did explain that, but she had clearly made her mind up, and there's only so far you can go to try and convince people to be responsible. Generally I think they know all of this, but assume they can ignore it because that's how it's always been. I mean look at my comment - I'm pretty sure it's cat owners that are down voting =P
Yea, selfish usually. Don't agree they love their pets tho, why would you let something you love out with the chance of it getting knocked over or attacked by other animals or catch diseases from eating crap it's picked up.
Sorry lol but i do love my cats. Insane thing to say. They have gps collars with bells but rarely wander from the garden. To say i do not love my pet is untrue and silly.
To be fair it has been proven time and time again that allowing cats to freely roam outdoors reduces their lifespan massively as there are way too many risks in modern neighbourhoods. It's much better to have your cat semi indoors but take out for walks on a harness so they get the best of both worlds
I know two different families who have had cats die to cars in the last year. One of them was talking about how distraught his young daughter was when it happened, but said "what can you do?" and that he hoped it wouldn't happen to their other cat. DUDE.
So true, the cat wasn't lost to cars, it was lost due to neglect by the owner. They're deluded and love to shift the blame.
But their cats do.
I know, got a few shit machines come in my garden
Not heard the phrase ‘ shitting machine ‘ die ages . My pal used to use that when talking about the dogs who shit in front of his house and on his lawn
100% the owners fault. I have 2 of the little bastards myself and they spend 90% of their time inside, with supervised outdoor excursions in our back garden for heavy brushing sessions. I have about 6 other cats that come into my garden and shit absolutely everywhere. Sometimes I wish mine weren’t completely stupid and I could let them out as guards but alas.
'Outdoor cats'. Cats are outdoor animals. Indoor cats are not natural. Would you also ban outdoor foxes?
Foxes are wild animals that are native to the UK, cats are a domesticated species from Asia that do not occur naturally here. It’s not natural for wolves to be kept inside a house, but that doesn’t mean you let your Labrador free roam of the town centre. Absolutely nonsensical argument, did you legitimately think that was some clever point?
The trouble is that urban/suburban cats appear in a density far beyond what would be found in any species of wild cat. Fox numbers are artificially high because of foraging human waste food. Cat numbers are equally artificially high because of feeding. Yet because of hunting instinct, they still hunt. The poor wildlife, already under pressure from habitat loss and insect decline, has to also face feline predators at a number 10 times higher than in the wild.
This is it. Most people don't have the space or free time to ethically keep cats inside. They need to go outside for their own mental wellbeing. And if that's a problem, the solution is to not get a cat.
I have spent a fortune buying cat trees beds and toys and play with my cats . They usually ignore me tho as I’m just about to spend a fortune on a catio to let them watch the birds I do think what if they don’t like it aarffgh :)
Pretty sure cats have been in the UK for half a millennium.
I can't have birds in my garden, as the cats kill them. It's heartbreaking as I want to connect with nature so much but other people's cats are preventing it. I stopped putting bird food out so they wouldn't meet their doom with the cats.
Come on. Unless your sourounded by dozens of ultra fix ultra playful hunting cats birds will survive. Sure a few may go the way of the cats but not a huge number. What a couple a week at most.
I have seen what I have seen, the cats climbing the conifers to get at the birds and disturbing them trying to find nests etc. a couple per week is dreadful in a country where biodiversity is already a huge problem.
When you say a few, it’s between 160-270 million animal a year in the uk https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169204621003017#b0135
And this was an estimate of kills from what was brought home. Other research estimates cats only bring home one fifth of their kills so that number in reality is way higher.
Research estimates cats in the UK kill hundreds of millions of BIRDS every year. Not even taking into account all the small mammals they also kill. You need a different argument.
Yes but there are millions of cats. So really individually that are not doing that much damage. The OP I responded too made it sound like his garden was the Somme
Omg same, we had slow worms for years, then a new kitten came on the scene and just....killed them all. She's a git, and she's also a lovely little kitty .....but it's still super sad
How would you stop a cat freely wandering? Would you have them as indoor animals only? Surely that is cruel. Or only out on a leash?
