Whether you love your neighbors or battle with neighborhood rivalry, one thing is certain—having a neighbor cat pooping in your yard is never a good thing.
Read on to discover why your yard attracts your neighbor’s cat and how to deter it humanely.
Reasons Why a Neighbor’s Cat Poops in Your Yard
Your neighbor’s cat is likely choosing your yard to poop because of favorable conditions. Cats prefer soft soil for pooping. That’s because they dig in the ground to bury their feces, which allows them to mark their territory.
So, if your yard has any of the following characteristics, your neighbor’s cat will see it as a bathroom.
- Sand
- Mulch
- Fine gravel
Unfortunately, this means that your neighbor’s cat might use the garden in your yard as a restroom.
Unlike composted manure, straight-up cat poop isn’t good fertilizer for plants and grass. Cat poop can also contain parasites, yet another reason you should want to stop your neighbor’s cat from pooping in your yard.
How To Prevent Your Neighbor’s Cat From Pooping in Your Yard
Depending on your relationship with your neighbor, your first step might be to speak with them to see if they’re willing to help stop their cat from pooping in your yard.
But we understand that not all neighbors will be receptive to such a conversation, and some cats are 24/7 outdoor animals.
So, below are some strategies you can implement to deter your neighbor’s cat from pooping in your hard without hurting them.
Motion-detecting Lawn Sprinkler
Cats aren’t a fan of water or surprises, so installing a motion-detecting lawn sprinkler in your yard is one of the most effective ways to stop them from pooping on your property. It’s an initial upfront investment, but your grass will benefit too.
Use Citrus Smells
Cats have 200 million odor sensors compared to a human’s mere five million sensors. That means they’re even more sensitive to smells they don’t like, which happen to be citrus.
So, sprinkling orange and lemon peels around the area where they poop can be a great way to deter them from your lawn.
Harness the Power of Ammonia
Cats use the scent of urine to know where other cats have marked their territory, signaling them to pee in the same place. Therefore, some people find it beneficial to designate an area of their yard with a litter box where the neighbor’s cat can defecate, using ammonia to entice them.
Lay Down Chicken Wire
Placing check wire over the areas where your neighbor’s cat goes to the bathroom in your yard has a double benefit—cats don’t like walking on it, making it hard for them to dig. Just be sure not to leave the wire on your grass on hot days to avoid burning it.
Stick Barriers
If there’s a small area of your yard where your neighbor’s cat always poops, placing sticks rising vertically from the ground can help. You’ll need to put the sticks close together so that the cat doesn’t have space to dig and turn around to poop.
Be Mindful of Cat Attractants
If you have a dog that leaves bones around the yard, trash cans that a cat can climb into, or a low-hanging bird feeder, these items could attract your neighbor’s cat. So, do your best to make your yard uninviting to cats.
Keeping Your Neighbor’s Cat Out of Your Yard
Regardless of your chosen method, the strategies above are humane ways to keep your neighbor’s cat out of your yard. With any luck, you’ll soon return to having a poop-free yard.