Neighbour's cat keeps sh*tting in our yard

Question

How can we stop it, short of poisoning the little b*astard?

Answer 1

Hi there... if you are unable to meet with a compromise with your neighbour, consider contacting with your local animal control agency to learn if there are laws with regards to uncontrolled roaming animals and if this applies to cats. If it does you could file a formal complaint and perhaps this will get your neighbour to keep their cat indoors, however hopefully you can find some mutual resolve with speaking to your neighbour's personally.

Common odours that are effective deterrents for cats are:

Citronella works best for cats as well as citrus scents such as orange or lemon (primarily towards cats), cayenne pepper, coffee grounds, pipe tobacco, lavender oil, lemon grass oil, citronella oil, peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil, and mustard oil.

"Havahart's Cat Repellent" uses capsaicin pepper and oil of mustard as its active ingredients. It repels by both taste and odor, has a lemon scent.

Every animal responds differently to each of these. Some will not be phased by them and others will be quite revolting.

For training purposes they are applied on items that are to encourage avoidance behaviours and not for use with a squirt bottle as they could harm the eyes or respiratory system. Test each substance and observe to see which works as a deterrent so that accidental injestion does not occur as some could then be fatal.

Coleus plants can be effective, but every cat responds differently so it is uncertain without experimenting.

Many people believe mothballs work, however they are considered toxic and should NOT be used. If an animal is intentionally harmed the owners can pursue legal action.   Here's more information on this:

http://www.cvm.uiuc.edu/ope/enotes/showa...

MOTHBALLS are toxic to cats which contains the ingredient Naphthalene. Mothballs are approximately twice as toxic as paradichlorobenzene, and cats are especially sensitive to naphthalene. Signs of ingestion of naphthalene mothballs include emesis, weakness, lethargy, brown-colored mucous membranes and collapses. Paradichlorobenzene mothballs may cause GI upset, ataxia, disorientation, and depression. Elevations in liver serum biochemical values may occur within 72 hours of indigestion.