# cat in the garden daughter allergic



## cleverclogs7 (3 May 2009)

My lovely neighbours from hell has a beautiful cat long haired.but she keeps pooping and hanging around my back garden.my daughter has a sever allergy to cats.even if she gets a hair on her she gets very ill.i have tried water guns,plastic water bottles and tin foil in the garden to keep it away.any suggestions.


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## mathepac (3 May 2009)

Large dog? Sonic deterrent? Anti-cat sprays?


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## Darthvadar (3 May 2009)

Hi Cleverclogs...

Try contacting Dublin Zoo, and get hold of some Lion Do-Do's... 

A gardening pal swears by it... It works on the principle that the average domestic moggy will take one sniff, realise that it's got serious competition for its toilet territory and very wisely take itself elsewhere!...

Another thing is to put the peelings from citrus fruits in the garden... Lemons, Limes, Grapefruit, Oranges, etc... The seem to hate the smell...

Can't hurt to try either, and on the pluse side, both will add additional fertiliser to your plants...

Darth...


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## Armada (3 May 2009)

Know it sounds mad but soak Teabags in Jeyes Fluid and place around the garden.


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## g1g (3 May 2009)

you can a thing in b&q etc that omits sound (just like those ones for mice). I put slices of lemon all along flower beds and it keeps the cats out of the garden. Moth balls have also been recommended to me but I'd say they'd disolve in the rain.


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## Lex Foutish (3 May 2009)

Darthvadar said:


> Hi Cleverclogs...
> 
> *Try contacting Dublin Zoo, and get hold of some Lion Do-Do's...*
> 
> ...


 
When I re seeded my garden a few years ago, a friend recommended some product made from lions' wee wee, to keep cats away. Can't remember the name of it but I was interested to see your reference to lions' doo doos above.


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## cleverclogs7 (4 May 2009)

lol..funny.thanks for that.moth balls and lions poop out of the question as i have a 3 yr old.sprays wouldnt work because of all the rain we are having.ill try the lemons and limes and tea bags with Jeyes Fluid  which is like parazone right ?

Thanks every one.have a purrrrrrrrrrfect weekend


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## sam h (4 May 2009)

You could place the moth balls and/or lions poop on the wall, this way your daughter won't be touching it & it will mean the cats give your entire agrden & walls a very wide berth.

I've also heard that pepper &/or chilli sprinkled on the ground can deter them.  You probably need to try several things all at once so they learn that your garden is really a place they do NOT want to be.

You could also talk to your neighbour & tell him whats happening - I'd be very annoyed if my neighbours cat was pooping in my garden - thought I don't think my dog would tolerate it (we actually have no cats in our immediate area).  Maybe you could suggest that they litter tray the cat so do their business in the house.  I pick up after my dog - I don;t see whay cat owners should allow their cats to head into the neighbours (I believe they really don;t like to do it in their own garden)


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## Darthvadar (4 May 2009)

I agree with Sam... 

You can also put the poop etc. inside plastic drinks bottles which have been pierced several times with a darning needle or suchlike to allow the odour out... You can place the bottles on their sides in the areas that the furball prefers, and let the trespassing mog have the message delivered loud and clear!... Superglue the lids on if you can't trust Junior not to get at them!... 



cleverclogs7 said:


> l
> 
> Thanks every one.have a purrrrrrrrrrfect weekend


 
I'll try as hard as pussible 

Love...

Darth...


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## S.L.F (4 May 2009)

Another way is to put a few drops of tea tree oil onto dry tea bags and sprinkle them around the garden.

They really hate teatree oil


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## Paulone (5 May 2009)

sam h said:


> You could also talk to your neighbour & tell him whats happening - I'd be very annoyed if my neighbours cat was pooping in my garden - thought I don't think my dog would tolerate it (we actually have no cats in our immediate area). Maybe you could suggest that they litter tray the cat so do their business in the house. I pick up after my dog - I don;t see whay cat owners should allow their cats to head into the neighbours (I believe they really don;t like to do it in their own garden)


 
Would think twice before doing this - even if you liked your neighbours. It would be understood that while an owner must take responsibility to control a dog - i.e. keep it in the garden - its a great deal harder to do this with a cat because they are well able to climb and squeeze through v.small holes. 

