Author Topic: and the unkindness of 'friends' (Read 7308 times)

Squash64 · « **on:** January 04, 2011, 16:05:52 »

I've had the first complaint about the cats, from someone I regarded as a friend.

She said that the cats are using her plot as their toilet and she wanted something done about it. I do sympathise, really I do, but our allotment site is so big that I find it hard to believe that the cats are choosing her plot out of all the land available to them. She is not an animal lover and makes this pretty clear. I forgot to point out to her that the cats are doing a valuable job by catching vermin for us.

I think all I can do is offer to clear up the mess every time she finds it. I am not at all squeamish about this sort of thing so it won't be a problem for me.

I suppose I've been expecting something like this to happen, I just wish it hadn't.

grannyjanny · « **Reply #1 on:** January 04, 2011, 16:10:46 »

Some people Squash ::), keep up the good work. We are all very proud of what you have achieved & will continue to.
Is there a hand clapping smilie anywhere?

betula · « **Reply #2 on:** January 04, 2011, 16:23:08 »

Don't they annoy you these people ::) ::) ::)

We have neighbours with cats who all summer long poo on my veg patch but I have said nothing as I know there is not much they can do about it really.

Before Christmas I had to let my dog out the back as I had a bad virus and guess who missed a bit,well I had one old guy who owns one of the cats complain and come back from shopping the other day and there was poo on my step,complete with soil .

I have had trouble with these neighbours before over wanting to move a bin away from my window,this morning my daughter took things into her own hands and has reported them to the police for harassment,I was reluctant to do this as I just want it all to go away but my Daughter said it never will and there will always be something .

Sorry I am drifting here but poo is on my mind at the moment :)

Betty,I am so sorry,these sort of people only see things from their own perspective
and make a huge fuss about nothing.

Can only suggest that you and anyone else who loves the cats checks that plot daily and remove the offending poo.

asj · « **Reply #3 on:** January 04, 2011, 16:31:17 »

So sorry, Betty - point out that it is manure and only needs to be dug in ;D.

Ellen K · « **Reply #4 on:** January 04, 2011, 16:43:22 »

Well, on the other hand, cats do tend to establish a toilet and then all poo in the same place.

The local cats at home use a flower bed next door and when the sun is out the smell makes me heave.

So I do feel for your allotment friend. Maybe she has put up with it for a long time and has finally snapped.

Hope you can reach a happy outcome. But it won't happen if you don't even believe her, will it?

Sorry, but I feel for your friend.

grawrc · « **Reply #5 on:** January 04, 2011, 16:54:12 »

There are various things you can use to discourage cats from using certain areas as a toilet. I think pepper is one, but I'm not too sure. Bottom line is that the cats have got to do it somewhere!

Has she got any solutions to suggest? I imagine they couldn't be trained to use litter trays or could they? Maybe the Cat Protection folk would have some ideas.

I know our plotholders get really uptight about this kind of thing and tend to fly off the handle rather than looking at constructive solutions. I don't think it necessarily means she's not your friend.

Unwashed · « **Reply #6 on:** January 04, 2011, 16:56:34 »

Friends, meh! Furries first with me I'm afraid Betty, just ignore it.

Betula, pooh on your step is really, really nasty, I'm so sorry. Your daughter did right.

elvis2003 · « **Reply #7 on:** January 04, 2011, 17:02:19 »

i love cats,and I love what you are doing betty,but.... we got our plot because we were sick of finding dog poop amongst our seedlings,once you have put your hand in dog or cat pooh
(someone elses dog or cat) you are very unforgiving. we and our neighbours couldnt find a resolution to this problem,so we simply stopped using our garden.This after spending quite a few bob getting it all ready for growing etc etc etc. When you turn over soil and find it,it makes you want to vomit there and then.Its not manure,otherwise we would all use it,pet pooh potentially carries all manner of harmful things for humans,google it.
i dont know how this can be resolved,but I do hope you find a way
R x

Borlotti · « **Reply #8 on:** January 04, 2011, 17:16:18 »

Just typed a long reply and it has disappeared, five more replies at the time. So will start again. Cats normally bury their poo, but do like freshly dug soil. My cats used to dig up my bulbs and plants after I had planted them, but as they were my cats just thought it was funny (a bit). They do love cat litter, but only if it is dry but as you say on allotments shouldn't think it would be a problem. I have fox poo which I bury and a dead rat which I screamed and screamed until a nice man came and took it away. Tell her to dig a big hole and bury it, or herself, if that is all she has to worry about she is a sad person. If you dig a nice raked bed near to where they are fed, with soft earth, I am sure they will go there, or maybe not and it can be buried. We have all the local cats roaming our allotment site and have never seem any cat poo.

