Keeping Cats Out of Gardens

[GoldWithFalmer]

Love cats but every single one of them should have a bell attached to protect birdlife. If you actually saw what little tiddles gets up to out of your sight then you'd realise they can be evil little f@@kers. I would still love one again but live in a first floor flat.

I lived on a 3rd floor flat with stairs,cat came and went,we had the windows on child locks,the cats head could not squeeze through,job done..

As for birds,well...all i can say is by tomorrow evening more cars will have killed more birds and other animals than all the cats could......

 

[1066familyman]

I'm sure better men than me have tried to argue this case and failed, but I find that bizarre. People claim the rights that go with ownership of a cat, so with my mind so should come the responsibilities (which should surely include not imposing your desire on others). If, for example, I decided to pick one up and take it somewhere miles away in my car then let it go, I couldn't claim it was "semi-wild" - I would have to deal with an irate "owner".

You also don't have to report it if you run a cat over with your car, whereas with a dog you do. Not that I'm advocating running any animal over of course, just pointing out the law.

 

[Tubby-McFat-Fuc]

Cheers for the replies so far - will give the orange peels a try.

Regarding shooting them with water pistols - is this actually considered ok? As much as personally I feel quite passionately that my neighbours' pets have no right to be in my garden, letting alone pollute it, I don't want to fall out with everyone over it. I can imagine doing it and suddenly hearing "oi, what you doing to my cat?" from an overlooking window!

To which you should reply, "Stopping the ****ing thing shitting in my garden. Next time it won't just be ****ing water" usually shuts up any dissenting neighbourinos.

 

[BadFish]

See my issue you though? You might find that fun and exciting, but I don't. And if you want to spend money and time cleaning up shit because they are "great pets", then again that's fine for you. But I don't want to. I just don't see why someone else liking cats means I should have to put up with them as well.

Edit - this was meant to be in reply to Don Quixote, no idea how to retrospectively add a quote.

I would say that this is part of living in a community.

 

[Guy Fawkes]

Rightly or wrongly, whether you like it or not, we are top of the evolutionary tree at the present time. So yes, we do have the right to decide where animals can and can't go, and I would suggest it is in Rover's and Ginger's best interest to remember that.

So whats next, telling creatures in the rainforest where they can and can't go? seeing as we are at the top of the chain. (my comment is just as ridiculous as yours)

 

[catfish]

You don't need to do anything,but could evolve and see the beauty in it all,i personally prefer cats,but have a great affection to dogs,and call me mad,but i talk dog too..i actually talk to animals..well lets call it communicate at a basic life level.

You're mad.

 

[GoldWithFalmer]

You're mad.

as a hatter...

 

[1066familyman]

Whats the odds that a lot of those who complain about cats using their garden as a toilet have at some point put manure on their plants?

What a ridiculous point to make!

Manure is from herbivores - less harmful germs in manure than in poorly cooked meat!...

..which leads me onto toxoplasmosis. The chief carrier of which are cats, mainly because they are carnivores (not exclusively because of this though).

In short, manure is never going to harm any human being - cat shit most certainly can! Manure will do wonders for most plants, cat shit will offer nothing of value to a plant.

Furthermore, the garden owner CHOOSES to put manure around their plants as it's THEIR garden. The issue here is cats shitting in other people's gardens against the garden owners wishes, causing a health hazard and a nuisance. You can have cat shit in your garden if you like, that's your right, but I don't want it in mine thanks.

 

[Guy Fawkes]

Even dog owners need to sleep, why would they let their dogs bark all night long,NORTH STAND CHAT the site that just keeps on giving,long may it reign

We could of course move onto dogs and the fact that their existance as pets does a lot of damage to the enviroment and we could contribute more to 'saving the planet' by getting rid of them all. The main reason, Dog food and all the meat production required to feed these pets with usually no other real, practical use (such as Police dog, Guide dog, etc)

 

[GoldWithFalmer]

So whats next, telling creatures in the rainforest where they can and can't go? seeing as we are at the top of the chain. (my comment is just as ridiculous as yours)

The original comment was a NSC comment and i took it as it was and is,however taken to it's logical conclusion,mankind will wipe it's self from the face of the earth with that attitude to nature..the planet will,in time survive,recover and prosper,along with most of the animals...

Coincidently,mankind by direct and indirect actions already is telling animals where and where not to go,Africa,Asia all over...

 

[1066familyman]

I lived on a 3rd floor flat with stairs,cat came and went,we had the windows on child locks,the cats head could not squeeze through,job done..

As for birds,well...all i can say is by tomorrow evening more cars will have killed more birds and other animals than all the cats could......

Now this I agree with - the level of road kill is truly shocking and really sad to see.

Quite a separate issue to what's being discussed here though, and cats clearly do kill songbirds in large numbers. I say put a bell on your cat if you care about birds in your garden.

 

[Tubby-McFat-Fuc]

I consider myself an anaimal lover, but for some reason I ****ing hate cats. They are the only wild or domestic animal I have zero time for.

