The garden is so appealing to the neighbourhood cats because it offers ample opportunity to cover up what they have left behind. However, while most cats do cover up their business, others do not. And that’s likely where the problem of cats fouling your garden comes in. This can be especially irritating if the culprit is not your own cat. The idea of cat faeces lying in your garden can be smelly and disgusting. It can also become a danger to your family, especially the children.

Dangers of Cat Faeces

Cat faeces are harmful to humans when close contact occurs. The most common risks from cat faeces include toxoplasmosis and E. Coli. Toxoplasmosis is actually an infection caused by a parasite that can only happen when it is ingested. Ingestion of toxoplasma gondii occurs when someone comes into contact with cat faeces and doesn’t wash properly afterward. Anyone with compromised immune systems is at high risk of this infection.

The E. Coli bacterium is usually harmless as it lives in most animal and human intestine tracts. However, some strains can cause illness if ingested that ranges from diarrhoea to death. Both can be avoided by washing well after coming into contact with cat waste. The higher risk comes from cat diarrhoea. You can minimize risk by properly managing cat waste in your garden or by preventing the cat from using your garden as a litter tray.

Methods of Prevention

There is no one way of stopping the neighbourhood cats from fouling in your garden because every cat and situation is different. So, what works for one of your neighbours may not necessarily work for you. There are a number of ways you can get a cat to stop eliminating itself in your garden. Your best bet is to try different ideas until you find a solution that works for you.

First of all, if the cat fouling your garden is your own, make sure Kitty has a clean litter tray. If you know who the cat belongs to, speak to the owner about the same topic. If that doesn’t work, you will want to try planting shrubs or placing potted plants around the area the cat likes best. Mulch, gravel, or rocks in the garden also make the garden a little less appealing for the cat.

However, if you are unable to try these ideas, some natural methods may work. Fresh manure or blood meal can be an effective deterrent; however the smell may affect you worse than the cat faeces. For something a little more pleasant, sprinkle a heavy helping of cinnamon, fresh coffee grounds, or citrus peel in your garden every few days. Other natural deterrents include citrus essential oil (lemon or orange), garlic cloves, vinegar, red wine vinegar, and even pine cones. A good old-fashioned squirt gun or sprinkler might also do the trick.

Regardless of what method you prefer to try first, when using spices or oils, it is wise to make sure the soil is damp so that it sticks. However, the damp soil may also deter the cats on its own as they prefer dry soil to damp for relieving themselves. Remember, cats are naturally cleanly animals and prefer not to get dirty.

Many people think that these natural methods of preventing cats from fouling your garden are simply myth, but we can attest that they do work with diligence. One thing to remember is to avoid cruel and unusual methods – natural as some of them may be. Cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, and chilli powder can actually end up harming the cat as they burn. Other repellents such as mothballs, laxatives, and poisons will only be a danger.

Two of the most common feline injuries involve cars and electrical wiring. Cats are inquisitive by nature, especially kittens and can often be found exploring behind the television or on the window ledge. As with most injury related dilemmas, prevention is by far the beast cure. So supposing you have taken all of the precautions you conceivably could and yet your cat still manages to get her teeth round the T.V. cable, what do you do?

In most of these cases where a cat has been hurt or injured, the chances are she will be in shock. Always approach the cat with caution. Do not make undue noise and do not rush up to her as this could well scare her into causing herself more injury. It is advisable to have something handy with which she could be restrained, a cloth or even a t-shirt, is sufficient. If you manage to cover her eyes up she will be slightly less aware of the commotion and subsequently more calm. The next step is to get her to the vet. Before you jump in the car, try to assess the injury. Could there be a broken limb or a deep laceration? In an emergency always call the vet to let him or know that you are on your way so that the right preparations can be made to treat the cat properly.

When lifting a potentially injured cat, do it gently by the scruff of the neck. Also support the cat’s bottom. This will avoid adding pressure or tension to potentially broken skin. Be sure to avoid twisting or bending the spine as this could add more sever injury to an already injured bone. When you have successfully removed the cat from any further danger, it is imperative that you keep her warm. This is to avoid her going into further shock. If she goes into shock she could suffer a cardiac arrest. This is more common in cases where the animal has suffered an initial shock such as a burn or an electrical shock. Keeping the head lower than the rest of the body always help reduce the risk of shock as more blood flowing to the brain aids quicker recovery.

Is your cat often getting herself trapped? It might appear so but this can be misleading. A cat would happily spend a whole day up a tree before she decides to come down for dinner. Leaving a strong smelling food at the bottom and then vacating the area is the best way to encourage her down, tuna is always a safe bet. Human interference in these situations often results in the cat getting scared and vacating the tree via the quickest possible way down, just hope the branches brake the fall!

What if she really isn’t able to get down herself? Get a ladder and slowly and calmly approach her and gently pluck her from her predicament to safety. Check for injuries and keep her warm.

For more serious injuries like a flesh wound, human first aid and common sense are the best ways of helping. Pressure to the wound stems the blood flow and blood loss. Keeping the wound above the heart slows down blood loss, then get her straight to the vet, do not waste time by trying to clean the wound.

