Cats!

ukjoel

fill a couple of trays of paint with different colour emulsion and put them by the fence - ideally near some food. wait for them to get their paws nicely covered with paint before running out banging pots and pans together. They will run straight back in through the catflap and her carpet will be newly decorated.

No rules about leaving paint trays in your garden.

Optimist

*gem* wrote: »

Wow, thank you for all the replies.
. Environmental Health refuse to get involved and say that they have no powers to stop her having as many cats as she would like.

Your environmental heath are just trying to get out of a job. Point them in the direction the Environmental Protection Act 1990. They have the power to prosecute where a animal is kept in such a place or manner which may be prejudicial to heath or a nuisance.

You might want to get your local counsellor involved.

RuthnJasper

Optimist wrote: »

Your environmental heath are just trying to get out of a job. Point them in the direction the Environmental Protection Act 1990. They have the power to prosecute where a animal is kept in such a place or manner which may be prejudicial to heath or a nuisance.

You might want to get your local counsellor involved.

This is a good idea. 17 cats with worms and goodness-knows-what is really more than a minor irritation. Gem, you're right that it's not fair on the cats. A lot of them will, most likely, also be inbred with genetic defects (we've had this at work with semi-feral cats in the yard - and there was definitely one litter with a VERY dubious genetic imbalance...).

Are you able to get date/time-stamped photos of the poo (gross, I know)? Sending a number of these to Environmental Health and, as Optimist says, your local councillor (don't send them to a counsellor - you might get arrested, sectioned, or both ) will help to reinforce your argument.

I would imagine that EH offices get hundreds of complaints about this sort of issue each week - only for most to turn out as either a VERY minor inconvenience to an intolerant person, part of an ongoing neighbourly dispute, or someone who hates cats. Doing something like a photo-diary would help them to understand that your case is NOT petty or trivial and needs action.

I wish you all the best with it. x

looopylala

I am shocked that the RSPCA have given up because she wont open the door to them, I thought they could take action against her to make her show them the cats. 17 is far too many and god knows how many more there will be assuming they keep inbreeding.
I am sorry I cant think of anything to keep them out of your garden and agree with previous posters that contacting your local MP is probably the next step, you could speak to other neighbours too see if they are having the same problem, perhaps if a few of you can keep complaining to all authorities you might get somewhere

bluebeary

have you spoken to your neighbour about her cats mess in your garden, is she aware of it, if it were me, my cat, i would be more than happy to come and clear it for you, maybe she would be too ?

cheltenham_dude

I am surprised that the RSPCA haven't taken further action - did you mention to them that some of the poo has worms or maggots in it or just that she has 17 cats? As far as I'm aware if theres any evidence of animals being mistreated (intentionally or not) then the RSPCA and other animal rescue charities can take legal action and take possession of the animals (usually with a police escort for protection / to force entry if required) or is that something just from animal rescue programs on the TV?

*gem*

Thank you all the other suggestions.

I have spoken to my neighbour but just got a mouthful of abuse and foul language in return. They are druggies unfortunately and there is no reasoning with them. I am also surprised at the RSPCA. I was told that they would ring me back with an update, when they didn't I called them to be told that nobody would answer the door. When I called them the first time I said that the poos had worms in and that some of the cats were ill. I explained that one has the most awful cough, several have weeping eyes and they have boils and absess on their skin as well as patches of fur missing. I will try my local MP too and get back on to Environmental Health. Anything is worth a shot.

Nancypearl, I know exactly how you feel as that's what pets do to me and why I can't own one myself. I've tried chilli flakes, which didn't work but will try the hot pepper sauce too.

*doodle*_2

17 cats?! I bet that her house stinks to high heaven. How on earth can she afford to feed them, insure, and keep their jabs up to date?!

KxMx

*doodle* wrote: »

17 cats?! I bet that her house stinks to high heaven. How on earth can she afford to feed them, insure, and keep their jabs up to date?!

From the description on the poor cats state of health I doubt she does either

Hope you get somewhere OP, I love cats but living next to 17 and having all that poo around :eek:

Perhaps if you take a snap of each poo and email in every one, with the time and date stamps, EH will get the message!

coldcazzie

*gem* wrote: »

I am also surprised at the RSPCA. I was told that they would ring me back with an update, when they didn't I called them to be told that nobody would answer the door. When I called them the first time I said that the poos had worms in and that some of the cats were ill. I explained that one has the most awful cough, several have weeping eyes and they have boils and absess on their skin as well as patches of fur missing.

Perhaps some photographs emailed to them would help?

If you could get pictures of anything more obvious than worms (which, although is a sign that the cats are not being looked after appropriately, is probably not serious enough for action unfortunately), boils, bald patches, bleeding, skinniness showing that they are underfed etc, that might be more of an incentive.

It's ridiculous that they won't even go further than to knock on the door once, but I guess they have to do things in the proper way, rather than just going barging in. Lets face it, there are people out there who would make such allegations against someone who cared for their cats very well who they just wanted to get in trouble...:(