Cat problems

At the risk of offending any cat lovers I need to ask for help x

First of all let me make it clear that I do not like cats however I have a very good reason not too. I suffer from eczema and am also a very keen gardener. About 5 years ago I started to suffer from a blurring of my vision in my right eye. Being 21 and a bit of a party girl I put it down to a heavy night.

After 2 days my eye hadn't got any better and I mentioned it on the telephone to my Dad, he went really mental with me - told me I only had 2 eyes and he was driving over straight away to take me to a&e. 6 Fruitless hours later they told me I needed to be referred to an opthalamist and come back the next day.

I dutifully went back and after being seen (and looking a bit weird with drug induced dilated pupils) I was diagnosed with Toxoplasmosis a parasitic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma Gondii. After much discussion it was concluded that I must have contracted this through coming into contact with cat faeces whilst gardening as I was not wearing gloves and had open skin.

The treatment is horrid. Very strong antibiotics and lots of steriods with horrid side effects including depression. Horrid! Plus the worry about my sight and the fact that toxoplasmosis can re-occur every 3-5 years, (I have already had one reoccurance and have permanent scars on the retina of both eyes).

So, when I look at a cat I don't think, aw cute. Instead I have horrid memories of a very stressful time of my life.

My next door neighbours have a cat that uses the veg patch I have dug over for winter (along with the rest of my garden) as a giant litter box. I have tried lots of deterrants including 'Silent Roar' and my trusty super soaker all to no long term effect. I haven't mentioned to my neighbour as despite the fact it upsets me as the way I see it - what can she do? You can't control a cat's natural habits. It would only upset her and her husband and they are lovely neighbour's in all other senses so what's the point?

Anyway - sorry for the digression. Getting back to the point I can handle the garden/litter box issue. Unhappily, but I can deal with it. What I can't handle is the cat coming and completely stressing out my brand new 12 week old female lop 'Poppy' who is stressed enough with the whole shop to hutch transition.

How can I deter the cat (without harming it obviously) and not distress poor Poppy? Any suggestions? Was thinking of a sonic thing but it's a no go for poor Poppy. Help!

Helenx

you can buy gel that goes on the garden even stays after rain can be pricey though sorry you hate cats ive got 4!

can rabbits hear the ultrasonic things you can buy??? the only thing i dont really like about cats is they poop in ya garden i have a 4year old with a sand pit so have to be careful its always covered,i would never forgive myself if she got the same eye problem as you,i dont think my neighbours would like it if my dog went and pooped in their yard :lol: I dont mind them coming to talk to star cos she is not fussed by them at all i think its cute

Maybe Poppy just got frightened that because of her stressful day and the fact it was her first 'cat experience'!

The last people who lived here had a rabbit and it scared the cat off, she wouldn't come in the garden. As the garden is secure once Poppy is settled she will be allowed to 'roam free' with supervision, maybe that will stop the cat again. Hope so

It's not that I actively dislike cats, it's just that I don't think it's acceptable that they go to the toilet in urban area's in peoples gardens. Especially in area's like mine where kids often play out and stuff. Toxoplasmosis can be life threatening to high risk groups such as kids and the elderly.

I had heard about it being dangerous when you are pregnant but otherwise was very ignorant about it and the worry is that most people are.......

I guess it's a hard call - like I say how you going to stop a cat doing what's in it's nature without being cruel (ie keeping it indoors all the time) and affecting it's welfare.

No simple answer! It gives me a headache!

Thanks for the advice x

PS think rabbits can hear the sonic things - anybody who has a conclusive answer would be helpful though.

I have read that you can't have them when you have outdoor rabbits as they freak out the rabbits too....


x H x

To stop any worms from the poo getting into you or the rabbit, ask them to worm the cat with a good wormer, such as advocate, not Bob Martin or a pet shop brand. Ask them to buy some for a good vet. Make sure that your rabbits is secure in her hutch or run and provide lots of shelter and dark places for her to hide from the cats. A rabbit friend will build confidence in her cos she'll feel safer with company.

I have always had free range buns and they have never been bothered by cats.I have continental giants at the moment and as soon as a cat climbs over the wall they see my buns and run the other way

My mate has that problem but she had my dog for a week my dog is a big softie but when the cat saw my dog the cat ran over the garden and my dog tried to lick it

I didn't realise she had a cat problem though

"I guess it's a hard call - like I say how you going to stop a cat doing what's in it's nature without being cruel (ie keeping it indoors all the time) and affecting it's welfare. "

its not cruel to keep indoor cats, all mine are, as long as they have plenty of stimulation they are fine its not always good to let them out they either get run over or worse are poisoned and shot at by people who think there vermin. its not only cats that mess, dogs are just as bad aswell and are the owners who dont clean up after them!

Yup my friend has an indoor cat and he is perfectly happy, I mean that I think it would be cruel to take a cat that does have a lot of outdoor activity and force it to stay indoors. The owners are at work all day everyday too which would probably mean the cat would get a bit bored.