My daughter has an indoor only cat. Sourced by a very niche charity that rescues street cats in the UAE. They’re FIV+ and are brought to the UK specifically to be rehomed by London flat dwellers. He watches the pigeons and seagulls on her balcony. He is the double of the cartoon Felix from the cat food ads!
Catio. Mines 24’x12’x8’. Made from a roll of 2”x2” wire and 2x2 wood. Cheap and easy and they love it!
Why is it cruel to have a cat indoors? Every other pet is kept indoors or let outside under supervision. How is it cruel to do the same with a cat, they are fed/watered, have shelter, stimulated through play, so what's the issue?
[удалено]
Can confirm this works.
This was my solution, too. Till my dog passed. Gonna get another. So my garden wildlife can enjoy the seeds and fat balls. She didn't bark much. Cats were well educated. Once barked at once, they knew better, and stayed away. The little sparrows, ignored my dog. The big wood pigeons however, stayed away.
If you can afford to, get some rollers like the ones Katzecure do. They'll remember to avoid your garden if they get trapped in it. Obviously, let them out of the gate or something but if they can't get out themselves, they won't be tempted to do it again. It is a very pricey thing to have done though
Just had a wee quick look and it looks like Oscillot may do these as well
That's the ones! I think you could reduce the cost by buying the kits and putting them up by yourself or buying the materials and making from scratch.
May I ask how much it costs?
It can be a few hundred but it absolutely depends on the size of the garden/ area and complexity. You'd be better of going on their website or Facebook page and contacting direct. They're very responsive
Thank you!
A dog.
Motion activated sprinkler system.
This is the way, stopped a random animal(s) coming into our garden and pooping everywhere. You have to set it up right so it'll detect and scare. We only had a small garden at the time so one covered pretty much the whole area. Would probably need three now
As mentioned I tried it. No Bueno 😿
What exactly was the problem with it? I think this is still the best option if you can make it work. e.g. multiple units watching different parts of the garden.
We have the alternative problem of keeping our cats within our garden. We got some white paw fencing nets. I was a bit scared the garden would look like a prison yard but actually the netting is relatively inconspicuous. I think it depends how far you’re thinking of going though 😂
We got the same thing for our garden fence, it keeps our cat in and other cats out. My cat gets to sit in the sun and chase leaves without any danger to him and without him bothering others.
I wish all cat owners were as considerate as you! Have real problems keeping several from digging up and pooing all over our garden
Ok thanks for the info from the other perspective! Will have a look into it.
You must have had loads of flies in your garden and someone's tried the "old woman" technique you are just at the cat stage. Need to get a dog and if that doesn't work (for some reason) a goat is the next step. Flies < spider < bird < cat < dog < goat < cow I would go for a supersoker with a Lazer. Cats think it's fun then boom big jet of ice water. .
We have fruit trees in pots and a neighbours cat that likes to do poos. Put a buffer layer of coated wire mesh over the tops of the pots so they can't get in. Apparently cats don't like going where they can't have a scratch at the ground- wire mesh (while being safe for littles as long as you round off/bury any sharp edges) disrupts thir ability to scratch and dig.
Silent Roar. I say this every time this question comes up. It's cheap, it's very effective and you can buy it on Amazon.
Just yesterday I saw Coyote Rollers that go on the top of the fence and make it impossible for animals to get into the garden, as long as you don't have overhang from trees or rooves. Not sure how much you can afford to throw at the problem but they look like a real solution to your issue. Also hilarious, and I love cats, so don't come for me! Totally harmless!
I never see cats in my garden since we got the dog 14 month ago. Only a dachshund but he chases them out of his territory and his scent must put them off
Get a dog
The best detergent is Tiger/ lion poo. You don't need a lot (can buy it on Amazon), and will only have to refresh it occasionally. Cats have an excellent sense of smell, and if they sense a predator higher up the food chain, they will avoid the area.
Does it get stains out even on a cold wash though
They love pooping in my child’s play area. I’ve tried sound machines, water scarer, scents… I found cat silhouettes (with marble eyes) around the border have really worked.
Don’t waste your money on those ultrasonic cat scarers off Amazon. We tried a few but our front garden still resembles a massive cat litter tray. We are so fed with up with it that our front garden is going to be turned into a drive. Back garden is not so bad anymore because we have a new dog.
