Flowerpotlass, welcome to the forum. I think you should ignore this thread. We're not always like this, I promise. Any discussion about cats gets heated and terse, it seems.
If your neighbour visited your garden and dropped something ; ie:- a wallet or handkerchief , you'd presumably return it . I suggest investing in a small shovel (as a child would use in a sand-pit) , and return the unwelcome 'gifts' by throwing them back over onto their property ! They might actually see you and get the message !!!
Flowerpotlass, a welcome to the forum from me also, and a thank you for your suggestion. I've tried all that stuff and the kindest thing I can say is that success rates vary enormously. I've bought gel, cutouts of cats with reflecting eyes, I've sat up till all hours with a loaded water pistol.. if cats have a sense of humour, my behaviour would have them helplessly rolling with mirth in their own litter trays.
Very good point, Philippa, about the cost of cats' behaviour being borne by the sufferers, and not by those who should try a bit harder to prevent their precious pets from depositing their filth where it isn't wanted. I believe that in one or two other countries the domestic feline is banned in some areas in order to conserve wildlife. I think I also heard somewhere that domestic cats kill a million small animals and birds in the UK every week.
Having considered all the options above, even the silly ones, I intend to buy myself a new water scarer and put it into action. Now, we've all had a great deal of fun on this thread, but it was my question and I consider it answered.
Many thanks for your contributions, even the daft, discourteous and irritable ones.
I have been a cat owner in the past and it would be no good telling the owners as cats roam where they want - you cannot keep them in your own garden. Mine used to eat the duckings in the village pond but I could not do anything about that either. Many folks said it stopped the place being over-run with ducks and the mess they make.
That might be my new favourite asinine wildlife management plan. It was "we should kill magpies because magpies kill birds and killing birds is bad" but now being overrun with messy cats to prevent being overrun with messy ducks is up there.
If anyone is interested there's a good opinion piece by Melissa Harrison in this month's BBC Wildlife magazine about irresponsible pet ownership. Aimed at dog owners being banned from taking their dogs to nature reserves but cats get an honourable mention. Nice to see the BBC publishing stuff like that. It all helps with the awareness that pet owners need to act responsibly. Melissa says she used to own a cat that she allowed to roam and didn't realise the problems it could cause until she had her own garden.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
Bit of an update lest anyone with similar problems is interested.
I bought one of those passive infra-red water squirter jobbies and it appears to have done the trick. No cat poo now for about six weeks, so presumably the prime suspect has had at least one good soaking and sought a new outdoor potty elsewhere.
First of all I laid plastic-coated garden mesh over the soil in the borders which were being sullied by the incontinent four-legged fiend, then put mulch over the top of the mesh. I then positioned the squirter in front of the side pathway from front garden to back on one side of the building, and laid a sheet of chicken wire down on the other side pathway. It seems that they don't like walking across chicken wire, especially the old, rusty version with sharp bits sticking up.
Depending on the size of your garden you may need more than one of these squirters, and you might have to move them now and again to cover other routes that the cats will take to avoid getting a dousing. When bought from the lower end of the market (like mine) the fittings are of questionable quality, but if you're prepared to put up with a bit of leakage from the various joints and the occasional unexplained burst of water when there's nothing around to set them off, they seem to be very effective.
No cats were harmed during the writing of this post.
I'm glad you've found a solution but think you should have just tried the water scarecrow. It has great reviews, is approved of and recommended by people who love their cats, and is probably of better quality than the leaky system you bought to save money you hadn't yet spent. No need for all that messing with plastic, mulches or chicken wire either and that last is potentially harmful to wildlife such as hedgehogs.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Good stuff Des. The only issue is that they do leak a bit , but they also freeze, so you have to switch them off over winter ifyou're in a colder area. I always forget, and have to keep buying You'll also find it doesn't deter them completely - they will return if you don't have it operating, unfortunately, but it's defintely the best method. I've just recommended one to my sister, as a neighbour has removed a 'party' hedge, and their garden is now a bit exposed, as there's only a small fence left, and the shrubs on her side.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Obelixx, I think we're talking about the same thing; leastways, when I googled "water scarecrow", the item that came up was more or less the same thing that I have, albeit perhaps a little more expensive so yes, better quality. As for hedgehogs, aside from the fact that we never saw any hint of such creatures before the wire was laid down, there are other ways for smaller animals to get into the garden which aren't obstructed by or covered with wire. The rear access to the garden, which borders on a neighbour's property and a farmer's field, is largely unobstructed. The cat obviously isn't determined or energetic enough to use those routes rather than just opting for a different garden, or maybe even a litter tray. The main point of my defences as outlined above was to cover the routes for cats crossing to our garden from the property across the road, and that's what I've done.
