Cats in other people's gardens

cianer · 07-12-2009 2:02pm #1

I got back from my walk with my 6 dogs this morning, half way through hosing the muck off them when one of them found a cat in my garden. All hell broke loose, cat was chased up and down the garden and caught at least 3 times and rattled. I eventually managed to call the dogs off and the cat got away but now I'm rattling. I don't particularily like cats but would never want to see them get hurt, particularily by my dogs. A cat doesn't have a hope against 6 dogs that work as a pack, and I can call mine off only cos they're so well trained.

But I'm really cross that the neighbours continually put me in this position where I'm upset for hours because they can't keep control over their animal. If my dogs were wandering through their garden upsetting their animals you can be sure I'd be hearing all about it but somehow cats owners think they shouldn't have to be responsible for their pet's actions. They put it down to the ridiculous argument that 'it's in a cat's nature to wander and you can't keep it in'. That's the biggest cop out I've ever heard, it's in a dog's instinct to wander for miles a day but responsible dog owners control their pets. It's in a rabbits instinct to spend all day hopping around hedge rows but they manage to live very happily as apartment pets never seeing a field.

So I want to know why cat owners think they get a free ride where their animals are concerned. You can guarantee if the cat is injured the owner will be at my door looking for vets fees - it's very unfair and I'll be telling her where to sling her hook. If I got ill from toxoplasmosis while gardening among the cat poo in my flowerbeds and asked her for doctor's fees she'd laugh at me. Why do cat owners think they have no responsible for their animal's actions?

Sleipnir · 07-12-2009 2:07pm

I can't let my kids out into the garden because of all the cat **** from neighbour's cats. My son who was two at the time brought a toy into the house which was covered in cat **** and it was on his hands too yet if he went blind from it would all the cat owners decide to try to bit more responsible?

I hate them but I hate their owners even more. They just "let the cat out", not giving a thought for what the cat might be doing.
The ones around me aren't even spayed or neutered.

Anytime I see "missing cat" posters now, I don't give a bollix. It's missing because you let it out on a nightly basis.

cianer · 07-12-2009 2:13pm

I couldn't agree more. I'm pregnant now and have had to give up gardening for the moment because of the cat poo buried in my garden. If my dogs used their garden as a toilet you can imagine what would be said. Maybe I should do that, fling the dog poo over their wall........

Paul91 · 07-12-2009 2:20pm

i do think there should be similar controls for cats as dogs, my two go berserk barking at the cats on the walls - I feel guilty that they are disturbing the neighbours - but it's the cat's that cause the barking, also think they should have to be licensed and chipped by law - and neutered if they are to be left out

monty_python · 07-12-2009 2:45pm

have you heard the story that unfolded in the uk a few months back?

a foolish snake owner left his burmese python unattended in his back garden, the neighbours cat wanderded in to the garden and became dinner for the burm.
during the aftermath there was call for snake ownership to be banned but very little was said about the cat tresspassing.:mad:

Sleipnir · 07-12-2009 2:48pm

monty_python wrote: »

have you heard the story that unfolded in the uk a few months back?

a foolish snake owner left his burmese python unattended in his back garden, the neighbours cat wanderded in to the garden and became dinner for the burm.
during the aftermath there was call for snake ownership to be banned but very little was said about the cat tresspassing.:mad:

monty_python · 07-12-2009 2:57pm

Sleipnir wrote: »

<Mental note: buy python>

you can borrow mine, he hasnt been fed in 3 weeks so would relish any tresspassing cats:D

(joke)

Paul91 · 07-12-2009 3:00pm

got a business opportunity there - Rent-A-Snake

Santrypad · 07-12-2009 3:00pm

Couldnt agree more...there was a topic here last week where a girls pup was killed but a neighbours cat coming into her garden and a few people said she wasnt responsible enough to have looked after the pup if that happen....I disagree.

Personally my advice was to do whatever she seen fit to keep the cat out of her garden and altough slightly off topic its just another example of a wandering cat.

Dont get me wrong Id never mistreat any animal but I just dont like them and since its been brought up I do think its one rule for dog owners and another for cat owners.

az2wp0sye65487 · 07-12-2009 3:03pm

If a cat is on your property and gets caught by your dogs then isn't it the cat / cat owner's own fault. After all, the dogs are only doing what's natural.