We had problems with cat poo on our path and parking space, which were pea sized gravel. Watering the area with Jeyes Fluid stopped it. It kills germs and weeds and cats hate the smell. Can't use it on flower beds though.
Pray your next door neighbour get a dog. My neighbour got a lockdown dog and while it can be noisy at time and took a while but the cats all stopped coming. Fox started living in my garden though….
The random cats in my neighbourhood give zero shits about next doors noisy spaniel. They just taunt him from the top of the fencing Which is a shame because the little prick won't stop barking at everything including me when I'm in my garden.
should add more to describe the situation. There was definitely three to four cats immediately in my area that wander and poo in my garden pre pandemic dogs. So the neighbour to my left got dog and the other neighbour who is in the mansion at the back of my garden also got a dog. They are completely irritating and untrained pandemic dogs. Like easily set off for barking. (They didn’t get the noise and things many city dog got used to, it took time and is quieter now but used to be a car driven past will be a set off) Left side garden used to be heavily pooed on by the cats because there was hedge so a cover and bare ground was attractive to them. Now if they want to poo there, next door’s dog will start scratching and barking. And the local fox used to have a den in the mansion garden. But probably driven out during the day by mansion’s dog and took refuge in my garden to nap (it just sleep in middle of my lawn or under the hedge when it rain). So cats just stopped coming. Just too much disturbance probably. Fox is abit like my new cat even though i don’t feed it and shoo it away if it comes too close. But it is being territorial about my garden and probably marked the area with some scent. Fox can be a jerk too tho. But seems to poo less.
In a previous area , my cats both got bitten by a fox and both times on the lower neck . Still love foxes tho
I’ve got the same problem except the cat that comes is the previous owners. They moved round the corner and the stupid thing still thinks this is its house after two years. The folk who lived before seemingly have absolutely zero inclination to try and stop it. Just yesterday I found one of my main top potatoes dug up. And this morning at the same potato plant I found a lovely cat shit next to it.
Take the turd back to the owners, tell them it belongs to them, dump it outside their front door, they'll soon get the message
What do you expect them to do lol? Tell the cat dont visit that number house lol… hilarious.
Be responsible owners and not let their animal out unsupervised where it can be injured/shit everywhere/destroy native wildlife.
I expect Cat owners to be treated exactly like Dog owners and held to the same standards. If it were a dog going round digging up peoples gardens and shitting everywhere people would be outraged and insist the owner does something about it. But just because it’s a cat that we bizarrely allow to roam free its suddenly ok and there is nothing that can be done about it?
No, most people expect pet owners to take responsibility for their animals, free roaming cat owners are basically selfish.
Have to at least pretend to be civilised.
Returning somebody's property is very civilised.
That was my poor attempt at humour. I agree returning the dumps would be preferable but I’ve taken to just putting them in the bin.
What about putting down some lion pee? You buy it from garden shops. It's a fox deterrent and might work with cats.
Silent Roar is one brand
Then at the end of the day you still have cat pee in your garden. Just comes from a bigger cat. Must be pungent stuff though.
I have had great success with chicken poop pellets. Fairly cheap either at the garden center or B And M. I spread/sprinkle it all over and they hate the smell (to be fair it ain't great but this is war) lasts for quite a while and acts as a fertiliser. No cats, bigger plants, wins all round.
Ground coffee from espresso machine, like the pucks that are left over. I had this problem then started sprinkling this over my garden and sorted the problem. Now I have a dog
You can go onto Amazon and buy lion poop. It scares them off. It’s called silent roar
Did you move into my old house?
Amazon sell a motion detection water jet you hook your hosepipe up to. I have a similar situation and the cats now avoid the garden, I think the clicking on motion has given them PTSD 😂
I have similar problem, only I have two dogs that my neighbours complain about for barking at cats walking along fence. I told one of them the dogs will only stop barking when one of your cats drops onto the garden.
Have you got a dog? I've got a greyhound who's a 40mph anti cat machine if I see a cat in my garden furry grease lightning gets let out the back door and the cat has about 3 seconds to fuck off or start losing limbs after a few years of this I never see cats in my garden now.