Thinking about what's reasonable to do, I believe it would not be thought of as reasonable to ask that neighbours 'control' a cat and may create bad feeling.

This means the onus is on the OP to catproof their garden to the greatest extent. Make sure any hedges are lined with sturdier chickenwire that's pegged to the ground at close intervals, plug up fence gaps and as far as possible, move items away from the partition with the neighbour's garden that would enable the cat climb easily down. Cats can jump and scale walls with ease, but why make it easier!

I only know the citrus oils suggestion, cats (and dogs) positively hate citrus and it does work. 

Shoo the cat out of the garden at every turn so that it understands if anyone appears in your garden, it's role is to disappear.


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## Eng Car 1 (5 May 2009)

I had the same problem. But a few weeks ago I was in B&Q and spotted a hose pipe sprinkler that has a sensor in it. It is absolutely great. Takes 4 batterys and connect up to hosepipe. Absoltely great and humane way of dealing with them.


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## cleverclogs7 (5 May 2009)

Thanks but as i mentioned sam,i have the neighbours from hell living next door.And cant wait till my lease is up to move.6 months and counting.was thinking for caterpulting the cat poor back into there garden


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## sam h (5 May 2009)

Cleverclogs - sorry, I missed the bit about them being neighbours from hell




> Would think twice before doing this - even if you liked your neighbours.
> 
> I believe it would not be thought of as reasonable to ask that neighbours 'control' a cat and may create bad feeling.


 
Paulone - I have to disagree, I don;t think it is at all unreasonable to ask someone to keep a cat off your property. I'm not a cat lover (don't mind them, but couldn't eat a whole one), but my OH & one of my kids is terrified of them.  Why should I happily accept someone elses cat wandering into my garden & doing their buisiness.  I'm very lucky I don't have this problem as none of my neighbours seem to have cats


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## johnd (5 May 2009)

We recently bought a sonic cat deterrant because a family member has a phobia about cats and it works a treat.  We too had a cat come into the garden and sun herself on but since we bought the deterrant no sign of her. We tried all the other folk remedies but this is the only thing that has really worked. Good luck


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## purrfect (7 May 2009)

hmmm, some redress required here on behalf of the poor feline, OP, I notice from other posts you have made, that you seem to have only recently moved to this house (Dec 08) .

I myself have two cats, and as such I know a little about cat behaviour, I presume you moved in after your neighbours? as such I'll assume they have been there a while longer than the 6 months you've been there 
(and I'll assume that for winter you didnt use garden much so this is only a recent issue). 

Cats are very territorial and creatures of habit and if the cat is used to having your garden as its terrorirty you have quite a task to persuade it that your garden is no longer its domain. 
Some of the things mentioned above may work, the automatic/sensor garden sprinkler being among the best suggestions (as cats mainly come out at night, so this way you can politely shoo the moggies away even when your asleep). 
Also ensure you no have nice soft soil for it to use as a litter tray. 
Cats hate it when they can't bury there business. If you do have flowerbeds/vegatables with exposed soft soil cover them with netting (This will also help to keep birds away), and keep your grass short.

The best solution for these type of scenerios is to get yourself a cat (but I'm a tad biased!!). 
I note you say your daughter is extermely allergic though. 
It has been my experience that cat allergy's are often in the mind and get confused with phobias of cats/animals/furry things. 
I had a neighbour who claimed her daughter was allergic, but it turned out the kid was just scared of animals, a behaviour it learnt from its highly strung mother who had an animal phobia, 
once the kid got used to my cats she completely changed from this gibbering screaming scared child to actually liking them. Still working on the mother though.