I wouldn't ever hurt a cat - I use my supersoaker and get it with water if it comes in the garden, this keeps it away when I am about but it knows that I am not always there.... I have been told that they can be trained to use an outdoor litter box as well - don't know if this is true? If it is true I might mention it to them.

Anyway - Poppy seems to be settling in now. I didn't really go near her Wednesday - giving her time to settle in. Last night I sat in the conservatory with her for a bit to have a hold. So far so good. She's not keen on being picked up (still a bit scared) but does like having a stroke.

Figure I will just go and sit with her for a bit each day (saturday and sunday) and next week will try to start holding her a bit more in the evenings - does this all sound right? Need to get her booking in for vacine next week as well.

I want to get a health check etc and vacines asap as I live very close to lot's of farmland and my vet says the risk of mixy is very high in the area and so vacines are very important.

I actually know someone who died of Toxoplasmosis. She was a heavy drinker & her immune system was low, so she contracted it & didn't get treatment until it was too late

Could you use some serious fencing in your garden? I have to as my buns get free range time & there are loose cats about. It actually makes me really angry that cats are allowed to wander around other people's land - if I let my horses & buns loose in other people's gardens - which comes naturally to them - I bet they would have something to say about it.

I do actually like cats, although I avoid them as I appear to be more allergic to them than I am buns.

Please take care whilst your rabbit is small...many cats would easily kill a young rabbit.

my mother fixed those plastic spikey things all round tops of her fence..made sure no gaps at base of fences and has only seen a cat in her garden twice since having them..her neighbours two cats and two others were in her garden constantly beforehand.

There is a plant you can buy (it's nicknamed scaredy cat) which is meant to deter them - don't know if it works tho.

The green gelly someone mentioned (Its called get off) really works but the rain does seem to wash it away pretty quickly and its not cheap.

As a rule they don't like citrus so maybe spraying lemon juice would be a cheaper alternative or maybe sprinkle the zest round your plants.

As a rule the cats (There are millions where I live) don't bother the buns. My dwarf lop willow would almost certainly put up a good fight. Not sure about the smaller buns but as long as the runs/hutch are secure from predators I wouldn't think you had much to worry about. One cat sleeps ontop one of my runs and the buns don't bat an eyelid.

They do upset my piggies but I just make sure they have plenty of hidy holes and the mesh is narrow enough that a cat couldn't get a paw through. I have never seen a cat try and get them though they just sit and watch them.

I have 6 cats and my neighbours cats are always in the garden. Two of my rabbits are bothered at all with them neither are the Guinnea Pigs. I realy do feel for you though. I know you can get a type of fence that stops cats getting out of the garden, it should work the other way as well its not the plastic spikes. Hope you sort your problems out with the cat and can we please have some pic's

Any cats that come in my garden get a bucket of water over them (sorry cat lovers but Im at the end of my tether with them). There are so many cats where I live, they are always in my garden either watching the rabbits and piggies or pooing!

My son even saw one of the cats take a swipe at one of the rabbits with its paw. My son chased it off but it always coming back in.

I have a disabled rabbit who has time out free-range in the garden and although generally he is supervised (someone is always at home when he's out keeping a general eye on him) I still worry one of the cats will attack him. It makes me so cross, its my garden, why shouldnt my rabbit run around with the worry of him being attacked

Here she is - I have more pics on my home computer (this one she was still in the pet shop).

She is only tiny and lovely! Can't wait to get home tonight going to get her sat with me on a blanket in the living room (we have laminate flooring). I am horrible impatient and desperate to get her a bit more relaxed with me (not that I will rush her I have self control although it killed me to leave her alone for so long to settle in! LOL!).

I am soooooo in love - pretty sure (don't tell my boyfriend!) that she is going to end up as a house buny!

Yayhelen said:

Here she is - I have more pics on my home computer (this one she was still in the pet shop).

She is only tiny and lovely! Can't wait to get home tonight going to get her sat with me on a blanket in the living room (we have laminate flooring). I am horrible impatient and desperate to get her a bit more relaxed with me (not that I will rush her I have self control although it killed me to leave her alone for so long to settle in! LOL!).

I am soooooo in love - pretty sure (don't tell my boyfriend!) that she is going to end up as a house buny!

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Aww wow, gorgeous bunny

I have an ultrasonic cat deterrent on our fence to stop the cats killing the birds, we found the cats got used to it when it was on all the time so it is now on a timer switch and we have no cats visiting our garden any more.

We have rabbits and guinea pigs in the garden and they do not react to it, it says on the packaging it will only scare cats as well.

Yayhelen said:

I haven't mentioned to my neighbour as despite the fact it upsets me as the way I see it - what can she do? You can't control a cat's natural habits. It would only upset her and her husband and they are lovely neighbour's in all other senses so what's the point?

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I think you should say something to your neighbour I would be horrified if my cat went to the toilet in someone's garden. It is possible to monitor what you cat is doing and where it is going without keeping them indoors all the time and your neighbour could do this. I work full time and let my cat play in my garden when I get home from work under supervision while I am sorting out the rabbits She still gets to play outside and I know where she is pooping :lol:

Could you cat proof your garden, or ask your neighbour to do theirs to keep their cat in their garden? x