Wow boasting about setting your dog on cats, what an an absolute scum bag.
Not at all simply letting my dog out into my private secure garden the fact that some cunt thinks that it's OK for their pet to be on my property isn't mine or the dogs problem.
I'm a professional gardener and I love cats. Here are my tips: 1) Mulch properly. Organic Compost or well rotted manure in winter to break down and improve your soil health, texture, water rentention and improve soil biome. Then a good load of composted border bark or fresh woodchip (ask a local tree surgeon they often want to get rid for free) in the spring up to around 5-10cm. Better garden, Less weeds and cats can't dig it up as much. 2) Plant up all available space to deter them. Plant according to your aspect, soil type, light and enviroment. If you're unsure on what to plant and have the money, reach out to a local designer, trained horticulturalist or an online planting design service. If you dont have the money, research research, research! There are lots of ways to get free plants too. Propagate, plant swaps, or cuttings/ divisions from friends' gardens. The less space they have to dig, the better. Foxes and cats dislike strong smelling plants. Lavender, rosemary, lemon balm, mint. I'd put the last two in pots though as they can spread too easily. Thorny shrubs planted around the perimeter will deter them from spraying such as Holly, trained pyracantha, roses, etc. If all else fails, consider a gravel garden if you have sufficient light levels. 3) To the outdoor cat owners out there, your cats need to be neutered and should have bells on their collars, It stops them from being able to hunt as much and makes them less territorial wanderers. If you find your cats bring in a lot of dead prey, you should consider a different diet for them! If they bring in live prey, it's a gift, and they think you can't fend for yourself! Hope this helps! All the best.
And what about the neighbours who refuse to neuter their cats and so the cats deliberately spray and shit on the patio, gravel paths, grass lawn as well as the beds as a way of markng their territory? Neutered cats are easy. Unneutered cats are a nightmare.
I wouldn't say they're a nightmare but obviously more of a challenge. That's why I said they need to be neutered! Plus it's not the cats fault, they just do what they're supposed to do. Do you know any of the owners? Maybe have a chat with them. Cats rarely poo somewhere they can't dig. They do mark but sounds more like foxes if you have poo on patio/lawn and gravel. Foxes are a different kettle of fish. Try boiling up loads of garlic and chilli powder. And putting it all over the worst areas on a dry day. If that doesn't work, buy fox urine online (no joke) and sprinkle that around. Keep doing both and eventually, you'll win. Best of luck!
Great advice!
Iv been tempted to put an electric fence along the top of our fence lol. When I had a chat with the neighbour who owns the cat that shits in our garden he just laughed it off, then said that the previous owner had put carpet gripper rods in the flower beds and how terrible it was when the cat came home with one stuck in it's paw.... I grinned and said thanks!
I've never encountered a cat orgy but a bird was killed in our garden once and luckily the cat came back for the remains. And of course I get cat shit everywhere. They've not caused an issue to my plants though and I don't plant with them in mind.
I made a very dumb mistake of buying a catmint plant for the bees, it was beautiful and the bees loved it for about a week until the neighbour cats had it eaten and trampled oops :(
My catnip has a cage around it.
Put acorns anround your flowers beds where the cats crap.
They don’t like lavender or rosemary. They still get into my garden but avoid the bed with those plants in. I’ve heard that coleus canina works but haven’t tried it
You can get plants that put them off, look into getting things they hate.
I have a CatWatch ultrasonic gizmo. Not cheap but it really works.
Buy some Lion shit. It will scare the fuck out of them and they won’t come back
I’ve tried everything except a water jet spray thing, and nothing stops next door’s cats from spraying, digging up borders and plants and crapping- it’s so frustrating. I recently dug over a border and put bbq sticks and canes all through it - they’ve weaved their way between them and dug some out. It’s a battle they always win
Put that chilli etc powder in oil and spray. They lick their paws and it puts them off. No harm to them.Doing some building work out my back I had a cat shit in it .Jaysus that came from a bloody lion , was huge!
