During the past few months there has, rightly, been a lot of discussion about the awfulness of dog faeces being left in public places by irresponsible owners.

During the past few months there has, rightly, been a lot of discussion about the awfulness of dog faeces being left in public places by irresponsible owners. To date, no mention has been made about the similarly offensive habits of cats. These animals are usually anonymous, extremely territorial and are often allowed to roam at all times of day and night. We are among those responsible dog owners who do take great care to clear up after their hound. We do not have a cat in our household. Unfortunately for us, it seems that at least one local cat has adopted our small garden as its personal toilet; there is a suspicion that others among the local felines have adopted both the front and rear gardens as their preferred territories and perform their toilet at night while we and our dog are sleeping. Both our gardens are being ripped apart by these wretched visitors; bulbs, seedlings, young plants alike are destroyed by these nightly visitors. Their owners are unknown to us; certainly not among immediate neighbours.While we do not condone the cruel shooting of cats with an air-rifle (recent front page news of incidents in Littleham), we do not have any liking for the wretched creatures that seem intent on destroying our gardens. Covering our flower beds with anti-cat netting is unsightly and expensive. The planting of "cat mint" is of uncertain benefit and we prefer roses, tulips, etc. Covering our gardens with lion or tiger manure would offend our neighbours, as well as get up our own noses! Electronic gadgets are expensive to buy and prohibitively so if three or four of these gadgets might be needed to give adequate coverage to even our small gardens. In any case, it is likely that such electronic gizmos would affect our dog too. Does anybody else suffer local cats? And, apart from air rifles or other equally cruel remedies, has anyone discovered an effective means of keeping cats out of their gardens? Clive Graham,Parkside Drive, Brixington.