Squash64 · « **Reply #9 on:** January 04, 2011, 18:09:29 »

Thanks for the replies.

I do sympathise with the person and I do believe that she has found some poo on her plot. But maybe knowing how much she hates animals of all sorts (unless they are on her plate) makes me a little less sympathetic than I should be.

We have at least one fox on the site and I have found fox poo near my plot. I just removed it because wild animals have to do it somewhere. Six of the cats on our site are/were wild animals but because they are cats they are looked on differently.

I did buy a litter tray and litter but they never use it. I think that because they are outdoor and not confined to indoor space it is not very easy to train them to use it. Anyway, they never did use it. I will contact the Cats Protection and ask if they have any suggestions.

I have seen them 'go' near the base of trees in front of the pavilion and anything that I find on the surface I do remove. My first job every morning after I've fed them is to go on Poo Patrol. I will tell her that I will remove any poo from her plots.

The woman said she finds cat poo disgusting. Fair enough, who wouldn't? But her only suggestion of how to solve the problem would be to get rid of the cats.

I really don't want confrontation with her or anyone else, but at the same time I think the cats deserve to live too. It is just the three who live by the pavilion that she is complaining about, the other four are near my plot which is the other side of the site to her.

We have a committee meeting tomorrow and I will bring it up for discussion.

pumkinlover · « **Reply #10 on:** January 04, 2011, 18:26:25 »

I have to agree that cat poo is very unpleasant, it is one reason I stopped growing veg at home.
However the cats living on your site are not yours, you just happen to be caring enough to look after them. And by having them neutered you are helping to limit the number of cats on the site, so even though you feed them whch can be considered as "encouraging them" the overall effect of your involvement is to reduce the cat population in the long term.
I think if you follow Borlottis advice and keep some areas freshly dug and raked it over regular -maybe even encourage the cats by putting some of the poo there. If the ground is hard or snowy and that is the only free bit it may encourage them further.
After a while if the person in question sees that you are doing your best to minimise the problem she may come round a bit.
We get loads on fox poo it is obviously different to us but maybe not to everyone. I've had plot holders threaten to shoot the Badgers, just because one dug into his manure heap! (An ex-farmer!!)
Keep positive
Anne x

dtw · « **Reply #11 on:** January 04, 2011, 18:41:36 »

Cats love a freshly dug area to poo in, make sure that you have one on your plot for them.
With some compost preferably.

PurpleHeather · « **Reply #12 on:** January 04, 2011, 19:13:29 »

Cats are wonderful people and for years there has been a great argument about whether cats are more intelligent than dogs because cats are care free and dogs do as they are told.

Thing is. If your animal is fouling some one elses plot. The human is NOT going to find it acceptable.

Your argument that when it happens and they report it to you. You will clean up. Is insulting

They do not want the cat $h1T there in the first place.

You would be offended if a human left their poo on an area where you wanted to grow food for the table and it is exactly the same thing.

Your cats should either be trained to use a litter tray (it can be done) or you keep your cats off the area where other people are growing food.

Unwashed · « **Reply #13 on:** January 04, 2011, 20:14:36 »

PH, they're not Squash's cats, they're feral. Squash feeds them, cares for them, and has them neutered, but they are essentially wild animals. She hasn't introduced them to site and without her intervention they would be on site just the same, except of course they'd be miserable sick creatures with their breeding controlled only by disease. Would you have the committee kill the cats?

betula · « **Reply #14 on:** January 04, 2011, 20:18:47 »

I think PH is always looking to say an unpleasant word....it has been commented on several times by different members but she always carries on oblivious.. :(

Cheer up PH ,it may never happen.

cornykev · « **Reply #15 on:** January 04, 2011, 20:42:42 »

Nice way to kick off the new year PH, were you born that rude or did you train at Uni. :( :( :(

Borlotti · « **Reply #16 on:** January 04, 2011, 20:53:25 »

Me-ow. What about all those men, on the other thread, peeing on their compost heap. A quick wee never hurt anyone. ;D ;D

daitheplant · « **Reply #17 on:** January 04, 2011, 21:01:32 »

Borlotti, we are not talking about wee, or cats marking their territory now. We are talking solids.lol

lottie lou · « **Reply #18 on:** January 04, 2011, 21:01:52 »

I have heard pepper is good for keeping cats away - I ran out and used curry powder instead - never again.

Squash64 · « **Reply #19 on:** January 04, 2011, 21:02:41 »

Thanks Unwashed, Betula, Kev and Borlotti,

I don't think I need to add anything.

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Author Topic: and the unkindness of 'friends' (Read 7308 times)

pumkinlover