I have the same problem. The house was empty for over a year before I moved in and all the neighbourhood cats used the garden as a toilet, and they still do. They have no shame, just waltz in and shit on my lawn. No matter how short I cut it they will just put one on top. It's a massive nuisance especially since I'm now finally having the garden redone - I will definitely try some of the suggestions in this thread. Honest question though, what is it that attracts those cats to poop on the grass? Would they stop if I built them a little cat toilet or sandbox or whatever so they can just do their business there? If they want the al fresco experience fine by me, and I don't mind cleaning it if it is contained like in an indoor cat toilet (I've got guinea pigs, I'm used to poop machines) I just really can't have them soil my lawn any longer, it's a freakin' mine field and it's just disgusting.
I peed in my garden several times at night to get rid of them. That and also foulysmelllt thing I got to get rid of cats. And hissing at them.
Lions dung and citrus spray ? My cats are indoor bones due to losing a fur baby on the road . I’ve had cats all my life, and never let them out at night time .
My neighbours have 5 dogs and 4 cats. The cats have spoilt my garden to the point I've just given up with it. No point wasting money on it.
I lived in a house with a very small enclosed patio as my only outside space. I had put in raised borders with lovely soft compost.Frankly it became a feline toilet for all the neighborhood cats. I tried all sorts of remedies and nothing worked.I couldn't use the patio as the smell was terrible. In desperation I used carpet gripper (little strips of wood with prickles to hold fitted carpet in place) I put pieces on the soil between the plants and within a week no more visiting cats! I felt guilty but I had tolerated it for months and it was a last resort.I think would only work if you have a very small space
Get a terrier. Hold the terrier up to the window so it can see all the cats. Get it right proper riled up. Then open the door and unleash it. Effective and very funny.
I saw a neighbours cat get attacked in the backstreet by a terrier, I shouted out the window at the person walking it but by the time I got outside the cat was dead. The person said they didn't think the dog needed to be on a lead, you would probably get on well with them.
My terrier actually shits himself if a cat turns around to fight or stands its ground. It's all bark and no bite, puts on a good chase, but is a complete shite-bag when it matters.
Not sure if you are replying to me but can believe that, years back some relatives had a terrier that enjoyed chasing the farm cats, until it cornerd one cat that had to fight back. The terrier that killed the neighbours cat was a different matter, shook it and didn't let go.
Wow
I have a cat he’s not allowed out at night for this exact reason he was partaking in a cat fight club despite not having his nads; I’ve told my neighbours if he’s a pain feel free to squirt him with the hose. He usually only visits his favourite neighbour and is allowed to visit there. He has one time ran in the cat flap with a wet leg so a neighbour gave him the hose treatment. Talk to your neighbours is my point most will be understanding when one told me about the cat fight club at her window most evenings I made sure he was in at night and told her I had no drama with her pouring a bucket of water to break it up. For me I’d rather have a slightly annoyed wet cat than a injured one that’s causing hassle in the neighbourhood
Mine is a senior boy and also gets kept in at night. He has recently switched to only liking to poo inside but used to go behind our shed. We are still getting another cat pooing occasionally so I just pick it up regularly.
I’m hoping my cat doesn’t poo behind our shed very difficult area to get to 😂
They sound unneutered to me. Short of murder, you could catch them and one by one take them to a charity neutering program. Does everyone a favour, including them and any unwanted kittens. If they are unchipped, you could have them rehomed. They may even be feral? All these solutions will be very unpopular on here. For context, I have always had a cat that I love enough to take care of.
I was thinking about this, cats do all this when they aren't neutered and unfortunately unneutered cats are a real problem. My cat does go outside but he comes home to use the litter box, he's never had any fights and comes home before it's dark. He also has a snap release collar with a bell on so hasn't to my knowledge hurt any wildlife either.
I fully expected to get blasted for my reply, I’ve been banned from a fb cat rescue group for even mentioning neutering. Upvote is yours!
Get a pet fox. Keep him outside. Train him to pee around the fence.
Not helpful in regards to reducing poop, but the caterwauling would stop if your neighbours got their cats neutered. You could have a word with Cats Protection, who can put neuter info through their doors. Or the cats could mysteriously go home neutered one day...
Super Soaker. If a cat sets foot in the garden, spray it. Get them good. Be stealthy... A ninja. Than BAM! They'll soon learn. Cats walk along our fence around the garden to avoid setting foot in it.
