Cat Poop

TechnoFreek

Hey guys.

At my wits end here. A stray cat or one new to the estate has started to take its daily poop in my back garden. I dont own cats myself but ive no doubt my garden is very attractive at the minute as it resembles a giant litter tray.

I recently have had some drainage work on the garden so the entire top layer is now a loose earth and sand mix.

Its annoying enough to have to clean up the poop out of the sand but the garden is also seeded. The cat keeps creating poop holes and the seed wont take.

Any humane ways to deal with this asap?
My garden is large for an estate.

JaneeMack

You can get a pet repellent spray or granules from pet shops.

Shelli2

I've heard citrus peels also work, orange, lemon etc. it's worked for me in the past with flower boxes and small flower beds. Don't know how practical it is for a large area though?

TechnoFreek

Garden is big enough so need something more sustainable. Could I cover the garden in netting or chicken wire maybe?

Nody

If your garden has a wall or similar put a 45 degree angled net pointing out like half a V; that would prevent a cat from getting in by jumping over (dont' work if you got a gate with big holes or similar though).

kylith

Shelli2 wrote: »

I've heard citrus peels also work, orange, lemon etc. it's worked for me in the past with flower boxes and small flower beds. Don't know how practical it is for a large area though?

Won't work. My gran tried it and it has no effect on the cats, but will attract slugs.

TechnoFreek wrote: »

Garden is big enough so need something more sustainable. Could I cover the garden in netting or chicken wire maybe?

Either this or Nody's suggestion would be about the only ones with a chance of success, I'd say.

Good luck with it, roaming cats are a right nuisance.

larchill

I see my neighbour has several large mineral bottles (coca-cola, 7up, etc) on the lawn. Don't know what these are for? Might be to keep the pussys away

anniehoo

Motion activated sprinkler? Along these lines...no cat is going to hang around for long if this is going. Bit of expense on your behalf though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pkxy7rHUqOI

Zapperzy

Cheap water pistol might do the trick if you've the time to keep a lookout and squirt them as you see them. Won't completely resolve the problem but they might be hesitant to visit again if they got wet often enough.

aaakev

Zapperzy wrote: »

Cheap water pistol might do the trick if you've the time to keep a lookout and squirt them as you see them. Won't completely resolve the problem but they might be hesitant to visit again if they got wet often enough.

My father got a super soaker for keeping them out of his garden and away from the avery, worked like a charm and was good craic too!

Hellrazer

aaakev wrote: »

My father got a super soaker for keeping them out of his garden and away from the avery, worked like a charm and was good craic too!

Its not supposed to be "good craic"

Thats the difference between solving the problem and being downright cruel.

aaakev

Hellrazer wrote: »

Its not supposed to be "good craic"

Thats the difference between solving the problem and being downright cruel.

Ah come off it, so if someone does it and doesnt like doing it its somehow less cruel in your eyes??!

The cat gets hit with water, never sae it coming, the reaction is usually comical! The cat learns not to go there if it happens a couple of times, job done. Nothing cruel about it at all

Hellrazer

It is cruel to get a laugh at something that a defenseless animal finds uncomfortable.
Now drop it.And dont respond on thread again to this.

Ambersky

I second the motion activated sprinkler anniehoo posted about.
Ive tried gels, sprays, powders, bottles filled with water, sonic motion detectors (3 different kinds aimed at cats) none of them worked.
I sent away for the scarecrow on Amazon and after day one there were no more cats in my garden. I like cats dont get me wrong but my own guy is an indoor cat and he wont shut up about the intruders and gets so worked up about it he pees in his sleep so something had to be done. Hes been vet checked and she says intruding neighborhood cats can be a big problem.
It worked so well I disconnected it but I have to re connect it every now and again to actually keep them out for good. It doesn't hurt them in any way

TechnoFreek

Thanks guys. The water scarecrow seems like a neat albeit expensive solution.

Just as an aside. I think the main culprit that comes into the garden might be a stray or feral. Certainly doesn't look healthy.

What if I trapped it, what would my options be?
Also what if the trapped cat turned out to have an owner and I mistook if for a stray?

Thanks in advance

Miss_Lauren

Does anybody know what the laws are around cats entering neighbours gardens and destroying them?
My parents are at their wits end with the neighbours cat digging up the garden and using it as a toilet. For the last couple of years they have tried everything, from water bottles to sensors and nothing works.
I want to know what the legal obligations are for the owner of the cat. If dogs cant freely roam, why should cats. There are serious health implications if someone was to come into contact with what the cat leaves in the garden, not to mention the extra money my parents have to spend on their garden.
They really are very upset at this stage, what can they do?

aaakev

Absolutely none. Car "owners" who let them roam are not responsible for their "pets"..... There is no law to stop them.

Try talk to the neighbours would be the first step

Nody

Miss_Lauren wrote: »

Does anybody know what the laws are around cats entering neighbours gardens and destroying them?
My parents are at their wits end with the neighbours cat digging up the garden and using it as a toilet. For the last couple of years they have tried everything, from water bottles to sensors and nothing works.
I want to know what the legal obligations are for the owner of the cat. If dogs cant freely roam, why should cats. There are serious health implications if someone was to come into contact with what the cat leaves in the garden, not to mention the extra money my parents have to spend on their garden.
They really are very upset at this stage, what can they do?

Automatic water sensor/wind blower but they need to figure out where the cat comes in for the air sensor due to range. Other option is largish stone pellets (1cm+) or the bark cover (wood chips that are about 5cm large) over the area; either will not make it suitable for cats anymore.

kylith

Miss_Lauren wrote: »

Does anybody know what the laws are around cats entering neighbours gardens and destroying them?
My parents are at their wits end with the neighbours cat digging up the garden and using it as a toilet. For the last couple of years they have tried everything, from water bottles to sensors and nothing works.
I want to know what the legal obligations are for the owner of the cat. If dogs cant freely roam, why should cats. There are serious health implications if someone was to come into contact with what the cat leaves in the garden, not to mention the extra money my parents have to spend on their garden.
They really are very upset at this stage, what can they do?

My parents are the same, they can't let their grandchildren play in the garden because of straying cats fouling in the garden.

You could try talking to the cat owner, but it's unlikely that they'll be bothered doing anything. Outside those sensor water jets, which I think are cruel, there's nothing that can keep them out without either costing a lot or harming the cat.

Personally I think that in ten years allowing a cat to roam will be viewed the same way we view allowing dogs to roam these days.