Stop cats going to toilet in garden

[spurslady]

I have posted this question in home and garden too. How can we stop the local cats using our wood chippings as a toilet all the time? We have tried lots of different thingd from the shops and nothing seems to work. Any humane ideas or otherwise?? TIA

[wildwood]

I know just how you feel spurslady. Many cat owners seem to think that they have a god given right to let their cats roam all over the place and foul neighbours gardens, let alone devastate the local bird life.
You've obviously tried all the 'proven' methods and found them lacking in efficiency. One humane deterent is a product I have seen on TV programs a couple of times but have so far been unable to find in the shops. It is a contraption which can be connected to the garden hose and is basically a motion sensor which activates the hose. Every time a cat (or a dog, or a human) walks past it sets the hose spraying for one minute.
A less kind but effective method is to use a cat trap that catches them live. You can then give it a good hosing and let it go. It won't come back in a hurry. Please only do this is mild to warm weather. When a cat is soaking wet it can easily catch a cold or other ailment. It is, after all, the human owner who is to blame, not the cat.
If you can manage to get a photo of a cat in your garden and know of the owner, you will win a claim for compensation for damaged plants/inconvenience of cleaning up their cat excrement, in the small claims court.

Please don't resort to poisons etc. as it is not the cat's fault they are allowed to roam.

[andy-hughes]

Cats see wood chippings as a gaint litter tray, plus their territorial urge to mark their area makes this an ever-onging circle. Break it like this -

Remove all faeces and wash the area twice with boiling hot water and bleach to remove odour traces. Then, place moth balls at intervals all around your garden boundary, not forgetting the tops of walls, garage etc. where they may climb.

That will keep them off, replace the moth balls when they wear away, and you should have no more problems.

[wolf63]

and if the above ideas don't work the sonic deterrants (hope that spelling is correct) that are on the market now are seemingly very effective.

People think that cats do these things merely to annoy humans and drive us insane (which is probably true) but they have very strong territorial instincts and actually have the law on their side.

Water always works - my cat was usually 'starving' at about 2am and the water pistol worked well.

Good luck.

[makemesmile]

Can't say I've ever met a cat owner who thought they had a 'god given right to let their cats roam all over the place and foul neighbours gardens'. The cats (unfortunately) decide themselves who the 'lucky' recipient will be.

I've tried asking my cat not to do various things over the years, and she just never listens!

[mangetoute]

take no notice of wildwood,well out of order,cats please them selfs where they go,no amount of verbal instructions will stop a cat doing exactly what it pleases,and no i'm not totaly on the cats side,i've had a cat and now we dont but ,we get the neighbor hoods traveling through ,depositing,fighting,howling mewling,you name we get it ,hose pipe dose the trick or,just keep a fairy liquid bottle handy.

[goosing]

I have three cats who have all been litter trained and still use the trays - often racing in with agonised expressions! but I got a neighbouring cat using our garden til I squirted it several times with plain water in a squeezy bottle

[wildwood]

It is exactly the type of arrogant and selfish attitude of makesmesmile and mangetoute that gives all cat owners a bad name. They would be well adviced to read goosing's post and come to realise that taking on the responsibility of owning a cat includes providing it with suitable toilet facilities so that it doesn't need annoy and destroy neighbouring property.

[makemesmile]

Hello Wildwood - I'm not arrogant or selfish. My cat ALWAYS uses a litter tray. She actually comes in to use the toilet. So how am I 'destoying neighbouring propery'? I think you've got a problem, luvvy. Get some help.

[soobet]

I would like to say that I have done the mothball thing and every product on the shelves of DIY and garden stores. Nothing but nothing works. Infact the mothballs had only been down half an hour and hey "Wilson" from next door was already leaving a little bundle.

[soobet]

And I agree with Wildwood..... I have a dog and i dont thing the neighbours would take kindly to me letting my dog foul in their garden....so why do we have to put up with other peoples cats

[makemesmile]

So soobet - you also agree that all cat owners are arrogant and selfish, do you?

I don't know whether you two morons had noticed but spurslady is merely asking for suggestions to stop neighbouring cats using their land as the local toilet. Not whether all cat owners should be insulted with a ridulous sweeping statement.

[bricro]

I have heard that mirrors deter cats,,,worth a try maybe?

[wildwood]

makemesmile - nobody here has suggested that all cat owners are arrogant and selfish. Get your facts right. I've also made some very constructive suggestions to the question, whereas you have only made snide remarks and have been no help at all to the questioner. I do believe it is you who has the problem.

The fact that you have to resort to name calling suggests that you have nothing constructive to suggest on the cat problem and only proves how childish you are. Perhaps if your neighbours all got a few dozen pigeons and let them out everytime you put your washing out, you may get some inkling of what gardeners have to put up with.

[makemesmile]

wildwood - you are soooooo pathetic. I can't believe how petty and benal you are. But I forgive you with all of my heart x : )

[spurslady]

Thank you to everyone who has helped.

I will look into your suggestions.

[soobet]

makesmesmile although you had the last word here...Wildwood had the point and i still agree. Perhaps you need to get rid of the chip on your shoulder....
Good luck spurslady.. I doubt you will ever solve this one wit

[makemesmile]

I forgive you too soobet x

[soobet]

ty makesmesmile. but that was the last thing i wanted

[makemesmile]

I know ; )

[soobet]

I do not accept your fogiveness as i have done nothing wrong. Cats are a dam nuicance and so are the owners who totaly disrespect other peoples property. Cat owners are a different breed from dog lovers "catty" i think is the term! ! !