Parking and Poop: The Biggest Nextdoor Neighborhood Drama in 50 Cities

pcmag.com:

Keeping the peace with your neighbors can be tricky, and anyone who has joined their community's Nextdoor group knows people have a lot of opinions. But there are a few types of issues that really get people going, a new study of Nextdoor posts reveals.

The analysis, conducted by Regional Foundational Repair, evaluates content from 58,735 posts and 354,972 comments in 50 of America’s biggest cities. By considering over 200 keywords and grouping similar words—say, "bark, barks, barking, and barked”—the study creates categories such as "barking complaints."

Speaking of barking, the top most-discussed topic across all cities is dogs, followed by cats, and then parking. For the increased number people working from home, barking could be particularly bothersome. The cities with the noisiest pups are Raleigh, Oakland, and Virginia Beach.

Dogs bring another not-so-welcome addition to the neighborhood: poop. Residents across the country commonly complain about owners not picking up after their furry friends. Arlington, Texas; San Diego; and Washington, D.C. have the top three highest complaint numbers (and likely, the smelliest shoes after a walk).

Cats also cause quite a stir on messaging boards, though for different reasons. "With a natural sense of curiosity and independence, cats are commonly seen wandering around neighborhoods, strolling through gardens, running across the streets, and exploring every nook and cranny," the study reads.

Outdoor cats, particularly feral ones, can inspire some adorable posts with their litters of kittens, which they can have as often as two to three times a year ("Anyone want this kitten?"). The study found that cities tend to mention "feral" and "kittens" at similar rates: Fresno, Oklahoma