Cat tax

[starling]

Hello

i'll say right from the start that I don't own a cat. I do, however, know people with cats, and I like playing with them, watching them etc. I was also a vegetarian for many years and so am certainly not in any way an animal "hater".

Now, I'm not trying to stir up trouble for the sake of it, and i hope I don't offend anyone, but I really do find cat poo in my garden quite revolting. I have to check the grass each morning before I let my toddler run around out there, and pick it up (often foul smelling and runny) with a spoon and put it in the bin. As well as being unpleasant, it is also a known health hazard for young children.

I'm sure this is a familiar gripe from non-cat owners to cat owners, but I do resent having to do this every week. It has also cost me financially, as a cat-scarer set me back around £25, and batteries around £5 a month. Does it not seem reasonable that the cat owners should foot this bill, through a tax levied on the sale of each cat?

any thoughts?

Joe

[lynz85]

i understand how annoying this must be, i have the same here but with dogs, the owners are irresponsible and just let them out the door and i quite often find myself chasing a dog out of my front grass.
the difference with cats though, we cannot control where the cats choose to go and do the toilet.
i dont see how a tax would work, for a start my cat is a house cat, would i have to pay? and i rescued him so didnt 'pay' for him either.
have you tried putting orange peelings/scent where the cats dirty? a lot of cats dont like the smell of this.

[Velvet]

When i got my house years ago I had a lot of problems with cats pooh. Got very fed up with it as one cat in particular always went to the same spot and didnt even attempt to bury it. So every time it poohed, I lifted it and I put a dog pooh on top of it - easy for me as I have had dogs all my life:-D The cat soon got the message:-D :-D :-D

Try making up a solution of Jeyes fluid and pouring it on and in the area the cat is using

Our kittens are house cats so dont go out either

[Elaine]

I dont see how a cat tax would work either. I understand that cat poo in your garden is, to say the least, unpleasant. The best way to stop a cat pooping in your garden would be to get a cat of your own or to cat proof your garden to stop unwanted visitors. Expensive, yes but as you already said about the health risk to your child, can you put a price on that?
The bigger issue may also be due to the over population of cats by indiscriminate breeding. If only people would neuter and spay their cats this would help greatly towards the ever growing feral colonies and over crowded rescues.
Jeyes fluid is highly toxic, should you put this down in your garden, it may stop the cat from ever pooping in it by way of a very horrible and excrutiating death, so please dont do that.

[Velvet]

Jeyes fluid is highly toxic, should you put this down in your garden, it may stop the cat from ever pooping in it by way of a very horrible and excrutiating death, so please dont do that.

I dont wish to cause an argument however it says on the tin that jeyes fluid is suitable for cleaning out small pets cages etc - see below re uses etc

"Disinfect animal housing: Rabbits, guinea pigs - their hutches can very quickly get dirty. Give your loved pets' home a new lease of life with a thorough scrub with Jeyes fluid and stuff full of sweet smelling hay. Rinse thoroughly before re-
use"

Perhaps i should have said to make a "weak"
solution.

[Elaine]

I wouldnt trust anything that can be used for clearing drains, sorry.

[Elaine]

http://www.onestopcleaningsupplies.co.uk/images/uploads/cosh/Housekeeping%20COSH/Jeyes%20Fluid%20CH233.pdf

Harmful when in contact with skin or ingested, therefore cat walks over grass where Jeyes has been poured, licks paws, gets sick.

[Liz]

Most cats will not go in the middle of a lawn they bury their doings so perhaps its not cats could be urban foxes

As someone who has cats and dogs and who cleans up after both can I suggest that you find out whose animals it is and speak to them

You don't say if it is a back or front garden can you clarify

[alexgirl73]

Well, for starters it would be unenforceable. As most people buy their cats from ads in the paper etc, and not breeders. Also there is a huge number of stray cats in the country, so how can you tax those.

I can understand that it is a problem for you, I had neighbours cats doing it in mine (my cats are all indoors). I bought some stuff called 'Get Off', a sort of green gel, from a shop and that stopped it.

[angieh]

I quite agree that cats using your garden as their toilet is a horrid thing and very nasty especially as you have a toddler. I am afraid that I agree that a cat tax would be impractical and would cost a fortune to set up and administer. I do agree with Elaine that the numbers of stray and un-neutered cats adds to problems everywhere - for animal charities and people who don't want cats visiting their gardens also.

Probably the wrong time of the year to suggest planting Scardy-cat plants - as I believe they are half hardy, but maybe an idea for next Spring.

"Scaredy Cat, Scardy Cat (Plectranthus caninus) (Coleus Canina).

Attractive half-hardy plant with grey-green foliage which gives off a strong aroma especially when touched or in the sun. The aroma is disliked by most cats and dogs. Our resident cat reacts strongly to the smell!
In summer it produces heads of pale blue flowers which also give off a strong aroma.
If planted in a container this can be moved around the garden, thus protecting different areas of the garden from unwanted attention from cats. The pot can then be over-wintered in a frost free area.
Full sun or light shade. Any reasonable soil."

During the Winter, this could be an alternative. The product is sterilised, so safe for your child.

"Silent Roar Cat Repellent

Keep lovingly tendered borders free from cat's mess.

These pellets are soaked in real essence of lion dung, dried and sterilised. As cats are territorial, even the bravest will retreat with they smell a lion.

An environmentally-friendly product which contains no artificial chemicals

One application can last up to three months during normal weather conditions."

Both of these products can be sourced online.

Good luck!

Edited to say: I have no personal experience of either of these products and cannot say whether or not they actually work - sorry about that.

[Moli]

I would not risk Jeyes Fluid either...you can get a spray bottle of "get off" from the pet ship, just spray on the grass and that will stop them...

[Kim]

I certainly wouldn't risk using Jeyes fluid either.:o

I really don't see how a 'cat tax' would work :roll: be better if there weren't so many strays and people would neuter their cats. Cats are independent creatures and owners really have no control where they poo, unlike dog owners and I see plenty of that around! :evil: I always pick up after our dogs and provide 2 litter trays for the cats, but I know they still go outside as I find it in my garden, may be others' cats though. Not a nice problem I appreciate, especially as you have a toddler, but not sure what you are hoping can be done?

[starling]

Thanks for the many suggestions given in reply to my post. I will certainly give some a try, perhaps the plant.

The electronic cat scarer I currently have is actually very effective, but the batteries cost so much, and I do curse inwardly each time I buy some and consider that I am paying for the negative side effects of someone else's lifestyle choices. I do appreciate, though, the impracticalities of controlling cat behaviour, they are very independent. Perhaps it is wrong to blame the owners.

I am interested in the idea that perhaps it is foxes, we do get a lot in this area.

[Elaine]

I am interested in the idea that perhaps it is foxes, we do get a lot in this area.

I was just about to say something more about that. Cats tend to bury their poop in flower beds etc rather than smack bang in the middle of a lawn.

[yola]

My Mum had foxes in her garden summer before last and they always went right in the middle of the lawn. She too used to scoop it up and antibac spray the area so my (then) toddler didn't pick up anything nasty.

[dandysmom]

I too was more inclined to think foxes, even more so now that you've mentioned you do have them. My cats have always been indoors, but when out on harnesses always chose flower beds or suchlike to "go", never lawns.