Surely if the cat gets hurt or killed you can't be held responsible. Animals killing other animals is part of nature anyway!

Westwood · 07-12-2009 3:08pm

if dogs were as nimble as cats and could scale 10 foot walls their would be discussion of wandering animals.

LauranceB · 07-12-2009 3:13pm

I changed car this year and our neighbours cat sits on the bonnet. The thing is now full of scratches. He also walks on the wall around our garden which drives the dogs bonkers. All round very annoying.

cianer wrote: »

Maybe I should do that, fling the dog poo over their wall........

I have actually done this!

Paul91 · 07-12-2009 3:15pm

Westwood wrote: »

if dogs were as nimble as cats and could scale 10 foot walls their would be discussion of wandering animals.

if I had dogs that could scale 10 foot walls I'd have 15 foot walls to keep them in

Santrypad · 07-12-2009 3:19pm

Yeah thats another thing I have cat marks over the bonnet of my car too where they jump on it to reach the wall or vice versa......good point.

peasant · 07-12-2009 3:26pm

lots of cat hating going on here ...

To answer the original question ...no, there is very little you can do to stop cats from wandering short of fencing them in or not letting them out at all.

They aren't really trainable in that respect.

Having said that, our three cats rarely ever go far and they usually do come when you call them (after a while) ...but we don't have interesting stuff going on in the neighbourhood either, just fields.

Paul91 · 07-12-2009 3:31pm

peasant wrote: »

lots of cat hating going on here ...

mine is more frustration than hate, wouldn't hate a animal - maybe the owner

cianer · 07-12-2009 3:38pm

peasant wrote: »

To answer the original question ...no, there is very little you can do to stop cats from wandering short of fencing them in or not letting them out at all.

The original question wasn't what you can do to stop them wandering. The original question was why cat owners think they get a free ride where their animals are concerned.

peasant wrote: »

They aren't really trainable in that respect.

So? That's not a valid reason or justification. Why not fence them in? Why let them out at all? "They aren't really trainable" is a cop out. Burmese Pythons aren't trainable either and you'd be hard pressed to find someone who thinks its reasonable to let one roam free.

monty_python · 07-12-2009 3:43pm

peasant wrote: »

lots of cat hating going on here ...

To answer the original question ...no, there is very little you can do to stop cats from wandering short of fencing them in or not letting them out at all.

They aren't really trainable in that respect.

Having said that, our three cats rarely ever go far and they usually do come when you call them (after a while) ...but we don't have interesting stuff going on in the neighbourhood either, just fields.

do you think its ok for your cats to use other people's gardens as a litter tray? or scratch there cars? or antagonize the local dogs into barking and disturbing the peace?
nobody should own an animal they can not control, be it a cat or any animal

monty_python · 07-12-2009 3:45pm

cianer wrote: »

So? That's not a valid reason or justification. Why not fence them in? Why let them out at all? "They aren't really trainable" is a cop out. Burmese Pythons aren't trainable either and you'd be hard pressed to find someone who thinks its reasonable to let one roam free.

exactly!!!

Santrypad · 07-12-2009 3:46pm

Ok Peasant an honest answer.....and let me just say by no means Id like to see this happen but just curious as its been brought up.

You say you cant do much bar not let them out at all so just suppose that was your cat today and one of the six dogs did get and kill or seriously injure it who would you feel should be responsible?

Its its your own fault for letting the cat go where it wants and just bad luck?

Or the dog owners fault for not seeing/stopping what was happening or not having control over them?

Not putting anyone on the spot and as I said id hate to see it happen to any animal so just curious as to what cat/dog owners would think?

monty_python · 07-12-2009 3:51pm

peasant wrote: »

lots of cat hating going on here ...

To answer the original question ...no, there is very little you can do to stop cats from wandering short of fencing them in

its easily done and not expensive (not my picture)

CamperMan · 07-12-2009 3:57pm

you know what.... it aggravates me when dog owners let their dogs roam about free to sh!t all over my garden... and also free to come running out of the owners gardens and snapping and barking at me when I go for a walk....... at least cats don't leave big piles of steaming sh!t at your feet.

DanR · 07-12-2009 4:02pm

Who needs 6 dogs!!!:eek: Would hate to live next door.

