No poo is pleasant and I would hope humans wouldn't be coming into my garden and pooing either.

We don't have foxes and squirrels and many other signs of wildlife hear sadly the cats and dogs have seen them all off.

We have a few crows and seagulls. I get just as annoyed at them pooing on my windows as I do cats in thegarden but I accept they are a force of nature and not owned by anyone else. I expect people to have responsibility for their pets, and get cross when they run all over my rights to a clean and quiet life.

I repeat that we are not breaking any laws by allowing our cats to roam. I am a law abiding respectable professional hardworking person who takes full responsibility for the care of my 3 cats. I think my definition of responsible ownership differs from yours My cats are neutered, boostered yearly, wormed and defleaed regularly, fully insured, well fed, provided with a secure cat flap that only allows them access, a warm and cosy indoor environment with access to toys and scratching posts (and a litter tray should they choose to use one). My cats are about 95% indoors this time of year anyway but they'll always have a choice. I myself can't stay indoors all day, it makes me feel very isolated and restricted.

It's a shame you don't live anywhere with much wildlife. I live just outside London, there are multitudes of free roaming cats where I live but I still get plenty of wildlife in my garden. I have a fishpond so get lots of frogs. I have resident hedgehogs and I provide birdfood on bird stands and from feeders hanging from my large oak tree. My current cats aren't hunters except for my Millie who mainly likes to bring in moths in the summer and last week brought in a frog - which she had no interest in trying to kill, she just liked to chase it. I rescued it, don't worry.

Cats and wildlife can co exist but there will always be some casualties, that's just part of nature and cat's natural hunting instincts. I believe I help more wildlife to live than to be killed but I suppose I am lucky that my cats are too pampered and cosseted (and not that bright compared to my late Tabitha) to really care about hunting. They'd much rather just play chase each other outside - and get plenty of much needed exercise.

As for the poo issue, it's a shame that some people are so stressed by and obsessed by a bit of cat poo that's actually really easy to dispose of. I get pests in my garden all the time, my lawn gets worm casts, slugs and snails decimate my plants, my shrubs always need pruning, the tree loses all its leaves in the winter and the garden needs regular clearing. My fences were blown over in last week's stormy weather. Keeping a garden immaculate or just well maintained takes a lot of hard work and dedication, getting rid of a bit of cat poo is probably the least taxing part of keeping my garden well maintained. And I get a lot of cat poo in my garden, my cats go where they feel safe and comfortable and that's in their own territory.

I believe yours is a communal garden so you probably have gardeners come in to do all the maintenance for you. It's actually very rewarding and satisfying carrying out garden maintenance, I feel sorry for people who have no interest in their gardens - or who don't have a garden. But it's not easy and requires lots of work, it's not just a place to sit out and relax unless you are in the position of not having to do the work yourself. When I lived in a flat with a communal garden, I loved the visiting cats, they actually enhanced my pleasure in being outside and, luckily, there are still lots of people around who feel the same as I do. We're cat and nature lovers.

OP, what is your neighbour normally like? Maybe he was just cross and letting off steam? Could you try talking to him about it?

Yes we have communal gardens and we also have been given responsibility for our own parts of it in the hope we could grow fruit and veg for ourselves. Of all the people to take part in that only one person is still doing it and he had had to build a cage around his border with wood and netting to keep the cats off it. We gave up when our lettuces and cabbages were pooed on really didn't fancy eating them after that.

I BTW am talking about responsibilty to your cats and the wider community who have not chosen to be cat owners. One lady I know has abandoned her small childs sand pit as it became a health hazzard - what right has anyone with a pet to interfere in this persons enjoyment of her garden with her child ? I think none at all.

What you say is fair enough but why should anyone else have to deal with your cats poo? People get very emotional about their property and what they see as invasion by a cat (or dog come to that). Of course you are not breaking any law by letting your cat roam but I would hate to think how many cats of responsible owners have paid the ultimate penalty and been killed by a neighbour. Have you discussed your cats roaming with your neighbours? What action would you take if some said they either hated or feared cats and did not want them on their property?

As I have repeated on several occasions, we are not breaking any law so cats have every right to roam. However, I have no problem with people using humane deterrents to keep cats away from their gardens and plants/ vegetables.

When I first moved to my house, my Tabitha was terrorised by a big tom cat who had claimed my garden as his own. With perseverance and regular chasing and use of a water pistol, he eventually accepted that he was no longer welcome in my garden.

