Neighbors and my yard

[Anonymous]

New neighbors just moved in. Their cat (or cats they have 2) has started using my backyard flower beds as a litter box. It has dug up and destroyed some of my plants and the crap is accumulating fast.

Where I live there are pet bylaws and cats are supposed to be leashed when outside or contained. My yard is fully fenced and I've lived here 5 years without any problems.

I'm upset about this as I've spent a lot of time and money on my flowers and like to work in my flower beds to relax.

I cleaned it all out last night and already this morning they had dug up a section and fouled it again. I tried phoning the officer who enforces bylaws but no response yet. I'm really upset and the neighbors seem weird and I'm leary to go talk to them or what to say so was hoping to not have to, but it seems I will.

Thoughts or experiences on what to say? They've lived here a couple weeks and I haven't met them yet. I'm angry about this and their neglect, I doubt they have the right number of litter boxes or clean them properly if their cat is constantly using my yard.

[Anonymous]

Trap the cats and call animal control. They’ll learn after a few times of paying to release their cat.

[Anonymous]

If you're not comfortable talking to them in person, I'd start with leaving a note that it's happening and you want their help in making it stop.

Don't trap someone's pet without even giving them a heads up.

[Anonymous]

You could also mention the coyote activity in the area so maybe they will keep their cats inside.

The only thing that stopped our neighborhood cat was a motion activate sprinkler.

[Anonymous]

+1 on motion activated sprinkler. It’s good for wild animals too.

[Anonymous]

Film or take a pic of the cat actually doing the biz, otherwise they aren’t going to believe you. I already am.

[Anonymous]

Do you have an HOA?
We had a neighbor dog who walked in our property daily and crapped all over our backyard. We have a small dog ourselves but he has never been wondering alone.
So we called HOA and they issued warning to everyone.

[Anonymous]

Moth balls might deter them.

[Anonymous]

The guy came home when I was out watering so I decided to say something. He said 'okay' but doesn't think it was his cat. I have seen their one cat especially in my yard & flower gardens multiple times...

Is there a specific type of trap that I need? If I go with sprinklers is one just in the general area going to work?

Also do I need to dig out some of the dirt and replace it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The guy came home when I was out watering so I decided to say something. He said 'okay' but doesn't think it was his cat. I have seen their one cat especially in my yard & flower gardens multiple times...

Is there a specific type of trap that I need? If I go with sprinklers is one just in the general area going to work?

Also do I need to dig out some of the dirt and replace it?

https://www.havahart.com/medium-1-door-easy-set-trap something like this will work for cats. You can use canned cat food as bait.

If you use.a sprinkler, you will need several depending on the size of the yard, as the cat will.only avoid the areas where it is getting sprayed.

[Anonymous]

This makes me irate. I have extensive landscaping and recently went out to pull some weeds only to find cat poop in one of my beds.. Also, two of my boxwoods there have mysteriouy died so I assume that a new free roaming cat has elected to use my flower beds as it's litter box.

Here's the kicker, I'm pregnant. If I contracted toxoplasmosis and my baby suffers as a result, there will be hell to pay. I love animals in theory, but I will go psycho on an outdoor cat.

[Anonymous]

They make sprays, too. I think the keep chipmunks and other critters out of your gardens, so it might have other benefits too. It's probably the cheapest and least confrontational thing you could do other than nothing.

[Anonymous]

OP, it's hard to believe that cats did so much damage to your "extensive landscaping" in just a few weeks. Is it possible you have other animals roaming your yard? We periodically find a racoon in the yard, along with rabbits and chipmunks and squirrels.

Which is why I know that you can pick up the motion activated sprinklers and various anti-animal sprays at any hardware store.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This makes me irate. I have extensive landscaping and recently went out to pull some weeds only to find cat poop in one of my beds.. Also, two of my boxwoods there have mysteriouy died so I assume that a new free roaming cat has elected to use my flower beds as it's litter box.

Here's the kicker, I'm pregnant. If I contracted toxoplasmosis and my baby suffers as a result, there will be hell to pay. I love animals in theory, but I will go psycho on an outdoor cat.

Thanks for the commiseration. That really really sucks to deal with this while pregnant. This is the first year I started really liking working in my flower beds so I'm extra bothered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, it's hard to believe that cats did so much damage to your "extensive landscaping" in just a few weeks. Is it possible you have other animals roaming your yard? We periodically find a racoon in the yard, along with rabbits and chipmunks and squirrels.

Which is why I know that you can pick up the motion activated sprinklers and various anti-animal sprays at any hardware store.

This is definitely cat shit and I have flower gardens not extensive landscaping. And I cleaned it out last night and this morning the one section was all dug up again with another big amount of crap.

I'm surprised it happened that fast too.