Cats pooping - do ultrasonic repellers work? What about male urine?

ripplyuk

For some reason, in the last couple of months my neighbours cats have decided to use my front garden as a toilet. They have a few cats (four I think) and although I love cats, it's not much fun cleaning up their mess every day when they aren't mine. At this time of year, I'm regularly out lifting leaves from the cherry blossom trees and I've ended up getting this mess on my hands.

My front garden is all gravel with some big pots. I chose this gravel as it's a larger size specifically to avoid the cats seeing it as a giant litter tray. This worked, until now.

I've read about these ultrasonic repellers but I'm unsure if they're any good, or just a gimmick. Also, I've heard that urine will help if it's spread around the perimeter (urine from an intact male, so my partner should do). Has anyone tried this before? I'd also appreciate any other suggestions.

esuhl

Male urine works well, as cats hate getting wet. ;-)

But citrus peel sometimes works well.

Davesnave

Someone has to be 'intact' for urine to act as a deterrent?

$h1t! No wonder those badgers are taking no notice!

DaftyDuck

Ah, Dave, castration explains the penchant for dressing up as a Dame, so that's one mystery solved.

Ultrasound does work, but not for more than a few weeks. Cats get used to them (or go deaf!) and the gadgets themselves tend to fail. Male urine may well work, but I'd recommend a bottle, given it's a front garden

A water pistol can be highly effective and harmless. Less embarrassing for your bloke, too.:D

Davesnave

DaftyDuck wrote: »

Ah, Dave, castration explains the penchant for dressing up as a Dame, so that's one mystery solved.

I don't remember saying I'd been castrated, but dressing-up.... well.....anyone can do that.

Unfortunately, however, being a 'certain age' does seem to be a requirement for Damesmanship.

I hear even Cliff is mulling it over.

ripplyuk

Dave, apparently the urine thing works best if it's from a young adult too.

My partner's probably a bit old, but he'll have to do. It's worth a try anyway. If I catch the cats in the act, I chase them off, but now they are doing it at night, or when I'm not in. I've no outdoor tap so I can't use the scarecrow type water sprayers.

Does half full bottles of water laid about work?

fairy_lights

ripplyuk wrote: »

Dave, apparently the urine thing works best if it's from a young adult too.

You could hang around the gates of a secondary school and ask teenage boys if they will pee in a bottle for you in return for a few cans of lager? It really is the only sensible solution.

DaftyDuck

fairy_lights wrote: »

You could hang around the gates of a secondary school and ask teenage boys if they will pee in a bottle for you in return for a few cans of lager? It really is the only sensible solution.

You won't be worrying about cats in the front garden for a few years, that's for sure

rach_k

If they've been using it quite a lot, I would temporarily put in a physical barrier so they can't get to it. Now they know it's a good place to poo and it smells like a toilet too, they'll be less likely to pay attention to any other deterrents. Physically stop them getting there for a while and then try other methods and they're more likely to work. I read that netting will deter cats so I tried that on my lawn* but my evil/very determined cat somehow managed to jump into the middle of it, poo and then jump back off, so I think you need to make it several inches (at least) off the ground.

You could also mention it (politely) to the cats' owners. It may be that they've always pooed outside, in which case they probably can't do anything about it, but it's possible that they've changed something recently e.g. taken away a litter tray or not been cleaning the tray properly so they could rectify that.


*Just the lawn - I have no problem with MY cat pooing in MY borders!

mikeeboy

I have an issue of cats(s), probably next door, doing their business on my Mum's back & front lawns. As the person to look after these lawns since my Dad passed away, I now hate cats.

It got me thinking. How come dogs need to be on leads and have their 'waste' picked up after them, but cats are 'allowed' to roam the land sh!tting wherever they please?

ripplyuk

The cats used to use a different neighbours front garden, an elderly lady's. She had a go at the owners and made them come and lift it each day. They hate each other now.

They had three cats then. It's since they've got another one that they've started doing it in my garden. But it's not just the new cat. I've caught two of the others doing it.

I can't block off the area with wire or anything. The path to the house goes through part of it. I don't know if the owners have a litter tray for them, but the cats seem to be outside all the time.