Either that or get your daughter down to the doctors, as if she really is that allergic, then chances are she is allergic to a multitude of things and not just 'single cat hairs'.

I'd also defo not recommend throwing poop over walls! 
thats just asking for trouble! 
Espiecally if there are other cats around other than the neighbours from hell one. 
Do you expect this one neighbour to take responsibility for all the cats in the neighbourhood?

Also a chat with the neighbour may help, depending on how you word it. Surely they can't be that hellish? they are cat lovers after all!  
or are they a bikers gang or something like that? (in that case poop over the wall really big no no!! rofl)


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## Swallows (7 May 2009)

Hi, all cats are different and what works with one wont necessarily work with another. The easiest thing to do is set up a recording of a dog barking in your shed ( might also annoy the neighbour ) make it a large dog and play it as often as possible. Cats wont come near a garden where there's a dog barking.


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## Ancutza (7 May 2009)

I'm allergic to cats too.  Can't stand the little sleazy creatures of the devil! 

What you need is a tin of kitekat and one of these.  Let your daughter pull the cord for added entertainment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBb7KReY6Eg&feature=related


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## g1g (7 May 2009)

purrfect said:


> Also ensure you no have nice soft soil for it to use as a litter tray.
> Cats hate it when they can't bury there business. If you do have flowerbeds/vegatables with exposed soft soil cover them with netting (This will also help to keep birds away), and keep your grass short.


 
I love gardening and don't see why I should have to have netting over my garden just because someone can't leave a litter tray out for their cat.



purrfect said:


> It has been my experience that cat allergy's are often in the mind and get confused with phobias of cats/animals/furry things.


Come see me when I've been around a cat. Looks like i've gone 10 rounds with Mike Tyson and its the only time I need an inhalor. DEFINITELY not in the mind!!



purrfect said:


> Surely they can't be that hellish? they are cat lovers after all!


oh please!!


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## Jack2008 (8 May 2009)

"Either that or get your daughter down to the doctors, as if she really is that allergic, then chances are she is allergic to a multitude of things and not just 'single cat hairs'."

So the OP should go to expense of going to doctor even though she is sure that her daughter is allergic so that the cat can come into her garden and do his business!!! I'm sure there is logic to this somewhere, I must be just missing it!

My son is extremely allergic to cats and cat hair! His eyes swell up to three times their size and his air ways begin to block until we get him away. An allergy is a serious medical condition and very different to a fear!

To the OP, I don't have the answer to keeping the cat away but perhaps if you try some of the solutions listed above and they work you might post it up here so the rest of us can beneifit from it! Good Luck


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## Caveat (8 May 2009)

g1g said:


> I love gardening and don't see why I should have to have netting over my garden just because someone can't leave a litter tray out for their cat.


 
It's not as as simple as that.

We have litter trays (inside and out for our cats) but it doesn't mean they will always use them - if a cat needs to go, do you really think s/he is going to walk 100M or so (or maybe even a few km) to use a tray? 

They are animals - they will just go unless the tray is pretty convenient.


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## Purple (8 May 2009)

I had a problem with a neighbour’s cat defecating in my garden in my last house. The dirty little creature used to slink into the house the odd time as well. Then I saw it in the garden I “encouraged it to leave” with the yard brush. That did the trick for a few days but the stupid vile thing used to come back and leave its grey slug-like excretions around the place within a week. I asked the owner to keep it out of my house and garden. For some reason they asked me how there were expected to do that. I said I didn’t care how they did it as it was their cat and as such their responsibility but if I caught it they would never see it again. No more cat problems.


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## Caveat (8 May 2009)

Purple said:


> I asked the owner to keep it out of my house and garden. For some reason they asked me how there were expected to do that. I said I didn’t care how they did it as it was their cat and as such their responsibility but if I caught it they would never see it again. No more cat problems.


 
I'm curious now. You should knock on their door and ask them what they did. 

