A row over cat poo has gone to the High Court after a father complained about a neighbour’s pets doing their business in his garden.
Richard Williamson, 31, wants a judge to legally ban his neighbour’s two cats from his garden to stop them fouling his lawn.
He complained over the mess Suzanne Parsons’ pets make because of health risk concerns to his children.
Mr Williamson said he was worried about risks posed by ‘recurring fouling’ to their newborn who will soon be playing in the garden of his house in Bedwas, Caerphilly.
The father’s case was launched after a judge heard the cat mess ‘had been going on for some months and that various humane methods which he had tried had been unsuccessful’.
Court documents show the plaintiff emailed his complaint to the council in October 2024, saying he had tried to resolve the issue with a neighbour.
Judge Milwyn Jarman KC said: ‘He also said that he had attempted to engage with his neighbours who owned the cats but the fouling was continuing.’
In an email to the court, Mr Williamson said: ‘I understand but cats have a right to roam; however, they do not have the right the cause a statutory nuisance or pose an environmental health risk.
The father’s case was launched after a judge heard the cats’ mess ‘had been going on for some months and that various humane methods which he had tried had been unsuccessful’ (stock photo)
Mr Williamson said he was worried about risks posed by ‘recurring fouling’ to their newborn who will soon be playing in our garden of their house in Bedwas, Caerphilly (stock photo)
Join the debate
Should pet owners be held legally responsible for the mess their animals make in neighbors’ gardens?
‘I have collected CCTV footage that clearly shows the two cats fouling in my garden on multiple occasions, and I believe this evidence substantiates my claim.
‘Furthermore, being able to prove the two cats from the same household are to blame add significant weight to my complaint. The cats are fouling on a weekly basis, and I’m exhausted from repeatedly clearing up after someone else’s pets.
‘This issue has severely impacted my mental health and the enjoyment of my property. I wake with dread each day wondering if there is yet more cat mess for me to have to clean up.
‘As a parent of a newborn who will soon be playing in our garden, I am particularly concerned about the health risks associated with cat faeces.’
The judge said the ‘essence of the challenge’ was that, rather than assessing whether the fouling ‘amounted to deposits prejudicial to health’ under Section 79 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the council had focused on how the cats were kept and on the common-law right of cats to roam, instead of determining whether a statutory nuisance existed.
