how to keep my cat from poopin in my yard.... (1 Viewer)

[Ted Lee]

hi all -

well, ever since we started letting our second cat (nani) out into the backyard, she's decided that she'd rather go poop out there instead of in her kitty litter box.

there's one corner of my yard that has this really soft, crumbly soil -- apparantly perfect pooping ground.

unfortunately, now our first cat (hoku) is following suit. he never did that until she started. so now they're both going out there.

now i normally wouldn't mind too much. i guess it's better to let the poop biodegrade into the soil, etc. plus, we don't have to clean out the litter box as much. and, i've been pretty good about raking/turning over the soil.

but, with summer rolling in, it seems that we're starting to get some flies over there. not many...but enough to make me start worrying.

bottom line ...

1. how can i get the cats to stop? i obviously don't want to do anything involing poisons or anything that could harm the cats.

2. how can i get rid of the flies? if i could get rid of them, i'd be okay with the cats using that spot. (they don't go anywhere else in the yard...i'm sure of that.)

thanks!

ted

 

[Tony Whalen]

Hmmm... not sure that you CAN, other than no longer allowing them outside. (I have 4 cats...indoor only.)

There ARE certain "cat repellent" products that I've seen that are intended to keep cats out of flower-beds and such... I've heard mixed results. Even if those DID work for you, they'd probably just find another spot outside ... possibly one LESS desirable.

If it's an out of the way corner, perhaps you can just occasionally rake the soil to bury the poop, thus losing some of the fly activity?

 

[DaveHo]

Larger pet stores will carry products designed to keep them out of flower beds. Just sprinkle some in the area and that should do the trick. Hopefully, they won't migrate elsewhere...

-Dave

 

[Ron-P]

I like to figure out how to keep other people's cats from pooping in my yard. I don't let my dogs poop in there yards.

 

[Ted Lee]

good point....i don't think other cats are in my yard though. in the year i've lived there, i think i've only seen one other cat in the neighborhood.

unfortunately, my cat (hoku) seems to be the neighborhood ho. one day my neighbor two houses down called and told me he walked into her house. my next door neighbor says he goes into their house all the time.

 

[Tony Whalen]

Geez, I wish I was as popular as Ted's cats...

 

[Joe Szott]

Hey Ted,

I'd say just get one of those strainer shovel things from the Pet store and just sift out the poop every once in a while (7-14 days?) You can just put it in a plastic bag, tie it off, and throw it in the garbage can. I clean up dog poop from our two hounds every weekend, it would be a fantasy if they would start going in only one small spot. Be happy, no more litter box nastiness.

 

[Ted Lee]

don't you mean "sheesh!"....

 

[Ron-P]

Yikes!

 

[Eric Samonte]

We once had problems of cats and dogs pooping or pissing in our backyard. I got some vinegar and put it in a spray bottle. I then proceeded to spray the area involved. Apparently, it messes with their keen smell/scent that they abruptly stopped. The vinegar smell permeated the area for a while but it sure was better than the alternative.
I also had a couple of dogs once and they started chewing the steps on my deck. I got some Tabasco sauce and liberally spread them over the area and that stopped them cold...or hot.
Recently, my cat's dish was being "raided" by a family of chipmunks and every morning, the dish would be empty. After catching them on videotape (nightvision on them camcorders sure is cool!), I started emptying the dish at night and replaced it with Tabasco seasoned catfood. Know what? They never came back.

 

[Greg_R]

Sounds like you've already got the solution to the problem. What are your dogs doing when the cats stop by?

 

[Bry_DD]

Try garlic, spread it where your cats like to poop and just wait and see. i heard it somewhere and it works pretty good.

 

[JamesMH]

Err . . . cats are supposed to go outside. Do you know how many people have litter boxes, and would prefer their cats to learn to go outside? . . atleast one!

 

[Malcolm R]

It'll keep vampires from poopin' there too.

My Mom wishes she had your problem. Her cat will be outside, will run inside to use the litter box, then run outside again. :rolleyes

 

[Tony Whalen]

Yup. Nothing worse than stepping outside to enjoy the evening and seeing Drac grunting in the corner.

 

[Ron-P]

There's a visual I didn't need.

 

[Ted Lee]

drac grunting...

wonder what he reads..

"bloodborne pathogens daily"
"how not to bruise your victims"
"flying in caves for dummies"

 

[Tony Whalen]

"Oooooh... I knew I should have not had that AB-Positive, blah!"