Seriously, I think people's cat hatred is strongly influencing this garden defecation problem.

Dogs do it too - more often IME. And rats/mice/birds/badgers/foxes...

In fact the dog situation is much worse IMO in that owners are not supposed to have them off the lead - but they do. Often.

At least cat owners are not under this obligation.


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## g1g (8 May 2009)

my OH *loves* cats but is was more obsessed about trying to get neighbours cat to stay out of our garden than I was.  Its horrible when you're spent loads of time, effort and money to do up a garden only to find 3 mounds every morning and footprints all over the place from a cat.

I agree about dogs not supposed to be off the lead and that the situation can be much worse but this is usually in public places rather than private gardens


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## Loaded1973 (8 May 2009)

Caveat said:


> I'm curious now. You should knock on their door and ask them what they did.
> 
> Seriously, I think people's cat hatred is strongly influencing this garden defecation problem.
> 
> ...


 
Cats Defecating in the garden is worse than any other animal due to the possibility of children picking up Toxoplasmosis.

I actually love cats and had two in a previous life, before I had my son, who is severely allergic just like some previous posters. Not a plesant experience for an adult let alone a small child. 

Cat ownership does have responisiblities and saying cats do what they like is a cop out in my opinion. Our cats were litter trained both were over two years when we got them. so anything is possible.

The water options work for us, sometimes my husband uses a water pistol!! mind you I think more for stress relief than anything else.
just my two cents!!


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## baldyman27 (8 May 2009)

cleverclogs7 said:


> guns


 


cleverclogs7 said:


> caterpulting the cat


 


Swallows said:


> large dog


 


g1g said:


> Mike Tyson


 


Loaded1973 said:


> pistol


 
Some excellent suggestions here to deal with the horrible creature. May I also suggest a shoulder-mounted rocket launcher to ensure a satisfactory and satisfying result.


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## Caveat (8 May 2009)

Loaded1973 said:


> Cats Defecating in the garden is worse than any other animal due to the possibility of children picking up Toxoplasmosis.


 
Well, I would say that rat urine/weil's disease would give them a good run for their money!

BTW as a cat owner I have no problems with cats being humanely deterred from other people's gardens. I'm not washing my hands of them, but I have to let them out and I honestly don't see any way I can prevent them from entering other people's gardens myself.

As it happens, it's not a problem for me or any of my neighbours - I live in a rural area and cats/dogs are running around crapping all over the place as are rabbits/foxes etc. I'm not that bothered and no-one else seems to be. Life IMO.

I'd be genuinely interested to know what Purple's neighbour did though- unless he just simply doesn't let them out anymore.


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## truthseeker (8 May 2009)

The lions doo doo or urine works not because its a lion - its because of the testosterone. Any urine with testosterone should work for territory marking, so get a bloke to wee around your garden and mark the territory, but remember, the scent will weather away so it will need to be refreshed on a regular basis.

Of course cats are pretty sly and smart, so I doubt territory marking will work long term anyway because if the cat knows the garden is empty it will come back in, safe in the knowledge it can probably climb faster than you or any other human.

What about large plastic bottles filled with water around the lawn, supposed to work because the refraction of the light makes the cat think something is moving there?


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## Purple (8 May 2009)

Caveat said:


> I'd be genuinely interested to know what Purple's neighbour did though- unless he just simply doesn't let them out anymore.


I don't know and now I wish I'd asked them but it would be a bit strange to ask them now as I moved about three years ago. (Maybe the cat was run over and they thought it got into my garden and I'd killed it)


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## Vanilla (8 May 2009)

And if all else fails there's running after them and trying to kick them up the This post will be deleted if not edited to remove bad language. Good exercise and humane too ( since you rarely, if ever, connect).


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## Vanilla (8 May 2009)

Purple said:


> Maybe the cat was run over and they thought it got into my garden and I'd killed it)


 
So you're the neighbour from hell then.


