Cats

[Fee]

I'm putting this in Contro because I suspect I'm going to become a hate figure for all the cat lovers in the world after this (btw, I don't hate cats, I've had cats of my own in the past and loved them dearly)

 

However…. I'm going through something of a nightmare at the moment. We have new people moved in a couple of doors away who have several cats – I think I've counted five, but there may be more. We have other local cats who seem to have the sense to stay well away from gardens full of cat-hating dogs, but the new lot seem utterly oblivious to any danger (they have a dog as well, so I guess the cats are foolishly dog-confident). They stroll into our garden at all hours of the day and night, and I'm absolutely terrified the dogs are going to get hold of one of them – I have no doubt they'd kill a cat given the chance.

 

We have patio doors which lead from the kitchen to the garden, and in anything other than the worst weather these have always been left open so dogs and people can wander in and out as they please. The dogs love basking in the sun, pottering in the garden, and both my oldies sometimes need to go out NOW, bless them. I'm now having to keep the doors closed until I've checked the garden first for cats, then supervise every minute the dogs are outside in case one of the bl**dy things decides to wander over the fence. This is a huge restriction on the freedom my dogs have always had and an abominable nuisance to everyone in the family, but at the moment I don't see any option.

 

As well as coming the garden (and incidentally pooing everywhere, hunting the birds that come to the bird table and killing the 'tame' toad who's been living in our shed for months ) the cats also sit up on the old railway line behind the house and yowl at night making the most god awful racket, which of course sets all the dogs off - and guess which noise the neighbours are likely to complain about.

 

In the longer term I guess I'm going to have to look at ways of re-fencing and cat-proofing my garden - which will have to be done at my inconvenience and expense and may still not be 100% secure.

 

As you might gather, cats aren't on my list of favourite animals right now – but on the other hand I would be totally devastated if my dogs hurt or killed one. It just seems very unfair that all the responsibility for keeping someone else's animals safe on my property seems to rest with me. I really feel quite resentful at the moment that other peoples' choice to have free-roaming pets means my freedom and my dogs' freedom to enjoy access to our garden as we always have has been taken away.

 

Am I being unreasonable? ………..And any good tips for cat-proofing the garden?

[sparkle]

Can you ask them to cat proof their garden?? I think you can get fencing that adds on to the top of an existing fence and curls over so cats can't get over the fence or summit ... my two puss-prats do go off exploring, but all my immediate neighbours are under instructions that if they don't want them in their garden to squirt a water pistol/hose at them, I appreciate that it isn't that much fun for my cats but I don't want to keep them in, just keep them out of gardens that don't appreciate them

 

Tell them maybe that you don't want to get off on the wrong foot by asking them to restrict their cats but at the same time you think that is better then one of your gorgeous doglets killing one of their cats shock treatment may help if they get eggy!

 

for you, would hate to have to limit any of my mules to going out in the garden when they want, we are lucky that other cats don't come around, I think my two have their garden well and truly marked as "off limits"

Edited September 12, 2007 by sparkle

[ClazUK]

I'm totally with you, Fee.

 

Incidentally, legally the cats owners would have no come-back against you if a cat WAS hurt or injured on your property. Your dogs are "doing what dogs do" just as much as the cats are "doing what cats do" when they decimate the local wildlife.

 

I've been in your situation before and am likely to be in it again, and I won't make allowances for it. The cats will learn, one way or another, that it's not safe to come into my garden. I will not compromise the way I and my dogs live to accomodate a neighbours choice of lifestyle on my own property.

[JACKYSIAN]

I have 2 cats and 4 cat hating dogs...if that makes sense?!!! They will love and protect their own but if any other cat dare set foot in my garden then it's all out war!! Luckily my neighbourhood cats are pretty smart and learnt quickly that my garden was a no go area. Doesn't stop them from sitting on the shed roof though and taking the p*ss out of Sidney as he boings underneath them!!! As I'm in a rural area we have a lot of feral cats and they seem to have more smarts than your average house cat.

 

It shouldn't be up to you to spend out cat proofing your garden, the cats owners should be cat proofing their own!! If Herbert became a problem with my neighbours I'd have no quarms in making sure he only ventured into my garden. (Cosmic Cat doesn't go out at all...she's too good for all that milarky!!)

