Neighbor Thinks It's Our Cats Pooping In Their Yard.

[mapper]

So we've lived at our place for 5 years. Up until last year, there was a field across the street from us, but last year they developed it into a housing development. New neighbors moved in about 6 months ago. Our cats used to hop the fence and roam that field and since that house has gone in, they will occasionally go over to their driveway and one will go around to the side of the house and hop the fence into a neighbor's yard. Well last night the husband, who I've had one interaction with in the 6 months they've been there when I introduced myself because they really just kind of ignore us when we're outside, came over and said "I have to broach a touchy subject. I just found 8 or 9 piles of cat poop in our yard". Granted he was nice about it, but I hate that he's insinuating that it's our cats doing it when the house on either side of us has a cat and another house 2 houses down has one and they are all indoor/outdoor. Simply because we have 4 cats he must assume it has to be them. Only 2 of the 4 roam and I have never seen them in their front yard, only in their driveway. He even said to me that there was a feral cat who was spraying and pooping in their yard and they called animal control and they got that one and then even said that there was another one that ran off one day but it ran in the opposite direction of our house. He even admits he doesn't know who they belong to. So the one you have seen ran in the opposite direction of our house and you are accusing our cats?? I saw one run from their cul de sac the other day and it ran in between houses 2 down from us. It looked a lot like one of ours, but there are two other cats that look very similar to ours.

What do we do? There's no proof that it's our cats but I know the next time they find poop that we are going to get blamed for it.

 

[Kieka]

It depends.... You could explain to your neighbor that there are lots of cats and there is no way to know whose cat pooped in the yard. Not just the cats you know about but usually a few ferals you'll never see. One of my neighbors thought I only had one cat for the last three years when we've had three. She thought two of them were the same cat and didn't even know the third, and oldest at five years old, even existed. Many people really don't know how many cats are around them at any given time. Plus any other critters that may poopping the yard like a raccoon or fox or coyote. How does the neighbor even know it is cat poop? But then you risk annoying the neighbor and getting your cats picked up by animal control, resorting to poison or having a neighbor feud develop.

If you want to avoid conflict, you could say you don't think it is your cats but if the neighbor sees them in his yard to please shoo them home. I've had problems with neighborhood cats and if you constantly tell them "go home" and wave a water hose in their direction (not saying to actually spray them or use jet setting; usually just the water in their direction is enough although I have lightly sprayed/misted a cat or two in the summer when they start to think the hose is an empty threat); they start staying away. Also make an effort to call your cats back home is you see them there or he can call you and you will come get them. You can also suggest getting a motion sensor sprinkler so that your cats, other cats, and other critters will start avoiding the neighbor's yard.

 

[mapper]

Well and I did kind of say that stuff to him last night. At first after he mentioned the poop I said "So you probably think it's our cats, huh?" and he nodded yes. I thought to myself "Wow you are assuming a lot "! I kind of got the feeling they weren't going to be happy with our cats when I first introduced myself to the wife shortly after they moved in and she said "I see you guys have cats. I don't know how many you have". After that she seemed a little miffed that we didn't have any kids, but they were trying for one and kept saying "It's totally fine that you don't have or want kids". Ooookay! Thanks for letting me know that! I also told him that if I see them go over there that I will call them back or I could come over and pick up poop in their yard if they find it, but he didn't seem too big on me coming into their yard to do that...and I might be picking up poop from another person's cat anyways!! We have the neighbor cats in our yard all the time. I think they come to hang out with our cats but when they see us, they run away.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
Kieka has some terrific thoughts.

Some of my approach to this somewhat depends on the relationship you'd like to have with your neighbor but is mostly concerned with the health and welfare of your cats, given this particular situation.

One of my first thoughts was that you don't know whether he has talked with your other neighbors, but in reading your post just above, ...maybe he didn't...

In any case, my thinking would be something like this; to go over and tell your neighbor that you're going to begin keeping your cats indoors all the time.
Then do so.
Even if your neighbor isn't the type to take more drastic action than calling animal control which is bad enough if by chance they did catch one of yours, but unless your cats are up to date on all their various shots (and even if so), they're running a higher risk of coming into contact with urine or feces from an infected animal. Even if he's exaggerating about the number of piles of poop, it sounds like there's quite a lot of animal activity happening in his yard.

Anyway, I don't know if there's any kind of a good solve to this or not.

 

[mapper]

Well I have only talked to each of them once when I introduced myself as they don't seem interested in even acknowledging us when we're outside. Of course I want to keep everything harmonious, but we rarely see them as it is so I'm not going to be too worried if they end up disliking us. And I'm 99% sure that we are the only people he's approached about the poop.

We can't tell them we'll keep the cats inside because we won't. 2 of the 4 will tear up our house if we keep them in and yowl. They've already torn up our carpets simply by letting us know they are hungry and want to eat.

 

[Furballsmom]

ok.
Aside from the indoor/outdoor thing, --although a catio in your own backyard could be the answer.

Are you free feeding? A little kibble inbetween canned meals can work.

Do you play with them?

There are a lot of good articles in the TCS library. I've listed a few of them below. They aren't lengthy and are packed with good info;

Cat Enclosures

Harness And Leash Training For Cats

Cat Grass: How To Create The Purrfect Garden For Your Cat

Playing With Your Cat: 10 Things You Need To Know

How To Set Healthy Boundaries For Your Cat

The Dos And Don'ts Of Cat Behavior Modification

Clicker Training For Cats

How And Why Do Cats Play?

8 Superb Automated Cat Toys That You're Going To Love!

How To Make Your Home Bigger (at Least For Your Cats)

15 Awesome Cat Caves That Are Practical, Beautiful And Fun

How To Build A Diy Cat Cave From Cardboard

How To Keep Your Cat Safe Outdoors

 

[mapper]

We keep dry food out all the time and then give them wet in the morning and evening. Yes we play with them, but they tire of that pretty quickly most of the time. Our one cat will is the big roamer will come in to eat and then be gone for 3-4 hours. Our other roamer is almost 13 so he doesn't go too far and isn't overly excited about playing. We've got a catnip plant in the backyard, a pond, a garden so they've got stuff to do back there.

 

[LTS3]

Do you have a backyard? If you do, look into putting in a catio for the cats. It can be attached to the house in some way so the cats can access the catio when they want. Your cats will be safe in the catio and not wander over to the neighbor's house.