# Neighbours cat spraying in house & garden



## MrsD86 (Feb 11, 2011)

I'm hoping someone can help me. 
We seem to have an overwhelming amount of toms in our area, who for some reason or another love our garden. They all seem to congregate and sleep there. This in itself doesn't bother me, and my female cat doesn't seem to mind.
The problem we have is one of our neighbours' have 2 toms, and haven't bothered getting either of them neutered. Therefore they are constantly spraying on anything new or clean smelling in our garden. I'm aware that even a neutered tom will continue to spray, but am I right in thinking a neutered cat will do it less?

Anyway, my little boy is 2 and with the warm weather now coming our way, he is outside in the garden alot playing with his garden toys, and I am getting VERY fed up with the constant stench that seems to be all over his toys.
And of course, our backdoor is open more during the day now with it being warmer, and those blasted toms are the first to sneak in to our house and spray all over our furniture and my sons toys.

I'm a cat lover, but I'm getting extremely fed up with this now, and am hoping someone can help me stop them from spraying with every given opportunity all over my furniture!

Furthermore, is toms spray dangerous to humans? As I say, I have a 2 year old and I'm also expecting baby number 2 next months.

Thanks in advance!


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## Mariealana (Feb 25, 2011)

Have a word with your neighbours. I can relate to you - my cat sprays everywhere and it stinks to high heaven. Luckily he only does it every so often. You need to wash the items throughly or throw them away cause the smell can linger for a long time even when washed and the cats will carry on doing it on the same stuff. 
If your neighbours aren't aware of your problem, they can't do nothing to solve it. 
Buy a water pistol and squirt the cats every time they are in your garden (it won't hurt them but will shock them into not coming in the garden and they will learn pretty quickly) as it's a cheaper and painless way of getting rid of them. I resorted to this before I got my cat as I tried everything.

The cat sonar things work really good but it does hurt their ears (and dogs ears) and it's expensive. 

The lion poop you can buy doesn't work and in fact encourages the Toms (believe me - talking from experience here ).

Oh and while you are pregnant, use gloves at all times when handling anything that has had cat wee on. The problem here is from a parasitic organism called toxoplasma gondii, which is present in many animals but especially cats. This is mercifully rare but can cause growth problems and serious abnormalities in your developing baby, so it is important to avoid contact with cat litter and cats who may have stepped in cat poop and walk across your counter/table for example. There is no evidence about cat urine but they same rules of caution apply.


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## BAM (Apr 8, 2011)

Cats generally don't like the smell of citrus so maybe plant some orange trees (or the miniature orange trees in pots) as this might deter them. In the meantime, how about dousing the most popular spraying area with some lemon juice and using lemon-scented cleaning liquid? Good luck - it really is an awful smell, isn't it?!


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## Myanimalmadhouse (Mar 6, 2011)

Probably a stupid question but is your female cat neutered? As she could be the one attracting them?

Yeah a water pistol usually works as the most harmless way and slices of lemon placed around the garden should help x


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## northnsouth (Nov 17, 2009)

We have new neighbours with, I think, at least 5 cats... They have all decided my garden is the place to poop and my doorstep the place to howl... It is driving my poor cat nuts and the smell is horrid. As I have the animals any one visiting my house will be stunned they can smell them from the front garden!! I have just gone through the flower bed with rubber gloves and poop bags... The dirty water and water pistol is at the ready! I would not mind but I provide a sand box for my own cat!!

I use biological washing liquid to clean the smell a bucket chucked on the sprayed area works ok.. Be careful what you use in your garden as you obviously do not want to deter your own cat do you?


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## MrsD86 (Feb 11, 2011)

Yes she is neutered. I think I'm the only person around here that has bothered neutering my cat. It seems tom cat owners think its ok to not neuter them just because they can't get pregnant.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I was going to ask about tiger/lion poo, always wondered if it worked, but thanks for the heads up!

We've been using a water pistol every time we see them in our garden, but the neighbour saw me doing it once and I got the most awful look. I don't want to start falling out with my neighbours because their cats stink - it seems so daft


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## kat&molly (Mar 2, 2011)

I've got the same problem here, with 2 un-neutered toms- it stinks outside my front door some mornings, they also pick on my 3 she cats. They only come around during the night though because of the dogs. Its a waste of time me speaking to my neighbours


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## Mariealana (Feb 25, 2011)

Having a word with their landlords might help - sneaky I know but if they are being rude to you about it you don't have much options other than that. They might be understanding if you explain that you don't want their cats all over your garden. Also do not feed them or let them in the house as the cats see this as a green light. When they enter your property pick them up and throw them out or make lots of noise and stamp your feet until they go. 

I solved the problem with a nasty female cat that came into the garden to scratch my kids by getting a dog


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## GingerHound (Apr 11, 2011)

MrsD86 said:


> We've been using a water pistol every time we see them in our garden, but the neighbour saw me doing it once and I got the most awful look. I don't want to start falling out with my neighbours because their cats stink - it seems so daft


I always tell my neighbours that if they see our cat in their garden feel free to use a water pistol or a hose pipe on her - its harmless and will make her think twice about going back.

Have you explained to your neighbours why you are water pistolling their cats? If so and the neighbours don't like it, then its tough luck on them really. The alternative is to get a dog - that should keep the cats out.


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## charlemwa (May 22, 2011)

Hi I have an issue with one of my own cats spraying in the house and was looking for advice.

First of all i have two cats that spray, one now and again outside and the other who is the issue is spraying outside allday everyday and now has started in the house.

He is neutered and was done at 6 months old so it isnt just unneutered cats that spray.

May I suggest you try feliway products in your house. clean anything as soon as the cat sprays with white vinegar. 
As for the garden you can try the pistol idea as it is harmless i have done it with mine and or chase them off there are also numerous outdoor get off sprays about.


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