[Trallwm farm]

I would use a muzzle that is comfortable for the dogs so that if the cats keep coming in they will get told without coming to any harm.

This should not take very long before the cats know thier limits.

It means they can sort it out themselves and you can relax again.

Edited September 12, 2007 by Trallwm farm

[staffymad]

I totally understand what you mean Fee I too have neighbours whos 3 very young cats come and sun bathe and stroll into my garden. Snatch and more so Ruby would kill a cat if they would catch it and the amount of times both race outside via the dogflap is extra stress for me as I am worried they could catch one.

 

It doesn't help that we have 2 black birds nesting in our trees (which Snatch is very fond of, he protected a chick that fell out of the nest last year god knows how long until we came home and put it back by sitting next to it) which the cats try to get to.

 

I spoke to my neighbours and explained this but they know they can't actually keep the cats away from my garden unless they keep them inside.

 

I would feel terrible if anything happens (Snatch did get hold of my other neighbours cat a couple of years ago) but I can't and won't restrict my dogs of going into their own garden.

 

Cindy

[Kats inc]

I would use a muzzle that is comfortable for the dogs so that if the cats keep coming in they will get told without coming to any harm.

This should not take very long before the cats know thier limits.

It means they can sort it out themselves and you can relax again.

 

 

Sounds by far the best solution to me.

 

Dog owners argue why should I change my lifestyle but as a cat owmer why should I change mine? Seems discussion and compromise are the name of the game to me.Have you spoken to them about your concerns as you haven't said?

 

Muzzling your dogs short term so the cats get the fear factor without risk of injury until the cats know your garden is not a safe place to be plus talking to the new neighbours seems the best way forwardds or you're going to get into a real battle in which you all and mainly your animals end up losers

[cycas]

I think you should allow some of the dogs to see the cats off. They will learn. Maybe let Musky and Molly do it, on the grounds that they are unlikely to be fast enough to do any real harm? Cats that are free roaming need to learn that dogs are not always nice, and once they've got that, you should be able to leave the doors open again.

 

Az considers it his job to keep our garden free of unauthorised cats, and I know that he will grab at cats if he's chasing (not our cats, other cats). I let him do it - the size and shagginess of our garden means it's not really practical to keep searching it for invading cats anyway. Our cats are very much in favour of the Az police force, as they like having doggy backup. Mind you, he's not a natural killer: he can't even kill myxi bunnies.

 

If there is a lot of yowling at night, that suggests to me that there may be unneutered cats in the area, so it may not just be the pets. If it is though, then I really don't think anyone could object to you asking them to keep their cats in at night because of the noise. This should also reduce the number of wildlife kills.

 

I would note that it's not only cats that cause this sort of nuisance. We have more foxes in our garden than illicit cats: I am not sure if the cats are cleverer about learning to avoid the Az, or just not so active.

Edited September 12, 2007 by cycas

[mooandboo]

I haven't tried this myself but it's had some good reviews: Silent Roar

[merledogs]

Secure-a-cat fencing system is the one Sparkle is thinking about (see here) - you put inward facing brackets round the fencing and it keeps cats in/out. Although I don't see why you should do this, it should be up to the owners, but for your own peace of mind you might wish to. You could make your own version of it if you can get similar brackets as it isn't cheap (£250 a kit for an average sized garden).

 

That Silent Roar stuff looks worth a try too.

 

Alternatively, keep the hose on standby and every time you see a cat enter your garden, give it a squirt.

 

Maybe if you explained to the owners that their cats are in danger (they probably don't realise) and tell them about Secure-a-cat or advise them about possibly having a cat run, then they can't complain you haven't warned them.

 

I have cats and dogs and although my dogs chase cats in the garden, even if they caught them they wouldn't know what to do with them thankfully

 

I've just invested in a cat run which I have been pondering on for a few years now but never got round to. The thing that finally swung it is the fact that my neighbours have been feeding my cats so they were hardly ever coming home and also getting unhealthily fat. But there are so many more advantages to having a cat run - like keeping local wildlife safe, etc (though cats do most of their hunting betweenr dusk and dawn and mine have always been brought in at teatime and not let out until the next morning) and keeping pusscats safe from cars, etc.

 

If my cats were in danger from neighbours' dogs then I would see it as my duty to protect them, not the other way round.