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## allthedoyles (8 May 2009)

We bought a 'cat scare' last week from a door salesman............It came from  www.betterware.co.uk 

It cost € 6.79 and seem to be working


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## cleverclogs7 (8 May 2009)

Purrfect..........lot of nonsence thank you.
Daughter is on 3 types of meds and has a reaction thats so bad that she often lands in hospital.I on the other hand am a cat lover.But must keep my daughter away from them.shes been to the doctor thank you.many doctors and has had a total of 5 tests since she was 2 months old.
my youngest child isnt scared of cats.she just has no interest.

about throwing poop over walls.I was kidding.
your post made me fume .sorry ,but allergies are NOT always in THE HEAD and maybe im the highly strung mother your talking about.(the mind wonders)im not highly strung.I'm a mother would hates seeing her child ill.


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## Ancutza (8 May 2009)

Just give me 5 minutes in a locked room with anyone who tells me that my cat allergy is 'all in my head'.

I nearly died in South Africa from an allergic reaction to cats in the house where I stayed. 

From now on, as far as I'm concerned, the only good moggy is a dead moggy. Preferably one which has been deloused (it's the mite sh1t that causes the problem) and then run over by one of those american 18 wheeler rigs.

I'm not kidding when I say I point the car at them on the road when I see them crossing. Haven't got one yet but here's hoping!

As you might gather I don't like cats!


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## cleverclogs7 (8 May 2009)

Ancutza said:


> Just give me 5 minutes in a locked room with anyone who tells me that my cat allergy is 'all in my head'.
> 
> I nearly died in South Africa from an allergic reaction to cats in the house where I stayed.
> 
> ...


 
You are 100% correct,its the mite that causes the problem or dandruff as i call it.PURRFECT really had me in a rage with that idiotic jabber.

Cat allergies are no joking matter.she/hes more than welcome to vist my daughter when she has a reaction,gasping for breath and watching the red rash appear all her her body.


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## Purple (9 May 2009)

Vanilla said:


> And if all else fails there's running after them and trying to kick them up the This post will be deleted if not edited to remove bad language. Good exercise and humane too ( since you rarely, if ever, connect).


LOL  


Vanilla said:


> So you're the neighbour from hell then.



I just sit on my sofa in the front garden watching the world go by, what's the problem?


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## Petal (9 May 2009)

There's a fencing system for keepin cats in a garden and preventing them from roaming outside, surely the same system can be applied to keep them out? http://www.purrfectfence.co.uk my partner's mother's workcolleague got one of these and it wasn't too expensive. Might be worth giving consideration if your daughter suffers this badly...


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## purrfect (13 May 2009)

cleverclogs7 said:


> Purrfect..........lot of nonsence thank you.
> Daughter is on 3 types of meds and has a reaction thats so bad that she often lands in hospital.I on the other hand am a cat lover.But must keep my daughter away from them.shes been to the doctor thank you.many doctors and has had a total of 5 tests since she was 2 months old.
> my youngest child isnt scared of cats.she just has no interest.
> 
> ...



um, I didn't say they are always in the head, I said often, big difference in my mind, I do know allergies can be serious. I have a couple of friends with serious peanut allergies, none have moved into a house beside a peanut farm/factory though, as they have a bit of common sense.  I was talking about my own experiences not yours,Try reading again. 

I made the assumption that someone with such a serious allergy wouldn't knowingly move right beside a long haired cat, and by the sounds of it asking a couple of neighbours or just being around the area for a little while would have identified there were cats around.


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## clownie (14 May 2009)

Purrfect,

It would be very hard to live anywhere in Ireland and not have a cat near you. You could spend a lifetime looking for such an estate and not find one...common sense as you said yourself???


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## purrfect (14 May 2009)

well then , don't live in an estate !!


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## Jack2008 (14 May 2009)

Purrfect - Have you any idea how ridiculous and unreasonable you sound?????