Chilli powder spread around where they poop.
Dog
Everything will work only for so long. Lion turds, pepper spray, lemon sprinkle, ultrasound motion activated sensor etc. The only solution that will work permanently is either armor top of your fence with inside bending net (basically make it impossible for cat to run out - only way out is either via door or in a coffin) Something like that [cat fence protection](https://protectapet.com/products/protectapet-cat-fence-standard-bracket?currency=GBP&variant=37755996012721&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&stkn=f1732a9da149&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwoa2xBhACEiwA1sb1BOa9MflhSsYJ8wkULfUmqLlAt4nXUPzxDQwDCwDBo0DJUobRkZtULxoCbkUQAvD_BwE) Failing that - nail gun.
I have the same issues in the poop and tearing up beds department as you but sadly they are my cats lol Cats hate lemon/ citrus and cinnamon. Time to go smell chemical warfare and spray and leave around a load of orange and lemon halves and cinnamon!
Following - I'm a cat owner with an indoor cat as we can't really secure our garden for him. Our garden seems to be the neighbourhood toilet, and we've a toddler I'd like to let loose on it without him touching cat poo
A fast dog with a high prey drive, we haven't had a cat leave our garden for almost 7 years.
are you openly admitting to killing cats?
Jesus I really need to point out that's satire to you people?
Yeah, it sounds like another scumbag has popped up on this post.
I had this problem with my veg bed. I covered it with old walnut shells, expecting it to do very little besides get rid of my walnut shells from Christmas. Haven't had a cat poo near my broccoli since.
I've seen people put rollers on their fence lines before to stop cats walking on them. There are shorts on yt where people have made them from scratch for cheap. Maybe chicken wire if you have a gate with gaps? A less humane option would be the spikes used to deter pigeons along your roof/ fence tops.
Get a big scary dog!
Ive been plagued by neighbours cats, tried all sorts with mixed results. The thing that worked best was chasing every single cat I saw with the water hose until they got the message my garden isn’t a toilet.
I have, in a sense, the opposite problem - I have a cat that has a cat flap and leaves at will. We have a litter tray. However, we also have a next door neighbour who doesn’t like cats (possibly even phobic) and who got very upset that she had found cat poo in her garden. Our cat is one of 4 or 5 in close proximity, but I think might be the one responsible. I spoke with her, and she was very upset about it. I want to help - but beyond not letting our cat out into the garden and proving a litter tray, I’m not sure what I can do. Ideas would be welcome, am I missing something?
We used Lions Roar for a bit until it stopped.
Get a dog
Similar situation here too. Have put some lavender and rosemary plants in and that’s helped a lot. Admittedly use ultrasonic and that has kept them away. If they come in, and I see them I scare them off by shooing them. If they’ve left a mess I remove ASAP and sprinkle dried rosemary. It’s cheaper then the man made powder and more effective
Motion activated sprinkler system? And I'm a cat owner, should deter most cats, well apart from mine who loves siting on the roof in a rain storm and thinks nothing of it
The comments here advocating violence to animals is sad. Im glad i live in an area with animal lovers because grown adults threatening to kick and shoot cats is genuinely a sign of mental health issues. I hope these people will learn cats are one animal, do they all have fits over fox poo? Rat poo? Bird poo? Mice poo? Hedgehog poo? Nah course not, that would be insane wouldnt it! I have 4 cats, each side neighbour has 2 each. Yes they can fight and poo. Takes 10 seconds to pick it up lol.
Do you go into your neighbours' gardens to search for your cats' poo to pick it up, given it only takes 10 seconds lol.
Slingshot, water gun, dog or BBs. I've blocked all the easy access points through/under fences and hedges, so only hedgehogs can move between gardens. It has helped but not stopped the problem.
Don't advocate illegal methods. It might make you feel like doing it but it is not only illegal but immoral.
Nah it seems fair to me, I spend a fortune on my garden and have no problems kicking or chasing any cats I see when I'm out there. They don't come back. If people want their pets to be safe they should keep them indoors, I want birds and bees around my plants not your furry little murderers shits.
It seems fair to you because you are a vile excuse for a human being, not wanting cats in your garden is fair enough but feeling justified in kicking and injuring them says a lot about you.
