Suggestions to prevent cats doing business around HA properties?

calicocat

leveller2911 wrote: »

So taking this to its logical conclusion I should/could just let my terriers run riot because other people should accept it because I can't be bothered to control my pets.

What sort of Society will we end up with if that attitude was acceptable....Basically your saying that the anti Social behaviour of the few should be tolerated by the majority.If all dogs were allowed to run riot do you honestly think no action would be taken by Government/Local Government?

I don't dislike cats, in fact I quite like them, the sound of purring I find quite relaxing but its the other side of their character I won't put up with.

Mmmmmm, I wasn't aware I was saying antisocial behaviour was ok. In fact, it was me that brought up people littering, pizzing, kids running riot etc and with an obvious inference that these things are not acceptable in society, just as I have said that my cat is trained to do her 'thing' where I have deamed acceptable, and that I don't agree with dog owners not picking up as I always did as a dog owner and will do in the future.

I think I did accept your frustration did I not??....i just don't see the need to threaten to/or to actually kill something over it all......that is where society will fall down don't you think...

Fireandashes

Please don't tar all cat owners with the same brush. My cats are house cats precisely because I don't feel comfortable with knowing they could be [EMAIL="!!!!ping"]!!!!ping[/EMAIL] anywhere and everywhere, and also because there are several busy roads and a stray cat population round here which could be infected with all sorts of feline nasties. They come out into the garden if we're in there but never go any further, and go back inside to use their litter trays.

The difficulty is that many rescue centres won't rehome a cat to someone who states they want to keep it indoors (presumably it's sooooo much better for the cat to stay living in a small kennel at the rescue centre for even longer than it would be for it to have the run of a whole house...) so the message that all cats MUST go out and roam free is reinforced by so-called experts, even though many cats can adapt quite happily to an indoor life.

OP, I would second the advice of swapping the small gravel for larger pebbles. Gravel is essentially cat litter in the eyes of a cat. Depending on the size of the space, a couple of thorny plants in pots around the edge - pyracantha is good, and low-maintenance - would be an added deterrent.

GlynD

leveller2911 wrote: »

Its the attitude of cat owners I can't stand. In the main their whole arguement stands on the fact that "cats are wild animals and cannot be tamed blah,blah,blah".........Not good enough, if they are indeed wild animals and can't be tamed/controlled etc then I should be free to take whatever measures it takes to stop them doing their business in my garden or on my drive.

To post about people who "pizz in the treet when drunk" is a total red herring, 2 wrongs dont make a right.I have 2 Border terriers and wouldn't dream of letting them run around the locality taking a dump in peoples gardens so why do cat owners think its ok .

Personally speaking I have spent a fair few £ trying to sort out the problem and its getting very close to local cats going missing. Am I to blame ? or the total lack of action on the part of cat owners?. They still just open the cat flap and say "off you go Tiddles and do your business"......

Cat's aren't wild animals however, they're domesticated. What you're missing is that the law has determined them to be "free roaming" and they are protected under the law. So they can do a poo on your head and you have to let them.

Richard_Webster

A lot of academic discussion about the rights and wrongs etc - but can someone suggest how to stop a cat doing his/her poo on my garden?

GlynD

Richard_Webster wrote: »

A lot of academic discussion about the rights and wrongs etc - but can someone suggest how to stop a cat doing his/her poo on my garden?

Different things work for different people. Sonic alarms are available which emit a high pitched noise we humans can't hear when they detect movement in the garden. May I suggest one of those?

All the ideas about citrus peel etc are fine but natural products have a very limited period of effectiveness.

propertyman

Richard_Webster wrote: »

A lot of academic discussion about the rights and wrongs etc - but can someone suggest how to stop a cat doing his/her poo on my garden?

Concrete it over, works every time :cool:

Sadly, it happens, life's rich pattern. Our cats are very territorial and in the new house have already seen off inquisitive moggies ( they had lots of practice with werewolves, who kept the foxes away from the ducks, at the old house), but failing that you can spend a lot of money and frustration and have little success.

Deoderisers and poop bags or borrow a dog.

Davesnave

Richard_Webster wrote: »

A lot of academic discussion about the rights and wrongs etc - but can someone suggest how to stop a cat doing his/her poo on my garden?

Among all the nonsense was some good advice to replace the problematic chippings with larger pebbles.

This removes the element that makes the garden area especially attractive from a feline perspective.

I would suggest evaluating your own garden in the same way and designing out problem areas.

Restricting access to places which can't be treated I this way - e.g. seed and vegetable beds - is the other option, but it isn't easy or cheap. However, as I pointed out earlier, other facts of life are creatures like badgers and foxes, and those of us who need to exclude them manage it, so it's not impossible.

GlynD

Davesnave wrote: »

Among all the nonsense was some good advice to replace the problematic chippings with larger pebbles.

This removes the element that makes the garden area especially attractive from a feline perspective.

I would suggest evaluating your own garden in the same way and designing out problem areas.

Restricting access to places which can't be treated I this way - e.g. seed and vegetable beds - is the other option, but it isn't easy or cheap. However, as I pointed out earlier, other facts of life are creatures like badgers and foxes, and those of us who need to exclude them manage it, so it's not impossible.

Good idea but a big expense for someone who just wants to keep cats off his garden.

leveller2911

GlynD wrote: »

Cat's aren't wild animals however, they're domesticated.
What you're missing is that the law has determined them to be "free roaming" and
they are protected under the law.

I can guarantee that I won't be spending any more money on the problem other than lead. There will be only 1 winner and I'm afraid it won't be the cat.

Its something I didn't want to do and after spending a fair amount of cash on trying to deter the cats I feel I have no other avenue open.I use to shoot years ago but never shot anything I didn't eat.

You could say I've gone soft over the years and spend more time watching wildlife but I am a crack shot so dealing with this problem won't be an issue to me. Don't blame me though Glyn as I have given the owners months to sort this out and they literally don't give a sh*t (excuse the pun).

The onus should be on cat owners and not the rest of Society.

In_Debt_Bet

I purchased a couple of devices on Amazon called PestBye Battery Operated Cat Repeller, I needed two as my front garden is split by a path and one device would not cover the whole area. Since then I had only one incident which was the day after I installed the first unit and the instructions do say it may take a while to take effect.

Previously I had tried lemon peel, chilli flakes, pepper, household detergent and a specialist cat repellant spray from a garden centre - none of these had any effect.

Good luck I know how frustrating it can be.