I mean how "stupid" of the OP to buy a house when there is a cat near by??? In fact, she should just sell her house (at a loss) and get out just so long as the cat it not put out or disturbed.  Or the cat could just "mysteriouly" disappear?


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## Cayne (14 May 2009)

I know this sounds crude but I have heard it does work. If you manage to catch the offending cat, dip his nose in his you know what - apparently he wont be quick to come back to re offend.

Otherwise have your garden hose on the ready and give him a good soaking. Cats hate the wet!


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## casiopea (14 May 2009)

Cayne said:


> I know this sounds crude but I have heard it does work. If you manage to catch the offending cat, dip his nose in his you know what - apparently he wont be quick to come back to re offend.



As far as Im aware that is actually an old wives tale.

OP, the poster who said cats are territorial is right - getting the cats to stop will unfortunately take a while and repeat attempts until they adopt a new territory.  I would approach your neighbours (from hell or otherwise) and explain you are taking (humane) steps to prevent their cats from entering your garden due to your daughters very real illness and ask them to help on their side.  They need to encourage the cat to establish a new territory.  Cat nip would help with this (you could perhaps approach htem with a bag of cat nip from a pet shop). If the neighbour would put down catnip in their own garden or allocated litter tray the cat would be attracted to it. At the same time you can use somesort of humane repellant - I like the water sensor thing but it may be expensive (have you tried any of hte pet shop stuff? I think there is something called "get off" that is meant to be good and wont break the bank) to make your garden (their perceived territory) less attractive.  Be you a cat lover, hater or indifferent; they are acting to their instincts (as oppose to being purposely evil) so you need to manipulate those instincts.

Good luck
cas.


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## Sherman (14 May 2009)

Cayne said:


> I know this sounds crude but I have heard it does work. If you manage to catch the offending cat, dip his nose in his you know what - apparently he wont be quick to come back to re offend.


 
Aside from that being a complete old wives' tale (unsurprisingly, animals don't understand the concept of cause and effect), you've obviously never tried to hold/catch a cat that doesn't want to be held. Try doing what you suggest - but only if you have plenty of bandages nearby...


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## Cayne (14 May 2009)

Sherman said:


> Aside from that being a complete old wives' tale (unsurprisingly, animals don't understand the concept of cause and effect), you've obviously never tried to hold/catch a cat that doesn't want to be held. Try doing what you suggest - but only if you have plenty of bandages nearby...


 
I have 2 cats, they re domestics cats not lions . And believe me cats are intelligent, they do actually have a concept of cause and effect despite your expert knowledge.


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## Sherman (14 May 2009)

Cayne said:


> I have 2 cats, they re domestics cats not lions . And believe me cats are intelligent, they do actually have a concept of cause and effect despite your expert knowledge.


 
I have cats too. Animals do not have the intellectual capacity to make the associative leaps that humans can - they cannot think in the abstract. A cat will not know_ why _you're shoving its face in its poo, just that you are and it hurts. You may succeed in scaring the cat into not going into your garden again, but it won't make the intellectual connection between pooing in your garden and your unhappiness. For this reason this treatment is similarly regarded as ineffective and cruel when toilet-training a puppy.


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## g1g (14 May 2009)

purrfect said:


> um, I didn't say they are always in the head, I said often, big difference in my mind, I do know allergies can be serious. I have a couple of friends with serious peanut allergies, none have moved into a house beside a peanut farm/factory though, as they have a bit of common sense. I was talking about my own experiences not yours,Try reading again.
> 
> I made the assumption that someone with such a serious allergy wouldn't knowingly move right beside a long haired cat, and by the sounds of it asking a couple of neighbours or just being around the area for a little while would have identified there were cats around.


 
how would you know that a neighbour to be had a cat or a non cat owner might not sell there house 2 days after you moved in to someone who owned a cat?  Ah really!!! Are you one of those people who has 20 cats living and taking over their house and no human contact?!? Come back to the real world!


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