Get a dog.
They’ll stay away then!
You sure about that? My parents’ small, 5-pound cat is able to chase the neighbour’s golden retriever out of their yard.
There are sprinkler systems you can get that are motion-sensitive - that might work?
I don’t let my cat outside because I don’t want to inconvenience my neighbours. My dog poops in OUR yard because I don’t want to inconvenience my neighbours.
Can’t even TELL you how much dog sht and cat sht is in our front yard because of my neighbours’ lack of respect.
It is frustrating, I know …
But really, if your neighbours have outside cats, there is really no way for them to control where their cats go and do their business.
Yet another reason I REALLY HATE IT WHEN PEOPLE HAVE OUTSIDE PETS!!!
I tried everything from mothballs to mountain lion urine. Nothing worked. I then had a great idea. I randomly placed mouse traps, upside down, in the plant beds.
The traps make a loud snap and flip into the air, startling the cats when disturbed. No harm done to the cats other than scaring the heck out of them. No harm done to even the tenderest seedlings. Amazingly, heavy rain and wind would not set off the traps. Their metal components would rust, but would last the season.
It worked! At first I had to reset many traps each day when I came home from work. But there was no more digging up of plants and no more poops. Soon I had fewer to reset and eventually used just a few traps around the borders. They are not unattractive and if the wood base is stained to match the color of soil they are barely noticeable, but I don’t bother. They are also very inexpensive to purchase. They are commonly sold in packs of 10 or 20 for just a few dollars and last the season.
They may or may not get euthanized, if the neighbors cared and went down to check the pound, they could pay the fee and get their cats back.
Can I put some of my crap in your yard? You’d promise not to touch it, move it, or throw it away right? Because it is MY stuff afterall. If you tossed it, then that would be the same as stealing. :rolleyes:
I think your best bet is to talk directly to your neighbors.
“We are trying to get pregnant. You may not realize this, but cat feces can carry a disease responsible for miscarriage and birth defects, as well as be fatal to young kids. I’ve asked you nicely many times to keep your cats out of my yard, however, under the circumstances, if they are in my yard, I will need to trap them and call animal control. I hope it doesn’t come to that.”
I believe posting a sign that strays will be live trapped is a safe bet. That way, it’s the pet owners call…if they let them out…they’ve pretty much given you permission.
In our town, a couple of years ago, I served on a committee in order to make people get licenses for their cats. So, when people found lost ones, they could at least be traced. You wouldn’t believe what excuses people make for letting their beloved pets out without a leash.
Even if you could get the neighbors’ cats to stay inside, would that be the only thing you have to worry about? Are there risks from wild animal poop (eg. squirrel poop or possum poop or bird poop or whatever) or worms or bugs or any of the other organic stuff that’s accumulated in your soil? Might rabbits or chipmunks come along and dig up (or chew up) your plants? I don’t know. But it seems to me that some sort of fence around your garden would be your best bet, though even then, gardening isn’t the most sterile of occupations.
I have good success with planting marigolds in my garden. Apparently the cats don’t like the smell. However I have some shady spots where the marigolds don’t thrive. I’m going to try the mousetraps; thanks, Szabrocki
Really? My brother had a cat problem. The cats were trespassing, causing property damage, and being a health hazzard. Animal Control loaned him cage traps. The cats’ owners might have been in danger of being fined, but I doubt that there was a danger of a criminal theft case against my brother. They were trapped in his fenced backyard after all.
I know that many Dopers are big time animal rights types, but a great deal of people, even pet and cat owners, really don’t get too upset if trespassing, nuisance causing animals is put down.
Dear Neighbor,
Your cats have become a nuisance. I will be setting live traps in my yard. If one of your cats is caught, I’ll leave a note on your door, and you can pick it up at Local Animal Shelter.
Have a nice day,
Winston
Seriously, dude, do you really deny my right to do this? I mean, it’s a goddamn cat. In my yard. If you like cats, fine. Keep them away from me, because I don’t like 'em, and I’ll fight to the death for my right to…
Ahem. Um…
Yeah.
Just because people are animal rights activists does not mean they are “dopers.” My cats (cats I’ve deliberately brought into my home) are ALWAYS kept inside. However, I have (and still do) cared for feral cats by which I mean I’ve had them sterilized and ear-tipped and given shots. They are not domesticated and cannot be indoor cats. THEY cannot help that the humans who were supposed to be caring for them dumped them. This is a people problem not a cat problem. I consider it cruel to catch and turn them in to Animal Control where they would possibly be put down. A fence is your best bet and plants like marigolds would be good.
It’s a people and cat problem.
Cruelty lies in letting cats roam unrestricted, to contract and spread disease, prey on wildlife and die prematurely from accidents, fights and exposure.