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Thread ID: 53580	2005-01-21 08:39:00	OT: Nuisance cats	manicminer (4219)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
316502	2005-01-25 07:18:00	You lucky man! I wish we could train the local cats to do that for us... We have to go out and buy/collect manure for our garden, where as you ---- You lucky lucky man ----- get yours delivered hot of the press! :D With all due respect, the notion that cat faeces make good manure is a popular misconception, particularly among cat owners. Cat 'poo' is anything but good manure. Cats are carnivorous animals, and as such the makeup of their faeces is quite different from farm animals. It's actually toxic stuff, hence the foul stench and the burnt grass patches where they've been. One thing commonly ignored or stubbornly denied by owners, is that their faeces harbour a particularly nasty organism, Toxoplasmosis, which is a serious threat to human health. Suggest a google search and you will find out why. For this reason, I don't particularly want cats 'pooing' in our garden, especially with a young kid to look after. I have my family's health to consider. My guess is that alot of owners get lazy with toilet training their cats. And then when they grow up they abandon the whole kitty litter thing because of the smell in their house.	manicminer (4219)
316503	2005-01-25 07:25:00	And a house-trained cat will do its business in fresh soild and cover it up again. I've never found litte messages on the lawn and we have a lot of cats in our neighbourhood. Not like dogs, which dump on your lawn, and on the verge and in the parks, and many owners don't do the decent thing and clean it up. . I've no qualms with people owning animals. I just can't understand why they have them if they can't be bothered to look after the animal and train them properly. I mean that should be one of the most rewarding things about keeping an animal. These people who 'love' their dogs but let them crap everywhere shouldn't be allowed to have them. :groan: I remember many a game of footy at the local park as a kid (in England) where half the challenge was avoiding the freshly laid turd in the midst of a goalmouth scramble!	manicminer (4219)
316504	2005-01-25 08:07:00	Hi manicminer. Excuse me for quoting you, but I loved this: "The only thing he did wrong was to break the law." :rolleyes:	Scouse (83)
316505	2005-01-25 08:23:00	Hi manicminer. Excuse me for quoting you, but I loved this: "The only thing he did wrong was to break the law." :rolleyes: Hi Scouse. I can see what you're getting at :) It was an obvious statement to say the least. If the law permitted a person to lay poison for a cat, then he wouldn't have been doing anything wrong, would he? Not in the eyes of the law, at least. My point is that the anti-cruelty to animals brigade were jumping on the bandwagon, conveniently forgetting the suffering to his birds. I don't see them flying the flag for possums or stoats. Or do they not count as animals? I mean, don't farmers lay death-traps for possums that kill their animals by spreading disease? I'm not suggesting the mass eradication of our feline friends (God forbid!), but what I am saying is that they need to recognised as potential pests and responsible ownership needs to be enforced. Currently there are no laws managing cat control, hence the problem with ferals and strays in this country.	manicminer (4219)
316506	2005-01-25 08:44:00	Funny, my cat's being a nuisance on my keyboard right now... Funny you should say that. We got a cat whilst in Australia. It was bought to NZ some years ago. I might add that this was not an expensive cat. I wish our CAT was still here like alive. We had the benefit of our cat for nearly 14 years but now I have some ashes as of 19th Jan 2005 I would dearly love to have Mushka wander across the keyboard today. I defy anyone not to drop a tear after reading this poem. Letters in the Wood. Wherever I go she follows My house is her domain There isn’t a nook or cranny Where she hasn’t staked her claim Even though she has left me There isn’t one tiny place Where I don’t sense her presence Or remember her cheerful face All the years we spent together Remain buried in my past The memories are like diamonds Forever they will last She couldn’t speak my language She knew that I understood Scratch marks on the door Are her letters in the wood. Bye.	Elephant (599)