So whilst everyone agues whether or not cats are good or bad, if you do find yourself in a position where you need to "dispose" of a cat that may have wondered into your castle may I recommend this site http://catrecipes.com/

 

[GoldWithFalmer]

Now this I agree with - the level of road kill is truly shocking and really sad to see.

Quite a separate issue to what's being discussed here though, and cats clearly do kill songbirds in large numbers. I say put a bell on your cat if you care about birds in your garden.

My cat would do well to catch one,she spent hours trying,still our bird feeders were positioned sensibly.. especially as Mr Squirrel was about.

 

[GoldWithFalmer]

I consider myself an anaimal lover, but for some reason I ****ing hate cats. They are the only wild or domestic animal I have zero time for.

So whilst everyone agues whether or not cats are good or bad, if you do find yourself in a position where you need to "dispose" of a cat that may have wondered into your castle may I recommend this site http://catrecipes.com/

Hey it's allowed,i'll forgive you,my sister is just the same-has no time for cats..

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

There is stuff you can get from garden centres to spray. It works.

Cat's shit where they think they can do it in secret. Sometimes, in a quiet garden, that's in the middle of the lawn. Remove it and spray. They will find somewhere more secret.

Now, someone tell me how to stop hedghogs pissing on my lawn. These buggers take no hints. Hedgehog piss is 95% hydrochloric acid and burns holes in the piece. Spikey little *******s. I've baited the slugs, hoping anything that eats them will get a mickey and long hangover, but to no avail . . .

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Apologie's for dreadful spelinge and punctuation. Its been a long day . . .

 

[GoldWithFalmer]

There is stuff you can get from garden centres to spray. It works.

Cat's shit where they think they can do it in secret. Sometimes, in a quiet garden, that's in the middle of the lawn. Remove it and spray. They will find somewhere more secret.

Now, someone tell me how to stop hedghogs pissing on my lawn. These buggers take no hints. Hedgehog piss is 95% hydrochloric acid and burns holes in the piece. Spikey little *******s. I've baited the slugs, hoping anything that eats them will get a mickey and long hangover, but to no avail . . .

Got a gate that leads onto a road? perhaps it could be left ajar? !GOLD! how dare i !!!! just keeping in the spirit of the moment..

 

[jackanada]

That's not remotely my point though. My point is that the law seems very convenient for cat owners. In my opinion, they either belong to someone, and in that case should be under the owner's control. Or, they are wild animals, in which case they can be treated in the same way that other wild animals (and pests at that) can be.

The way we are encouraged to view the law is very convenient for cat owners, the actual law is a bit different.

You can kill a cat on your property, you just can't cause it undue suffering. This means if you are going to shoot it get it between the eyes with a .22 or at least a very high powered air rifle.
You will also need some cause beyond just not liking that cat (though even if you said I killed the ******* cat because its a ******* there is little you can be charged with).
Threat to one of your own animals more than sufficient.
If you go the dog route your dog can maul the cat to death anytime anyplace anywhere. As long as you are not seen to be setting the dog on the cat you and the dog are home free on this one.

Bedwetters please note I advocate neither of these methods I just enjoy facts. That said cat people are oblivious to their felines flaws. There are 5 households near me who I am sure would all prattle on about how cats are clean and bury their poo. They are completely wrong because all their cats come and shit on the surface of my garden.

If you need something to kill mice then a pretty partially domesticated furry death machine is a good call, not a humane way because cats could teach the Spanish Inquisition a thing or two about torture, but they are mice and bloodlust has always been a desirable characteristic in a house cat -it's not going to clear your house of rodents efficiently if it only kills for food - so groovy.
If a cat turns up and 'adopts' you - that is it keeps turning up even though you didn't feed it, and very particularly that you didn't open a tin of tuna, then you have a guest feel free to be nice to it. It's its own being and all the nuisance it causes nearby is on it, just don't be getting upset that just like how not all your friends get on with each other some people will consider your new house guest an asshole. This may also apply to a rescue cats.
IF YOU GO OUT AND BUY A CAT, particularly a pedigree cat, then kindly accept that you are enslaving a poor shadow of a real cat. You have no right to say it is a wild animal - it has been bred for you for profit. You are entirely responsible for its existence. Keep your curio locked away, both your existences are shameful.

I enjoy the company of a cat. At various points in my life a cat has decided to make me part of its routine. The cat and I will lounge about for a little while then one or both of us leave. "Nice cat", I think, but my interest in its greater wellbeing is immensely low. As the cat could mourn my passing in the time between smelling I was freshly dead and jumping onto my belly to start getting at some entrails I feel this is mutual respect.

 

[wellquickwoody]

OK, let me alter the question.

Morally, why should I have to clear up animal facaes in MY garden because of a cat lovers hobby/obsession?

thats as you see it
the cat see's it another way (and so do the good old RSPCA)
as do some dogs, difference is they become aggressive and maim and sometimes kill
ask an RSPCA officer how many cats they have to take away and PTS as apposed to how many cats they have to take away for the same reason, in my experience when a cat gets the needle it goes off and finds a new home

You seem to have conveniently ignored my 'updated' earlier question...........

 

[SouthCoastOwl]

Get a dog

This - after getting a dog none of our three cats will go in our garden anymore.