They can also get lost if they are investigating new territory, and even sometimes they can be taken away by circumstances not of their own doing. When a cat is ill or injured it may seek haven in a safe dark place but very rarely do cats leave their home, even if badly treated. Try not to panic too much if you can’t find your cat, but start a thorough search as soon as you realise as any delay could put your cat at risk.

It is sometimes advisable to take a minute to think like your cat; after all, you will probably know where it tends to be, and what it tends to do on a day-to-day basis. Cats are excellent at hiding so I would be advise that you look around the house carefully, then double check. Even in spaces you think that a cat couldn’t fit there is a chance that they can. Listen for any sounds of stress, as cats like to explore weird spaces and can be innocently drawn to dark places. If your sure the cat is nowhere in the house, then check your front and back gardens and in the shed or green house if you have one.

 If you have recently moved house, it is probably beneficial to check your old house, cats normally have a good sense of direction and if a cat gets lost, they may tend to use their initiative and try to find their way back home to the place they know the best.

If all this is proving fruitless, it may be advisable to ask your neighbours if they have seen or heard anything of your cat, asking them to check their property and gardens if they wouldn’t mind. You will find that most neighbours will co-operate. If you get on really well with your neighbours, ask them if you can check their house for yourself as a frightened cat may only respond to a friendly voice.

If you still haven’t found your cat, please try not to panic, as this will cause you to stress and you will probably miss some ideas that you can try. If time is dragging on and your cat is nowhere to be seen it may be an idea to stick a few posters up in your local vicinity, or a postcard in your local newsagents, these should describe the cat, its name, when it was last scene and your name and phone number. If the cat is missing even longer, place a ‘lost’ advertisement in your local paper; there is normally a ‘lost and found’ section in the classifieds.

I hope that you don’t have to get to this stage, but if you do, still keep in contact with your neighbours to see if they have noticed somebody with a cat who didn’t have one before. Sometimes children find cats playing or away from an environment and assume that they are stray, taking them home only to be put outside by the parent and then finding themselves in a strange environment and lost.

As hard as it is for you, it is important not to rule out that your cat has been mistreated. As much as you love your cat, there are people out there that don’t; I would even go as far as they actually hate cats for a reason known only to them. They think it is amusing to dump a cat in another area, and even worse, some think that it is funny to cause physical injury to a cat. If you have a local animal shelter in your area, it would probably be an advantage to phone or visit them, to see if any cats have recently been brought there. You could even ask the shelter if there is anybody in the local area who is known by them to have a history of wishing cats harm. 

If all this is still failing to locate your cat go over your checks again, sometimes an injured cat may choose to withdraw into a quite place to care for their injuries. The sooner a cat can get medical treatment the better the chances of it surviving.

Think about the last time you saw your cat, and try to remember anything from that time. Maybe you had a van or lorry driver drop something off with you and your cat climbed into the back. Ring the company up to see if they have found anything, after all they wouldn’t know who the cat belonged to as they probably do umpteen drops a day. Try talking to your postman to see if he has seen anything, your postman has a better chance of visiting houses in your neighbourhood and may be able to spot something whilst doing his job.

If you feel the need to offer a reward, I offer a word of warning, whilst researching this article I came across the story of a couple whose Persian cat went missing and after fruitless searches they offered a ?50 reward, only to be phoned by a man who had found their cat and wanted ?100 and was affectively holding the cat hostage. They ended up paying the money. If you do offer a reward and this scenario happens I would seriously recommend calling the Police.

I have mixed views about Micro-chipping, and as yet I am unsure what to recommend, if you have researched the subject and feel that it may aid you find your cat should your cat get lost then go ahead and get your cat micro-chipped. It is a reliable way of stamping your ownership on your cat should any disputes arise, but it will not guarantee the safe return of a lost cat, but then again, nothing guarantees the safe return. 

Finally don’t give up the search too soon. Keep looking in the same spots time and time again, and don’t feel overcome with anxiety. Cats are tough cookies and can last for many days without food and water.

I hope that you read this as an article only, and not as something to refer to should you be in the unfortunate position of losing a cat.

Raul was a very special, loving kitty, and they had a very close relationship, so we were wondering if we should try to get another kitten for her to play with. …We thing that maybe she needs a playmate, but a friend suggested that she may reject the kitten and only further frustrate her emotional state. Please let us know what we should do! Thanks so much!

Claire Meadows, Austin, TX

- A – Claire, Lupe is probably grieving the loss of her playmate (yes, pets do grieve) but will soon forget Raul as she is so young. Just play with her and enjoy her to get her through this loss and she will soon be fine. As for getting another kitten, I have mixed emotions here.

It is my firm belief that pets enjoy life more, are happier, better socialized and live longer if they have a playmate of the same species to share their life. On the other hand, unless you are willing to keep the kittens inside to prevent another possible tragedy I would say no, do not get another kitten.

It’s not safe, or fair, to subject another kitten to the possibility of a similar fate. If you are not willing to accept that responsibility please do not get another kitten.