Some time ago, the Cornish Times drew public attention to a campaign against dog fouling in public places. I am one of those who benefited from that very successful campaign. I regularly see dog owners cleaning up after their pets and no longer constantly have to keep eyes down to watch where I tread. For that I am very grateful. Now I raise another issue – I would love to see legislation restricting the number of cats any one household can own. It is springtime and I should be enjoying my garden. But I am not. And I wish that cat owners would recognise that their furry friends are likely to be someone else's nightmare. I enjoyed my garden pond with its goldfish. But when a neighbour's cat started its fishing expeditions there, I found that whatever I did, nothing kept the cat away for long. When the fish were reduced to a depressingly few in number, I reluctantly resorted to netting in the pond. I paid for the net, not the cat's owner. The net looked unsightly. I filled the pond in and build a rockery there instead. The cat's owner commented, with a laugh: 'Now I'll have to start feeding my cat.' My sense of humour deserted me. I resented having to re-model my garden because of his cat. My garden should be filled with birdsong and the sight of blackbirds and sparrows feeding their young. I would like to feed the birds and attract them into my garden. But I know that doing so is inviting them to an early death. This year there are no young. A neighbour's cat quickly latched on to the nest full of blackbird fledglings in my camellia bushes. A garden hose sent it away a few times, but I can't spend all day, every day, protecting a nest, and the nest and fledglings were destroyed. The sparrows and finches have shared the same fate. Sometimes, I have to bury the grim remains. There are so many cats around and this year hardly any young birds of any species. The person living next to me is rarely in his garden and I have no access. All too often, I can hear cats killing birds, sometimes over a long period of time, and there is nothing I can do about it. Cat owners say: 'Cats are so clean, they bury what they do.' Do they think that is a good thing? Mostly I have to wear garden gloves, but when doing delicate work, like planting seedlings, I have to be careful not to end up with a handful of cat faeces. And cats don't always bury what they do. Before I mow my lawn, my first task is to take a spade and dispose of the evil smelling cat mess deposited on it. I recognise that cats play an important place in lives. They are cute, cuddly and affectionate and a valued member of the family, particularly to those who live alone or are isolated. But I would ask cat owners to remember – you can own cats or be a considerate neighbour. You can't be both. And I, for one, feel that a restriction in the number of cats any one household can own is called for.

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