The Nice People Thread, No.16: A Universe of Niceness.

PasturesNew

Loanranger wrote: »

Why is horse manure generally acceptable while cat poo is not?
As fertiliser, i should add, on your soil!

Nitrogen (one of those important things for gardeners).
Disease and nasties lurking.

Source: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/composting/manures/cat-feces-in-compost.htm

chris_m

Loanranger wrote: »

Why is horse manure generally acceptable while cat poo is not?
As fertiliser, i should add, on your soil!

Horses don't eat meat or fish, therefore you won't get potentially nasty meat sourced pathogens arriving.

Also, horse manure should be well rotted before application, not straight from a**e to soil.

vivatifosi

So glad I decided to see what the NP have been up to today while waiting for my dinner.:eek:

chris_m

All full of natural goodness - provided it's not cat or dog

zagubov

This is reminding me of James O'Brien's Mystery Hour which I think was suggested to e by a former poster.

One question was why cowpats and sheep droppings were so different when the animals were eating the same diet (ie grass).

The answer was brilliant (and a bit complex, being to do with hydrology of landscapes) and I use it whenever I have to teach about natural selection and evolution. I can't recommend this show highly enough. :beer:

vivatifosi

Masomnia wrote: »

Thanks Viva, I do enjoy a little flutter very occasionally. Might a risk fiver each way, it'll make it more interesting if I end up watching it!

No worries. This is a very strong Eurovision year. I haven't yet heard all of the songs, but the Belgian, Czech, Swedish, Danish entries are also pretty good. I haven't seen anything totally cringeworthy yet, but there's bound to be at least one. And the Estonian entry is certainly,erm, eye-catching. We will definitely end up on the right hand side again, our song is just forgettable.

The reason I think Rybak (the Norwegian entry) will do well is that not only is he the highest point winner under the previous system, he lives in Norwy and is popular with the Scandinavian audience, he has won before, but also performed in two interval acts, incl for Sweden. Additionally, he is Belorussian by birth, which plays well with the Russian bloc audience. Plus all Eurovision hard-core fans like him, as is inextricably linked to the contest. The song has parts that the audience can sing back, which will look amazing on tv by the time the contest comes around and everyone knows the song.

My favourite song is Belgium though.

Norway: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SixPA1jhynE
Belgium: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6DGf9TMehi0
Sweden: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2UmYBkszOA
Czech: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=k6_oxE2MxZE
Denmark: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XeraDSzu0nw
Estonia: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=76KOUIfDry8

Eta: forgot to mention current leader in the betting, Israel: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CziHrYYSyPc

Pyxis

Loanranger wrote: »

I found an animal turd on my yard near my back door last week. No dogs come down there so presume it's a cat although it was on concrete. Could have been a fox I suppose.
I put it in a plastic bag or two, using a bag on my hand, and put it in the bin. The plastic bags are the ones used for loose fruit n veg in the supermarket so are free of charge.
What is the problem about animals leaving poo behind in the garden?
Cats mainly do their business on earth and cover it over while dogs don't.

Tell that to the cat who regularly soiled my (large diameter) gravel path from the front door to the wheelie bins!

Don't waste your money on granules and sprays, Pastures...... I've tried loads and they don't work. Plus, it's costly, as you have to apply them after every drop of rain.

I also tried vinegar, bleach, and even human urine, but none of it worked.

The only two things that seemed to work were lion dung, which you can get online or in some pet shops, and fresh fennel.
The lion dung comes as dried pieces, and is quite hygienic. The idea is that it is big predator scent, which puts little cats off. Th downside is that it can work out expensive, as again, you need to apply it again after heavy rainfall.
(It's got a slight scent to us, but not much, and a lot less than vinegar or bleach, anyway).

I have a rogue fennel plant right by the gravel, which I couldn't get rid of, so as it has a strong scent, I decided to try it. I keep breaking off bits of fresh stem and/or flowers and scattering the bits over the area.
It does seem to work, and it smells nice!

It could all be a coincidence, but as the fennel is right there, and cheap, it doesn't hurt.

You could get a large fennel plant, but put it in a large pot, otherwise, if you don't keep trimming it, it can bolt. Also, pick the flowers before they seed, otherwise the seeds spread profusely and cause a problem.

vivatifosi wrote: »

So glad I decided to see what the NP have been up to today while waiting for my dinner.:eek:

Well, I suppose your dinner is the 'before' in the equation!

Pyxis

zagubov wrote: »

This is reminding me of James O'Brien's Mystery Hour which I think was suggested to e by a former poster.

One question was why cowpats and sheep droppings were so different when the animals were eating the same diet (ie grass).

The answer was brilliant (and a bit complex, being to do with hydrology of landscapes) and I use it whenever I have to teach about natural selection and evolution. I can't recommend this show highly enough. :beer:

That looks great! Thanks for the info! :T

Pyxis

I've just remembered something else that worked for deterring cats.......... my dog!

When I had a dog and she urinated in various parts of the garden, I never had a problem with cats. After the last dog died, about 1-2 years later, when, I suppose, all trace of her scent had gone, that's when I started to get a problem.

Might be a bit drastic for you, though, Pastures, especially as you'll have to clear up after your own dog instead of the cat, but at least you know your own dog is healthy and it's part of the pet-owning choice!

There was I thinking, no more poo-picking up for a while, and I was landed with clearing up after someone else's blimming pet! :mad:

Jackmydad

I like cats to come here since we lost the last of ours.
Helps keep our little rodent chums in check.
Cleaned up some fox or possibly badger poo off the path earlier.