Fairygirl yes, I've considered the likelihood that they'll become less effective, but I leave the thing charged up with some water every night (enough for one good long squirt and a few dribbles) and it's worked so far. I am mindful of the likely effect of frost on fittings charged with cold water, so I'll turn it off at the first sign and sit up all night with the flamethrower instead.
Main thing is that I've found a solution which appears to be effective for MOST of the time. And that's all I ever hoped for.
I must say that I don't find clearing up cat poo that much of a problem. We have a large garden and open drive so I couldn't stop them even if I tried. Okay, it's momentary unpleasant and smelly but it's no worse than children's dirty nappies and once you've had to deal with them, you're inured for life. Fortunately for us, our beloved very timid cat much preferred his inside litter tray and came inside to do his stuff so we were lucky in that aspect. It only becomes a greater nuisance if you let it.
Posts
I suggest investing in a small shovel (as a child would use in a sand-pit) , and return the unwelcome 'gifts' by throwing them back over onto their property !
They might actually see you and get the message !!!
Very good point, Philippa, about the cost of cats' behaviour being borne by the sufferers, and not by those who should try a bit harder to prevent their precious pets from depositing their filth where it isn't wanted. I believe that in one or two other countries the domestic feline is banned in some areas in order to conserve wildlife. I think I also heard somewhere that domestic cats kill a million small animals and birds in the UK every week.
Having considered all the options above, even the silly ones, I intend to buy myself a new water scarer and put it into action. Now, we've all had a great deal of fun on this thread, but it was my question and I consider it answered.
Many thanks for your contributions, even the daft, discourteous and irritable ones.
I bought one of those passive infra-red water squirter jobbies and it appears to have done the trick. No cat poo now for about six weeks, so presumably the prime suspect has had at least one good soaking and sought a new outdoor potty elsewhere.
First of all I laid plastic-coated garden mesh over the soil in the borders which were being sullied by the incontinent four-legged fiend, then put mulch over the top of the mesh. I then positioned the squirter in front of the side pathway from front garden to back on one side of the building, and laid a sheet of chicken wire down on the other side pathway. It seems that they don't like walking across chicken wire, especially the old, rusty version with sharp bits sticking up.
Depending on the size of your garden you may need more than one of these squirters, and you might have to move them now and again to cover other routes that the cats will take to avoid getting a dousing. When bought from the lower end of the market (like mine) the fittings are of questionable quality, but if you're prepared to put up with a bit of leakage from the various joints and the occasional unexplained burst of water when there's nothing around to set them off, they seem to be very effective.
No cats were harmed during the writing of this post.
You'll also find it doesn't deter them completely - they will return if you don't have it operating, unfortunately, but it's defintely the best method.
I've just recommended one to my sister, as a neighbour has removed a 'party' hedge, and their garden is now a bit exposed, as there's only a small fence left, and the shrubs on her side.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Obelixx, I think we're talking about the same thing; leastways, when I googled "water scarecrow", the item that came up was more or less the same thing that I have, albeit perhaps a little more expensive so yes, better quality. As for hedgehogs, aside from the fact that we never saw any hint of such creatures before the wire was laid down, there are other ways for smaller animals to get into the garden which aren't obstructed by or covered with wire. The rear access to the garden, which borders on a neighbour's property and a farmer's field, is largely unobstructed. The cat obviously isn't determined or energetic enough to use those routes rather than just opting for a different garden, or maybe even a litter tray. The main point of my defences as outlined above was to cover the routes for cats crossing to our garden from the property across the road, and that's what I've done.
Fairygirl yes, I've considered the likelihood that they'll become less effective, but I leave the thing charged up with some water every night (enough for one good long squirt and a few dribbles) and it's worked so far. I am mindful of the likely effect of frost on fittings charged with cold water, so I'll turn it off at the first sign and sit up all night with the flamethrower instead.
Main thing is that I've found a solution which appears to be effective for MOST of the time. And that's all I ever hoped for.