Paul91 · 07-12-2009 4:05pm

CamperMan wrote: »

you know what.... it aggravates me when dog owners let their dogs roam about free to sh!t all over my garden... and also free to come running out of the owners gardens and snapping and barking at me when I go for a walk....... at least cats don't leave big piles of steaming sh!t at your feet.

the point is there are laws and bye-laws in place to stop dogs and there owners doing this - whether they are enforced or not is a local issue - there are no laws/bye-laws in respect of cats and their owners which is the OP's issue

FYI my dogs aren't allowed out of my secured garden unless on a leash, not even if i am out there with them

Paul91 · 07-12-2009 4:07pm

DanR wrote: »

Who needs 6 dogs!!!:eek: Would hate to live next door.

why exactly?

I currently have 6 dogs, had 9 three weeks ago

star-pants · 07-12-2009 4:15pm

DanR wrote: »

Who needs 6 dogs!!!:eek: Would hate to live next door.

Unhelpful comments like this will incur infractions if they continue

Regarding cats getting into your garden - it's not the easiest to deter them, you can if possible leave out bottles half full of water, you can get sensor sprinklers, there used to be this stuff you could put on your wall that gave off a scent cats hated (we never found it again though, twas years ago).

Cats getting on the cars, hard to stop them unless you put a cover on your car, they like to get on the bonnet if it's warm or underneath too. Personally after seeing a cat that got it's face caught in fan belt I like to check there's no cats around my car before I start it.

You could also try having a word with your neighbours about maybe putting up something between yer gardens to stop them getting in. And if the cat got into your garden was was unfortunately hurt, it would not be your fault as your dogs are contained.

peasant · 07-12-2009 4:15pm

AIB wrote: »

Ok Peasant an honest answer.....and let me just say by no means Id like to see this happen but just curious as its been brought up.

You say you cant do much bar not let them out at all so just suppose that was your cat today and one of the six dogs did get and kill or seriously injure it who would you feel should be responsible?

Its its your own fault for letting the cat go where it wants and just bad luck?

Or the dog owners fault for not seeing/stopping what was happening or not having control over them?

Not putting anyone on the spot and as I said id hate to see it happen to any animal so just curious as to what cat/dog owners would think?

Honest answer:

If there were other dogs in our direct neighbourhood, our cats wouldn't be let out. There aren't so it's no problem. All our neighbours are far enough away for the cats not to show up there ...so I have no qualms about letting them out during the day (they are inside at night)

If however it happened that one of our cats got killed outside our land (be that by another animal or a car) I would not blame anyone.

CamperMan · 07-12-2009 4:18pm

Paul91 wrote: »

the point is there are laws and bye-laws in place to stop dogs and there owners doing this - whether they are enforced or not is a local issue - there are no laws/bye-laws in respect of cats and their owners which is the OP's issue

FYI my dogs aren't allowed out of my secured garden unless on a leash, not even if i am out there with them

but dogs cause more aggro than a cat... dogs barking, sh!tting everywhere, rummaging through bins and causing a mess.... I mean... this year alone... I have had countless dogs run out in front of the car causing me to swerve... not had that problem with a cat.

We have a cat... and we keep him indoors ;-)

peasant · 07-12-2009 4:21pm

cianer wrote: »

"They aren't really trainable" is a cop out.

No, it's not a cop-out ...it's a fact.

Cat owners have to realise this and take appropriate action. Either contain their cats or only let them roam where no-one can take offense / no harm can come to them.

Paul91 · 07-12-2009 4:28pm

CamperMan wrote: »

but dogs cause more aggro than a cat... dogs barking, sh!tting everywhere, rummaging through bins and causing a mess.... I mean... this year alone... I have had countless dogs run out in front of the car causing me to swerve... not had that problem with a cat.

We have a cat... and we keep him indoors ;-)

but if you see a dog out roaming you can call the dog warden - i can't call a cat warden

Santrypad · 07-12-2009 4:30pm

peasant wrote: »

No, it's not a cop-out ...it's a fact.

Cat owners have to realise this and take appropriate action. Either contain their cats or only let them roam where no-one can take offense / no harm can come to them.

Thats fair answer and you obviously live within alot of space so it works for you and glad it does.

Obviously both can be a nuisance/do damage but it remains beyond all doubt that the dog warden will be up pronto to a barking dog......even though its felix sitting on the wall giving him the finger that has him barking

Cats in other people's gardens

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