Stray cats
By missyd79
@missyd79 (3438)
United States
March 27, 2007 11:29am CST
I live in a trailer park and there seems to be alot of cats roaming about. i got a call from the park owner saying that in 2 weeks a guy will be coming to cut 2 of my trees down in my yard and that i should clean out the cat droppings in my yard. I got so mad because in our lease it says that if we have cats as pets that they should remain indoors at all time, so i said to him that those droppings are not from my cats because I follow the rules and my cats stay in my home at all times. and he was like well it's your yard you need to clean it up. Do you think this is fair? Do you not think he should be sending out a mailing telling people that they need to keep their cats in their house? How can i keep these cats from coming into my yard and doing their business?
11 people like this
25 responses
@mari61960 (4893)
• United States
27 Mar 07
Well that certainly doesn't sound fair to me. I think it stinks. I found some information on keeping cats out of your yard. I hope it helps you some. Maybe you could clean up the poop, put it in a bag and deliver it to the park owner...lol
http://fixourferals.org/index.php?pager=10_tips
4 people like this
@sunshinelady (7609)
• United States
28 Mar 07
Thank you for that site. I have the same problem. I had a cat that passed away about a year ago and have no animals now. But I am constantly having to pick up the poo that they do in my yard. My cat was a inside cat so she never did anything in any yard at all. I have put that site in my folder so I can look at it closer later.
3 people like this
@GardenGerty (160883)
• United States
28 Mar 07
I have been told that frequent applications of citrus peels and citrus oils, or of hot pepper sauce and hot ground pepper is effective. I am not so sure. I am sorry I do not have any more help for you. The general rule is that the more you want cats to go away, the more they hang around. I am surprised they are not burying their droppings, though.
@Willowlady (10658)
• United States
27 Mar 07
A fence would help. A cute picket one that could be anchored but not permanent. A sprinkler set on motion sense would help alot too. You would end up with the best watered and therefore green yard I bet. Good luck with this. This is exactly why I live in the country.
4 people like this
@missyd79 (3438)
• United States
28 Mar 07
i wish i could put a fence up but because i live in a trailer park i can't. and i do live in a rural area the trailer park i live in is very small only about 30 trailers in it and across the street is a corn field from me, so i do live in the country also.
2 people like this
@sweetgirl_k1 (3972)
• United States
27 Mar 07
No, that is not fair. I wouldn't clean up after someone else's animal that was in my yard. It shouldn't even be in your yard anyway if the lease says to keep them in your home. He should send out a letter and "remind" everyone what the lease says about their pets. That's just wrong for him to ask you to do that because it's not your animals. It may be your yard but I wouldn't do it if I was you.
4 people like this
@sweetaspie52 (2359)
• United States
27 Mar 07
call the animal shelter and have them come and get the cats
4 people like this
@missyd79 (3438)
• United States
27 Mar 07
the closest animal shelter from me is 125 miles and i already called them and they said they do not come out that far to pick them up, but if i catch them i could bring them out there. i was like i am not wasting my gas to drive this animals out there, i feel it should be the park owner that has to get rid of them. and i know one the cats has to belong to someone because it is a white persian cat and has a collar but no tags. and it stays pretty white and fluffy so i know someone is taking care of it.
2 people like this
@sunshinelady (7609)
• United States
28 Mar 07
That is not fair at all. The park owner is not living up to his end of the rules. If there are cats that are dumping on your yard he should be sending a letter to the owners of the cats not you. It is there responsiblity to clean up your yard. I read some of the ways to keep cats away from your yard on the comments here and I would utilize them. I can not think of any other ways myself. I have the same problem and plan on trying some of the ideas myself.
3 people like this
@margieanneart (26423)
• United States
28 Mar 07
That is the trailer parks duty to keep clean there. You rent the lot, right? Or do you own the lot? Also, it is their business to find out where the cats are coming from, and not blame you.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
28 Mar 07
We have cats that come into our yard too. I have been told to keep moth balls in the flower beds and other places to keep the cats out. I haven't tried this technique yet.
@visitorinvasion (7709)
• United States
28 Mar 07
Well, it's not feasible to put up a fence, which I can tell you from experience will not work. The only humane thing you can do is contact your local animal shelter or humane society and see about borrowing some cat traps. Maybe if these neighbors of yours have to bond their pets out of kitty-jail, they just might be more careful with their animals.
2 people like this
@conniej14 (248)
• United States
28 Mar 07
Well I would tell this man to go jump in a lake and find another place to live because you really can't change people like that. I would not be out there cleaning up others poop unless I was geting into it. Good luck.
@Bee1955 (3882)
• United States
28 Mar 07
You're stuck because of the carelessness of others. Clean it up, put it all in one bag or container and give it to him. Tell him its the last time you'll do it. He will from now on if he doesnt keep his other tenants from breaking the law. He'll get the message.
1 person likes this
@Impervious (1147)
• United States
28 Mar 07
I don't think it's fair but it is your yard therefore your responsibility. As far as keeping them from doing their business try turning the hose on them. Or try a sprinkler.
1 person likes this
@flowerchilde (12529)
• United States
28 Mar 07
I don't know how you can change it.. it's one of those unresolved problems, unless enough people from the park sign a petition or something, concerning the cats, and give it to the manager..
1 person likes this
@rogue13xmen13 (14402)
• United States
28 Mar 07
I have strays in my neighborhood as well, but my cat, Dubby, seems to take care of it. He is the neighborhood bully. I feel for the strays in my neighborhood when Dubby is around. My neighbors are taking care of the strays as well. They capture them and they spay and neuter them.
@loujac3 (1188)
• United States
28 Mar 07
It is called a friendly trap. Sometimes the humane society will have one you borrow. Some rental places rent them out. Anyway, you bait them with cat food and then the cats wander in and you turn them into the humane society. I have done many things to keep the neighbors cats out of my garden the best thing so far was setting deer neeting down flat on the ground and staking it. The cats don't like catching their claws in it so they go somewhere else.
I do agree with you that the park owner should post signs or warn the tenants that traps will be set if animals are allowed to roam free. I keep my cat inside and when I walk my dog I carry bags to clean up after the dog. It is so unhealthy and that is how diseases and worms get passed around.
Good luck!
1 person likes this
@meljessxena (2315)
• Australia
28 Mar 07
hmm wish i could give you an answer to that, but i have no idea, its so weird how to keep stray animals away. maybe do a search on the net and be on there. but lately we been having stray dogs hanging around.
1 person likes this
@GnosticGoddess (5626)
• United States
28 Mar 07
That is a bit crazy! I don't think you should have to do it either! But really how much could there be (cat droppings) that the should issues out letters? That is really strange. I'm with you on this. You follow the rules as they are laid out. Everyone else should do the same. I wouldn't do it.
1 person likes this
@alanna_liadon (189)
• United States
28 Mar 07
That really sucks. My neighbor used to keep milk jugs full of water around the edges of her yard and insisted this kept cats from going to the bathroom in her garden. The lemon juice mentioned above sounds like a good idea too.
This may seem an odd question, but are you certain it is cats? Cats are usually very good about covering up their droppings, that's why they go in people's gardens, so they can cover it up. I guess it doesn't matter what animal it is if the park owner says to clean it but that just seems very weird.
1 person likes this
