neighbors cats

[MichelleVW]

I would never tell another person what to do with a pet in their care.

Sorry if you feel that's what I was doing, but as a major animal lover, I'm going to state my opinion, and honestly don't care if you like it or not.

If the cat isn't smart enough to stay out of the yard before it is killed by the dog, Darwinism wins and I have to go get another kitty...

Nice...

I find your cavalier attitude towards the health and well-being of your cats pretty disturbing, to be honest.

Maybe you're just trying to be provocative here in order to get people riled up. I hope that's the case. If not, I feel sorry for your pets.

Seriously...I love my animals even if they are too dumb to stay away from the coyotes outside!

 

[HelenePA]

But moth balls make the area smell, well, like an old lady's house. Any other suggestions? I'd love to keep the cats away.

my grandmother use to use white vinegar. Its cheap and easy enough to try. She would put it in a spray bottle and spray around where she saw the cats.. also peppermint oil.. she might have used this to keep mice away. I can't remember and she is gone

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Sorry if you feel that's what I was doing, but as a major animal lover, I'm going to state my opinion, and honestly don't care if you like it or not...

Fair enough. Not sure why you think that I would care...

 

[Aisling]

my grandmother use to use white vinegar. Its cheap and easy enough to try. She would put it in a spray bottle and spray around where she saw the cats.. also peppermint oil.. she might have used this to keep mice away. I can't remember and she is gone

Thank you!

 

[MichelleVW]

Fair enough. Not sure why you think that I would care...

I really don't think you'll care....and I don't care that you don't care...

 

[Rafiki31]

It seems to me that cats might be smarter than some of our posters here on the Dis. Some of these stories are hilarious...

 

[locolala]

Anyone who thinks that its a-ok that their cats poop in other people's gardens/flowerbeds because they bury it has obviously no idea about toxoplasmosis. I had to completely give up my raised beds and flower beds because of the neighbor's outside cats (outside because "who wants a pet that craps in their house!?"). I don't want that in my food or in the dirt that my toddlers (or I) dig in. Especially at the concentration level that I have, since I have the 'neighborhood litterboxes'.

Just out of curiosity, you know that almost all warmblooded animals can and do carry toxoplasmosis. It's not just because of cats. You can also get it from disposing of dead mice (ew), and from handling raw or undercooked meat. It's resistant to bleach and other cleaners, and can survive for a year in what we consider pleasant conditions. Studies have shown that only about 2% of cats are shedding the cysts that cause toxoplasmosis at any one time, so really the chances of you getting it are rather slim. Also, most of the time toxo doesn't cause any serious issues, it's only if you are preggo or immune comprimised that you have to worry about it. Once you've contracted it, you're immune. The vast majority of people who do contract toxo don't even know they have it.

I'm not a microbiologist, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night! Seriously though, I'm a microbiology major

 

[TLSnell1981]

Just out of curiosity, you know that almost all warmblooded animals can and do carry toxoplasmosis. It's not just because of cats.

You made my point much better than I did. That's why I made a laundry list of common animals,wild or domestic, that....ugh...pee and poop. If folks are worried about disease and general "yuckiness" (is that a word).....don't go barefoot outdoors and wear gloves when you are gardening. There's lots out there you don't see........

 

[pppiglet]

I have 10 cats and they never go outdoors. We have neighbors cats that poop in our yard and pee on our front door. The SPCA finally made a swoop one day and picked up quite a few and the one they missed was torn apart by a coyote in the night. Not a nice sound to wake up to.

We had cats when we were younger that were indoor/outdoor and they had so many problems. One got stung by a bee in the eye and it fell out after a month. Another was shot with a BB gun in the hind legs and was paralized and drug itself around until it died. One got hit by a car. And the others got pregnant and had more cats. That was the days when no one really took care of their pets and my mom would never take them to the vet. The one cat we had spayed, I took with me when I moved out at 18 and kept it indoors and it lived to be 17. Our next cat, strictly indoors and also 17. The 10 I have now range 6 mos to 5 years, so I have a while to go!

 

[lillygator]

wow 10 cats in one house?? hope it's a big house!

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

wow 10 cats in one house?? hope it's a big house!

I live in a big house and only have one cat. You can tell. I cannot imagine what 10 cats would do...

 

[lillygator]

I'm having a hard time with three people!

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I have 10 cats

That must be some litter box!