Edited September 12, 2007 by madmerle

[khanu]

I let my lot chase the cats that come into our garden The only one who is possibly likely to catch one is Syd but he only chases Khanu in the garden anyway. Our neighbours cat used to taunt them on the roof of our shed, but he fell one day right in front of Khanu (who was so shocked he didn't know what to do!) and he doesn't do that anymore.

I think if I thought one of mine would catch them I would put basket muzzles on them and let them chase, otherwise you are always going to be held hostage by the cats.

 

Our biggest problem which only started the other week is with foxes who come and go as they see fit especially at night causing Willow to have hysterics. Dunno where they've come from as we haven't had a problem since we've moved here a year ago until now. I just rearranged the downstairs last night so that we can shut them out of the conservatory to avoid the manic barking.

 

Dunno what to suggest about the yowling but if it sounds anything like our foxes do at the moment I sympathise!

[blackmagic]

I have been in this position, but although my retrievers chased the cats they still insisted on strutting slowly down the garden path- ususally just as I opened the back door to let the dogs out.

 

However, once I got my dalmatian that all changed. He didn't get any nearer to the cats but they somehow got the message that he meant it!

 

They used to jump up on the fence and check the garden for no dogs, then run as fast they could to the other side.

 

I always knew when a new cat had come into the area as it strolled casually in the garden. I usually only saw it once.

 

After that it skirted our garden.

 

You can get strips of pointed rubber spikes to put along a fence which prevents the cats walking along it. http://www.primrose-london.co.uk/cat-repel...CFQIpFQodh2YOww

 

Climbing roses might work.

[nikkibriggs]

Feel for you Fee.. having just moved home my neighbours have 2 cats and a rabbit the cats think my garden is their loo Megan being Megan Hates cats just as much as male staffies so if i have the back door open i have to sit in garden with her.. Monty hates them but i am working on him but they also have a rabbit.. it escaped last week and poked its head through the bottom of the fence megan nearly died when something rubbed against her so i jumped.. figuring it was the neighbours rabbit i shouted the neighbour Monty spotted it as i could not grab it and he has gone bonkers every time he in garden he goes to the fence where the hutch is leaned against going bonkers..

 

These neighbours were warned before megan came back from my dads she not into cats and furries (this because i did not have Monty at the time he came couple weeks later) I heard her hubby in garden say "If her dog gets my cats or rabbit he will kill her"

 

I spoke to the wife the other day and told her that its her responcibility to ensure her cats dont come onto my property and have explained i told her how Megan was.. Also asked her if there was a possibility she could move the rabbit away from the shared fencing her hubby later on shouted "They can go **** *** i not changing things round for their dog"keep it on lead or don't let it in garden we were here first so sod em"

So being polite told her to check the the law on our rights and come back to me Furious but trying to stop something that could happen easily as they (cats) are coming into my house when i in bed, so now i have to make sure all downstairs windows are closed and the house is secure,

 

Then have to double check rabbit not escaped and cats not around before i let them out..

 

so big hugs Fee hope you solve your problem good luck

Edited September 12, 2007 by nikkibriggs

[blackmagic]

My neighbour had a rabbit that roamed free in the garden and followed her up the pavement when she went to the shops. She would have to bring it back home before going on.

 

She let it roam around the front garden when she was weeding etc. As we were open plan and our drives were side by side I had to make sure the rabbit was not around before I let the dogs out of the car to come into the house, or take them out the front.

 

It regularly found a way into my back garden but I told her that if the dog found it in the garden he would kill it. Her reaction was ' would he?'

 

Fortunately, my retriever would stand and c*** her head to one side if she found it so I always let her out into the garden first.

[purrble]

I think alot of people have problems with cats in their gardens.

 

We dont have a cat ( although i do love cats) and ive always got cat turds in my garden, the dogs go out there and eat them ( the poo not the cats) the cats dont come in my garden during the daytime anymore as they have learnt the dogs are in it most of the time, but i think they all use it as a cat toilet during the night.

 

Ive tried everything i can think of to keep them out, higher fences, netting, holly leaves around the areas they toilet, but they still come into the garden.

 

Ive even missed the cat poo and run over it with my lawnmower (i didnt realise they poo on the grass as well) not nice at all to have that whizzing past your head

 

I think if the cats come into your garden and the dogs chase them, they will soon realise not to come in when the dogs are out there, but i think some cats like to wind dogs up a bit.