316507	2005-01-25 20:22:00	Hi Scouse. I can see what you're getting at :) It was an obvious statement to say the least. If the law permitted a person to lay poison for a cat, then he wouldn't have been doing anything wrong, would he? Not in the eyes of the law, at least. My point is that the anti-cruelty to animals brigade were jumping on the bandwagon, conveniently forgetting the suffering to his birds. I don't see them flying the flag for possums or stoats. Or do they not count as animals? I mean, don't farmers lay death-traps for possums that kill their animals by spreading disease? I'm not suggesting the mass eradication of our feline friends (God forbid!), but what I am saying is that they need to recognised as potential pests and responsible ownership needs to be enforced. Currently there are no laws managing cat control, hence the problem with ferals and strays in this country. I thought DOC was trapping and poisoning feral cats in a couple of national parks and reserves......	somebody (208)
316508	2005-01-25 20:50:00	I'm convinced Manicminer. You don't come across as a cat-hater and you have a genuine concern. So far as toxoplasmosis is concerned, the real danger is to a human foetus so pregnant women are advised to avoid cat dirt. People who have cats generally develop immunity as do their children. I'm genuinely puzzled about your problem. I have never known cats - ours, or the neighbours, to defecate on open ground. They always find soft earth and bury their leavings. It is hardwired into felines to do this so that they do not reveal their presence to prey or enemies. Spraying is a different, male trait - and bloody annoying too. :angry I agree your neighbours should provide a clean place for their pets to go to. I've generously contributed a whole glasshouse to the cause. :D Try checking with your neighbours. It might be hedgehogs, who leave a suprising mess. Maybe a cat-trap is the best answer. Good luck.	Winston001 (3612)
316509	2005-01-26 00:01:00	I thought DOC was trapping and poisoning feral cats in a couple of national parks and reserves...... That is true. However in areas where there are no groundliving native birds, like the Wellington region, and Rimutaka Forest Park and the 'Orongorongos' in particular, feral cats are down the list somewhat. Rats, stoats, possums are a bigger threat. After a feral cat eradication some years ago, there was an explosion in the rat population. Rats are worse than cats as they will climb trees to get to nests, eggs and chicks, as do possums. Cats find it much easier to catch a rat than a bird. In urban areas, domestic cats tend to catch those birds that feed on the ground like young blackbirds and thrushes. I doubt if any cat has ever caught a Tui, could be wrong though, but very unlikely.	Terry Porritt (14)
316510	2005-01-26 00:15:00	We had problems with both a cat and a dog at our ex-rental - the owner had had many arguements with the pets owner about it (including a visit from the council), but they just thought it was a joke. Foodtown sells both a cat and dog "repellant" which comes in a metal tin and you shake it over the grass... its basically a mothball mixture though, so you could use them crushed up. we tried this, and it did work for awhile - problem is as soon as it rains it starts to lose its smell. We ended up putting up a small plastic mesh fence around the grassed area. The neighbours thought we were batty, but it sure bet having to keep the front door closed because of the smell!! Luckily our two cats are well trained. I'd advise having a (polite) chat with your neighbour about it, perhaps then it could be a joint re-training effort...	Mary (6534)
316511	2005-01-26 05:48:00	Thanks for your suggestions, Mary. You're right about the repellents on the market - they're generally ineffective. Cats tend to be quite astute animals and get used to these things. These particular cats seem to be quite stubborn. I may have to look into some sort of cat-proof fencing, although I can see it being an expensive exercise. Perhaps the best suggestion so far could be the automatic sprinklers...although it could be a mission to cover every bit of the garden. To be honest, I'm a bit caught in 2 minds about chatting to the neighbours about it. Partly because of the reasons brought up by Foxy. There was a dead cat at the end of my street earlier this week that had been run over. Now if it's known in the neighbourhood that I may have a disliking for cats, then the finger could get pointed at me. No doubt a cat owner will correct me, but I understand it's almost impossible to retrain an older cat's toilet habits. So what will the neighbours do? Keep their cat indoors at all times? I doubt that they will. Unfortunately there are several cats in the area so that would take alot of co-operation by most of the neighbourhood. And most cat owners will vehemently deny that it's their cat causing any trouble (although how anyone can possibly know what their cat does while their out of their sight is beyond me). So all you cat owners...what would you do if your neighbour came round and complained (politely) about your cat continuously fouling their garden?	manicminer (4219)
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