I still don't get why some cat owners think it is okay to let their pet come in my yard. Would you come over to poop in my toilet? As for people talking about deer, geese and bear poop in their yard, well God bless you. If I saw a bear in my yard I would poop. We don't have animals like that that come in our yard. I just think that since it is not my pet I shouldn't have to go on poop patrol before my kids can even run in the yard. We do not have tons of property yet my DH goes out and picks up bags of poop constantly. Really? Cat owners think that is okay? I don't want to pick up any animal's poop. Especially that of one that I do not own! I do not like the smell of cat urine. I should not have to replace my flowers because they pee all over them. Maybe if I sent the cat owners the bill they would contain their cat. If you want to let your animal out- I don't care what kind- elephant, monkey, cat, ostrich- whatever- then find a way to contain that animal to YOUR yard. Your choice to have an animal had nothing to do with me so stop making it my responsibility to help you with the clean up.

 

[hornedfrog]

Just out of curiosity, you know that almost all warmblooded animals can and do carry toxoplasmosis. It's not just because of cats. You can also get it from disposing of dead mice (ew), and from handling raw or undercooked meat. It's resistant to bleach and other cleaners, and can survive for a year in what we consider pleasant conditions. Studies have shown that only about 2% of cats are shedding the cysts that cause toxoplasmosis at any one time, so really the chances of you getting it are rather slim. Also, most of the time toxo doesn't cause any serious issues, it's only if you are preggo or immune comprimised that you have to worry about it. Once you've contracted it, you're immune. The vast majority of people who do contract toxo don't even know they have it.

I'm not a microbiologist, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night! Seriously though, I'm a microbiology major

Sure...but only the cats (and there are at least a dozen if not more that roam the neighborhood) crap in my flowerbeds and raised beds. Haven't come across a dead mouse yet. And it might be a slim chance that any of us could get sick, but why should there be ANY chance due to lack of consideration from the pets' owners?

 

[TLSnell1981]

Sure...but only the cats (and there are at least a dozen if not more that roam the neighborhood) crap in my flowerbeds and raised beds. Haven't come across a dead mouse yet. \

With that many cats...I suspect not. (they eat mice, moles, etc.) They also kill snakes.

If it's that much of a problem I would talk to the pet owner. They probably have no idea of the problem their cat is causing. It's worth a try.

DH and I are animal lovers and have a lot of tolerance. We've raised orphaned squirrels, raccoons, kittens, birds, etc. Homeless and wandering animals seem to "zone in" on our house. I think, the most unusual pet, that would visit, was a llama who lived about a mile from me. Every time Paco would "runaway from home" .....his owner came straight over to my house. Don't know why, but he liked us (Paco that is..).

 

[ginna74]

Ginna - I'm sorry that you had such a bad experience with outdoor kitties. I can see where you developed your point of view that it "is in no way good for them". However, I think it depends on how you define "good for them". I agree that a cat that never leave the house is safer than a cat that goes outside. The same could be said for a child - but if you tried to keep a child inside your home all the time you would likely be guilt of neglect. Outside cats have more stresses, but they also have more experiences. I can't imagine depriving my cats of their chance to hunt, or sleep in the sun, or chase butterflys in the grass

thank you for responding in the manner that you did I don't agree with you at all but it was nice of you to throw your shoulders my way with understanding.

 

[Aneille]

I am not going to read this whole thread but yes I do sometimes get annoyed with the cats in my neighborhood. My kids love the fact that 5 or 6 hang out in our yard almost daily during the summer. The cats use the swingset house as their cat home, they climb the slide, climb the ladders. It is cute, however these same cats or some of them must pee near my front porch a lot because it always smells like cat urine, especially after a rain or wet day or night. Its so pleasant to walk into your house and smell that.

Other than that they are much better than my neighbor's dog that chooses to poop in my front yard every morning.

 

[TLSnell1981]

I imagine, the "pee" smell is from an tomcat that hasn't been neutered. Their spray is awful!! I've had "strays" (didn't know where they lived, so I considered them homeless), that I've trapped, and taken to a free spay/neuter program for feral cats. I then bring them back home and release them.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I imagine, the "pee" smell is from an tomcat that hasn't been neutered. Their spray is awful!! I've had "strays" (didn't know they lived, so I considered them homeless), that I've trapped, and taken to a free spay/neuter program for feral cats. I then bring them back home and release them.

Nope. The pee smell is from pee here.

 

[smiley]

OK, I'm not a huge fan of cats, but where we live the city ordinance allows for them to roam around. My mother who loves cats told me that if cats are allowed to roam they rarely, if ever, use their own yards to excrete their wastes. She then gave me a huge tip for keeping them out of our garden beds. Sprinkle cayenne pepperall over the garden beds. The idea is that when cats are finished doing their business they like to scratch and cover the evidence...then clean their paws. When they lick their paws with all that cayenne pepper their little tongues get a little surprise of hotness.

Initially you need to sprinkle it every time it waters. The good thing is that cats are pretty smart and they'll figure out the place they don't want to do their business (your yard) and keep on movin' over to the neighbors.