None of my cats ever go into the garden at the back of mine, they know they're not welcome - there is quite a large dog there at times too which probably puts them off.

My neighbourhood is full of roaming cats. I live in an extremely quiet little estate. Neighbours don't moan, they accept wandering cats as part of living in a very quiet area.

I have complained about my neighbours to the police on a few occasions (relating to behaviour of their kids) but nobody has ever complained about me or to me. I am someone they may call on if they need first aid or advice and I have lent money on occasions too.

If somebody did complain about my cats I would explain the law as it stands and advise them to use humane deterrents if they really did not want cats in their gardens. If anybody threatened my cats I would notify the police immediately.

However, it's never been an issue. Most people are decent and accept that we don't live in a world that we can control completely.

So when behaviour spoils your enjoyment of your property you go to the police ? but everyone else has to put up with you spoiling their enjoyment of their property. Think I understand you now.

He sounds absolutely vile, and I find that particularly evil him saying "it would be a shame to kill her as shes a lovely little cat." He's a sicko. It's like he's saying "aw shame for the wee thing but I've no choice you see...."

I would report him to the RSPCA immediately.

Some how I doubt he meant it seriously he probably came to the end of his tether with the problem and was trying to shock her into dealing with the cat.

No more than you do, Essex boy.

If you're a cat lover then you have no business shooing or frightening any cat as you're obviously not really a cat person are you? If you were, then you wouldn't do it. Full stop. Even if you don't like cats then you shouldn't do that either. It's plain nasty/ twisted. And for what? To save precious plants? Pathetic excuse for humans.

threatening physical violence if somebody sprays your cat ?

As for living in Essex, what has that got to do with it ?

I have had cats all my life and if a random cat comes into my garden and starts terrorizing my cat I will damn well scare the thing off why the hell should my cat get into a fight or get scared or worse injured because someone else's cat enters their home. What the hell is wrong with scaring a cat off and where in my post did I say I would harm the thing, there is nothing wrong with squirting a bit of water at them or shouting at them or shooing them out of MY GARDEN AND HOME. It does not make me a pathetic excuse for a human being putting my own cat before some random cat who should not be in MY GARDEN where MY CAT LIVES.

I am a responsible cat owner and know that my cat can be a nuisance to other people, it's a shame others like you can't understand that.

You called me a "nutter". How rude is that? Not to mention against the rules.

I didn't say you were "pathetic". I was talking in general terms. I'm just really surprised at your attitude as you say you love cats but you are prepared to scare them? That doesn't make sense in the slightest. It's weird.

Even when we had cats if they came in the kitchen they were shooed out, and if they tried to climb the curtains they were clapped at or hissed at to make them get down, surely your cats are used to being told not to do things.

no it's not my cat is my priority a random cat coming into my garden isn't. Said Random cat could have xyz wrong with it and go and attack my cat causing my cat to get ill or injured. Random cat should not be in my garden and scaring it off will mean it won't come back meaning my cat can have a peaceful life in her own home.

Well, you don't know any more than I do whether he was serious about his threat however I still maintain it was a very sick thing to say, and said in a very sick manner, not to mention very upsetting for the cat's owner, and please nobody respond saying that he is clearly upset about the toilet habits of the cat, I get that. Threatening to poison someone's pet in order to resolve the issue is not in any way acceptable, full stop.

I assume you're talking to me as your post is directly underneath.

Of course my cats are discouraged to scratch my leather furniture, jump on kitchen worktops etc. But, I know they are acting on instinct so I don't make too much of it.That's the issue here, really. Cats RELY UPON AND ACT ON INSTINCT. You cannot train cats and with respect, ppl who claim they are cat lovers would already know this and therefore this whole thread is a bit pointless.

Spraying cats with water is not harming them. It offends their dignity rather than hurts them which for a cat is more effective. I used a water pistol to keep my kittens off the kitchen worktops, they soon learnt their boundaries and were perfectly happy with that.

Totally agree with you on this point. The guy needs a good talking to.

I didn't say it harmed them, I said it wasn't a nice thing to do. Would you like it?

You can train cats, if you can't then I would suggest have a look at a few of their behaviours and you can easily see how to get the to do things or not when you wish them to.

No but I am guessing bobcar wouldn't be pooing in anyones garden to make them feel they need to discourage him in that way.