Cats again!

[onefivenine]

I have now resorted to sticking chopsticks (disposable type ) into the border I am having most trouble with in the hope they jab their little catty behinds when they try and squat. Not sure what I'll be doing on the driveway though, as this is where they move to when I keep them off the border.

My neighbour has done a similar thing after lion poo failed. I'm just worried that one of my cats could impale himself if he jumps from the top of the fence into the flower bed.

[Rabidbun]

My neighbour has done a similar thing after lion poo failed. I'm just worried that one of my cats could impale himself if he jumps from the top of the fence into the flower bed.

I figure that the sticks are only the equivalent of having pruned shrubs in there so the cats should avoid them fine from being used to jumping under and around bushes and trees outside. I am cultivating a nice bramble in the back garden though (apparently the rose and bramble cuttings can keep em off rather well)! Have you tried setting aside an area with catnip and some nice dry soil in your border for your cats to use (perhaps even moving some of their poo in there to give them the idea?) - they might totally avoid your neighbour's spiked bed that way if you are really worried?

I've got to spend the evening digging cat poo out again in any event, so the sticks aren't totally the answer - one of the cats that uses my herb border as a toilet has a rather small arse it seems and has pooed somehow inbetween four chopsticks *head-desk*.

Had any luck yet repelling your pooing visitors Sonata?

[onefivenine]

I've actually just been in next door to water their garden while they're away, and the sticks look harmless enough.

They've painstakingly 'weaved' for want of a better word, a series of garden wire between all the sticks, to sort of restrict the pathways through the shrubs and plants. It's really quite intricate, but it does appear to work on my stubborn cats, after the usual other methods failed. And as the wire is green, it's not even noticable until you are up close.

Maybe give you an idea sonata?

[irisgirl]

The coleus canina plant will work, however, I don't recommend smelling it yourself. We sold them last year at work and the whole polytunnel stunk of the stuff. It made me feel really sick and dizzy!!

In our garden, I find citrus peel scattered about deters cats or a very big german shepherd.

[Lemon]

I don't rate the stick idea. We tried that before the netted panels were built. Hubbs idea was to stick twiggy bits and stuff in the veg beds. Needless to say it didn't work. That's why he made the panels.

Coleus Cannus (or something like that) Scaredy Cat plant. I told my cousin about this as her garden is her local kitty litter tray. The plant stank and although it grew well - she was also rewarded an especially large deposit from her friendly neighbourhood cat!

[Sonata]

I bought 6 plug plants from ebay 6 x Coleus Canina or Scaredy Cat Plug Plants on eBay, also Perennials, Plants Seeds Bulbs, Garden Plants, Home Garden (end time 06-Jul-09 21:50:03 BST) - ordered yesterday, arrived today.

I've planted them in pots and put the pots around the garden...and, risked removing the netting! So we'll see what tomorrow brings. Fingers crossed.

I tried orange peel. They pooed right between that and the tea bags. The rotters!

[theusualsuspect]

This may just be my cat, and the suggestion may not be for everyone, but human urine seems to work quite well (I know, disgusting thing to do, but I tried it as someone told me it would put off foxes round chicken coops).

The other thing I tried was holly branches spread across the area where new seeds were put in, and that also seemed to work a treat, but not so well as the above.

[vikkib]

I bought 6 plug plants from ebay 6 x Coleus Canina or Scaredy Cat Plug Plants on eBay, also Perennials, Plants Seeds Bulbs, Garden Plants, Home Garden (end time 06-Jul-09 21:50:03 BST) - ordered yesterday, arrived today.

I think I got some from the same supplier. Have potted them on and will see how effective they are.

The coleus canina plant will work, however, I don't recommend smelling it yourself. We sold them last year at work and the whole polytunnel stunk of the stuff. It made me feel really sick and dizzy!!

I like the smell!

Eventually, I spent £20 on an ultrasonic emitter thing that detects motion and the cats haven't been back since.

I got one of these too and it did seem to deter the cats from the area it covered as they still used the areas directly outside that as a loo.

Downsides: The batteries ran out in 48 hours and I can hear it too (I think my ears must be broken!)

[Rabidbun]

Downsides: The batteries ran out in 48 hours and I can hear it too (I think my ears must be broken!)

Not the only one, those things give me a headache! O_O I think I may be part cat or mouse judging by the frequency listings. Which setting did you try it on that worked - I have tried a few on mine but there's a huge range to work through still.

[IgglePiggle]

I remember I put net over my flower bed when I dug it over, it must be about 6x12 or something, anyway the cats had a crap on the net!!! It wasn't even where net sagged in the middle but the bit where it was off the floor

[OllieMartin]

I bought one of those ultrasonic scarers, it has reduced the amount of feline attention the garden's been getting, but yesterday I watched a moggy walk infront of it and barely twitch when it went off. Obviously some cats are immune.

I've resorted to putting hessian, bricks, netting and rolls of chikenwire over any bare patches of earth in the garden. Today I noticed 'someone' had done a cack right in the middle of my lawn.

I keep a BB gun in the kitchen draw which gets them off the garden pretty quickly, but they tend to do their worst at night.

It's a war I think I'm never going to win

[vikkib]

Not the only one, those things give me a headache! O_O I think I may be part cat or mouse judging by the frequency listings. Which setting did you try it on that worked - I have tried a few on mine but there's a huge range to work through still.

Mine doesn't have different settings.

I got this one:

SONIC CAT DOG ULTRASONIC REPELLER PEST CHASER DETERRENT on eBay (end time 09-Jul-09 13:18:24 BST)

It mentions 'dog' in the title too but I was looking after my Mum and Dad's little hound over the weekend and it didn't bother him one little bit!

[Sonata]

ARGH! I thought the plants were working as we've not had any trouble since we got them.

However, as I was pegging out the nappies...I smelt a smell (and it wasn't the nappies).

Has anyone got any recipes for cat pie?