I have just, this minute, made my voice heard at the apartment complex where I live in respect of garden weedkillers being put down without a thought for cat companions.
I was sitting at my desk and noticed – and smelled – a chemical being sprayed on the lawn. I asked Michelle to go out and ask if it was “pet safe”. I asked her because I wanted to ensure there was peace in the community. When it comes to protecting my cat, I tend to be too direct and use plain language that some people find hard to digest. They see me as a crazy cat man.
As nothing happened I went out myself and asked. The gardening contractor working for a hired company, who was spraying chemicals on the lawn in lines, said that it was not safe for cats and that it would kill a cat. I asked when would it be safe. He said in about one hour. But can I trust him? The sun is shining. Doesn’t the chemical have to be washed into the ground by rain to guarantee safety? I do not know.
Then the head gardener turned up, who happens to be one of the flat owners, and I made my feelings known. What are my feelings about this?
Well, committees or managing companies who are in charge of managing the maintenance of condos and blocks of flats or apartments should factor in companion animals when instructing contractors (businesses) to maintain gardens. The often don’t.
It is not good enough to say in relation to cat safety that, “nothing has happened for years”. Or, “I don’t know of any cat that has been hurt by weedkiller”. This is not good enough because often people won’t know if cats are being poisoned by weedkiller. No one is keeping records and frankly not many people care.
The cat is particularly vulnerable to garden chemicals because she licks the chemical off her paws and belly. Cats also eat grass they brush against plants. This adds significantly to the concentration and amount of chemical ingested.
A committee who run a complex of apartments should ensure that all chemicals used in the communal garden are cat and dog safe – and child safe too.
If they don’t do that they are open to being sued for compensation for the loss of a companion animal. In my case, if my cat was killed or hurt by weedkiller on communal gardens, I would never forgive myself and someone would pay a heavy price. It would be big negative in my life.
People living in apartments should make sure that people in charge of garden maintenance are thinking of cats when they put down obnoxious chemicals on the lawn to make it look better. I hate chemicals. People do this to make a lawn look attractive. What is more important: an attractive lawn or a poisoned and dying cat? Well, for most people, the lawn is more important.
There must be some “pet safe” weed killers. If there aren’t and if people insist on putting the stuff on lawns be very careful on behalf of your cat.
Earlier post on the subject: Lawn Treatments. And Toxic to Cats.
Agreed. This is it. Charlie was one step away from being poisoned as far as I am concerned. The patio door was open because it was a warm day. He could have wandered outside if I wasn’t keeping an eye on things (as usual ;)).
Fearsome 😉 Yes, let’s say they got the message and I am damned for eternity as a mad cat man. Great. I am already known as a mad fox man who feeds foxes…..help. If you love nature you don’t fit in.
I believe and hope that the committee who manage the apartments, from now on, bring into their decision making the welfare of the beautiful companion cat who lives here and wanders through the place, rather than ignoring him/her.
There is also lots of other wildlife here. They need to think of these creatures too.
I think we can agree that Marc hates lawns. Put that in the Book Of Facts.
I am sure your lawn is normal – just cut grass basically. I can accept that 😉 LOL
You mention the hedgehogs and worms quite rightly Barbara – actually I feel really sorry for them. We need them – it’s an ecosystem and we should just care about them anyway. If we hurt nature we hurt ourselves ultimately. I happen to like hedgehogs alot from when I was very little – we had them – a familly in our garden and I liked them alot. I also don’t have anything against worms or insects. Most of all I like weeds. I actually find many of the native plants in a region that grow the strongest are quite beautiful. In my garden in Canada I made good use of what was already growing there – even mint and lavender – I ‘organised’ the weeds ever so slightly and let them grow tall and had my little path and clearing. The weeds are the plants that grow in a region and I believe they are the most important. Nature put them there specifically because in some way they form an important part of the balance.
In the end it’s simple – nature is beautiful and I try to work with it, not against it, and that’s not a tactic, it’s just because I like it the way it is.
Barbara I thought of your beautiful garden and I actually guessed that you probably didn’t use harsh chemicals because not only would you be protecting your cats but I know you and Ruth are very concious about the environment and animals and – well, I just guessed it. It’s nice to lie on the grass. When I was in Canada there were some insanely perfect lawns though, not like yours with daisies dotted around, but like perfect square edged green carpets. It’s the same people who chop down everything to get more light. Argh. I love trees. I’d love if a tree would grow a big leafy branch right into my window so I felt like I was in it. But that’s me.
Grass grows naturally and most gardens have it – I just had a rant without being specific. There are many people who don’t bother doing too much like wasting huge amounts of water and weed killer on their grassy bits and I don’t mean them – I mean the Nazi Lawn Culture!