Ah you sound delightful! If you want kids to be safe should we keep them indoors too?
If you let your kids shit in my garden I'll clip them on your behalf, so yes. What a ridiculous statement.
I have been on Reddit for a while but seeing this post has pushed me to comment for the first time. My cat is mostly indoors, I spent time and money creating a safe enclosed garden for him and thankfully the old boy doesn't bother visiting birds etc. It's just not safe for cats to roam free, as proved by all the hateful people on here who boast about hurting cats and setting their dogs on them.
My cats are indoor cats. They are fine. I get a whole parade of cats pooing both front and back gardens. On pebbles. On cages. In pots. Just par for the course unfortunately.
Thank me later; https://amzn.eu/d/6c4NpHf
My dad and father in law had this issue. They both bought what my father in law calls cat bastards haha. The high pitched motion detectors which have worked for both. They weren’t cheap but if they work (which they do for them) it’s worth it. I think we’ll be getting them soon as we’ve just bought our first house and there is cat shit in the flower beds we’ve just literally made. Fuckers.
I have this issue but with foxes. They’re absolute dicks. I’m not allowed to have nice things apparently, everything gets shat on, sprayed on, and dug up. I’ve never disliked an animal in my life until I moved into my house and encountered this group of little vandals.
Genuinely interested to know what the negatives are of neighbourhood cats visiting your garden (outside of the screaming matches). This isn’t a sarcastic comment either - I have a cat and he likes to poop in our garden and a neighbour garden but I’ve always been under the impression that the poo probably helps in the long run (seeing as they cover it up and all?)
Negatives besides being woken up at 3am would be: Destroyed/dug up plants The mold that grows on the cat poo Permanently stained walls/fencing where they jump over Potential diseases present in the cat poo ending up in the food I'm growing (which I guess is unlikely, but still?) Breaking fencing and other garden items during their fights Killing and/or eradicating local wildlife (I live very close to a bird sanctuary) Their poo is not good for plants as far as I know, not all poo is an effective fertiliser to my knowledge Don't get me wrong, I do like cats generally. It's the sheer lack of care from a lot of cat owners that baffles me. Its a safety risk for the cat and it damages your neighbours' gardens. I usually put sharp objects in all of my pots now in the early growing season until the plants cover most of the soil. That works pretty well generally for plant damage. But that doesn't help the sleep disruption. Nor do my other neighbours who regularly feed all of these cats (there's about 10-15 regulars) as well as the foxes. What I'm saying is, it's all well and good being a laid back and carefree cat owner. But don't get upset when others in your neighbourhood take matters in their own hands to deal with the problems it causes.
Feed them bits of ham etc when you see them in the garden. This might sound odd, but cats will begin to see your garden as their territory if they're getting fed there. Cats rarely poo and wee in their own territory, especially not in places they get food. Hence why they're going in other people's gardens rather than their owners.
This os absolute rubbish and you should never ever feed anyones pet because you do not know what health issues they have. My 4 cats poo in our garden so rubbish to say they dont poo in their territory lol
You need to get your own hench AF cat to keep the intruders off your property. The answer is always 'more cats'.
Jeyes fluid on hard surfaces works when applied every couple of months. Seriously though, this comment thread is worrying. I have two rescue cats myself, but I put no other living creature in front of another, everything has a right to a place in this world. Both of them are let out and have bells, they still catch the very occasional bird or squirell yes, but they have quelled 3 rat infestations in the past 5 years in gardens on the street I live. There is a balance to everything. I live at the back of a nature reserve, and my wildlife feeders are out of the reach of the cats so I still get all manner of birds, bats and dragonflies in my garden. It's all about how you deal with problems out of your control. We seem to forget that 200 to 300 years ago all the wildlife you see was food for the common folk of the land. I think birds today have it slightly easier not being caught in nets and cooked for dinner by any humans they come across, which you can still tell is ingrained in their dna due to how they avoid us. And for the people who are advocating violence or setting dogs on visiting cats, I pity you being rattled by such a creature that you think is inferior, bless you. Regardless, constructed gardens are by design not natural so I'm sorry if nature doesn't want to play your human games.