Arun

Cats fouling on other people’s property can be a problem.  Unlike dogs, there are no laws regarding cats and fouling.  Cats hold a unique position in law in that the owner of the cat is not held to be responsible for the consequences of any trespass by the cat.  This means that it is the responsibility of the homeowner to deter cats from their property.

How can I discourage my neighbour's cat from fouling in my garden?

There are some things that can be done to discourage cats from using your garden as their litter tray:

• Water flower beds last thing at night.  Cats dislike wet soil.
• Push twig-like sticks into soil, especially near areas where new plants or seeds have been sown. 
• Cover flower beds with netting or chicken wire.
• Old tea bags or broken egg shells scattered around flower beds may discourage cats.
• Orange and citrus smells, or oil of peppermint and eucalyptus can be very effective in keeping a flower bed cat free.
• Avoid the use of woodchip in large parts of your garden. Cats like the woodchip as they can scratch upon it, so it should best be avoided.
• Cats dislike walking through long grass, so leaving your grass to grow will prevent them from roaming around your garden too much

There are also a number of products available to buy which can help deter cats.

• Ultrasonic deterrents – these detect the presence of a cat and triggers a loud sudden burst of high pitched sound which deters the cat from the property. Because the alarm is ultrasonic, the noise is inaudible to humans, and so will not become a nuisance to your neighbours! Alternatively, ‘water jet’ repellents are available, which emit a jet of water to startle the cat and deter from it from the area.
• Scented gels/sprays – these gels and sprays can be easily applied to a variety of surfaces and terrain to deter cats through the use of a scent that they find intolerable. These products are often relatively cheap, but can be washed away by the weather over periods of time, so are considered more of a short term deterrent.