I try not to rise to the poison/shoot them brigade, but once again
there has been a flurry of opposing views on cats in gardens, and I
offer the following as a possible solution for both cat owners and cat
haters who have problems with cats messing in their gardens.

First, I declare myself on the side of the cats here! We have four -
two elderly RSPCA rescues, and two which we found as abandoned
four-week old kittens in our log pile. However, we also have a garden
with lovely inviting wood mulch paths and some vegetable and formal
flower areas - and visiting cats around us. We are lucky enough to
have space, but this doesn't stop the cats doing what a cat must do
just where you don't want it.

We have constructed an outside wooden cat tray about 3 ft by 2 ft but
with the bottom made of a porous membrane so that any liquid drains
through (it looks a bit like a shoe box without a lid). It's nice and
deep and sits on the soil out of the way by our oil tank in the
garden. We've filled it with a gritty builder's sand which they love
to dig in.

The cats all use it and we have no problems with them messing around
vegetables etc. For the most part, the elements take care of it and
the cat mess is degraded by the natural action of the rain and sun.
Just occasionally we take out some of the turds with an old trowel,
put them in a plastic bag and sling them in the dustbin. Job done.

Now I offer this as a suggestion (a) to cat owners, who might find
this keeps it all nicely in one place, and (b) also to cat haters.
These latter might well say "hey, why should I go to the trouble of
making such a thing for someone else's cat?". Fair comment, but
consider that if your neighbours' cats are using your garden anyway
and you are having to clean it up anyway, at least this keeps it all
in one place. You might also be able to suggest such an arrangement
tactfully to your neighbours, if they are the ones with the cat(s).

Please don't flame me or use this as an excuse for another long
interminable anti/pro cat thread. It is just offered as a sensible
suggestion which might work for you, as it has for us.

--
Sally in Shropshire, UK
bed and breakfast near Ludlow: http://www.stonybrook-ludlow.co.uk
Email is sallydogthompsonatbtinternetdogcom, replacing dog with dot
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