Keeping out the cats

[rogesse]

My own cat is the worst culprit despite having a litter tray, but at least she's too nervy to leave her own garden so my neighbours don't hate me!

Sadly she found the Coleus I bought really interesting......(she's a bit mad).

I have the cats in the greenhouse problem and foxes (I found ticks ) so I like Chris's design.

[lettuceleaf]

I have discovered that reed screening totally defeats cats. Staple some along the fence so it is at least 2ft higher than the fence. It is too flimsy for them to climb, but at the same time, they can't see through it clearly enough to be able to judge where to jump over. Don't leave any gaps though. My local cat managed to squeeze through a 4" gap I left between a fencepost and the gate, so now I stretch and tie a loose piece across this spot, and undo it when I want to use the gate. Since then, my garden has been a cat-free zone.

Thank you Mothhawk. I shall put reed screening up and will see what happens. I found another bunch of small white fluffy feathers mixed in with a larger grey one and think my one and only collared dove (there seem to be so few about nowadays) has been caught.

[baldrick]

Funny enough I love cats though dont have one myself (5 killed on the road is enough for anyone). However the last 2 nights my chooks have woken me up because a new cat is sitting on top of the run. They seem to sense it and flap like mad. This morning at 5:45 the girls were out and made a right racket warning each other so I had to let all 5 dogs out, pouring out like a furry river barking (they cant reach the top of the chook run but cats and pigeons dont know that). Cat scarpered up the neighbors horrible leylandi tree, got stuck, yowled but wouldnt come down coz of the dogs. I had to then shut the dogs in and wait til the cat got down and scarpered before I could let the girls out of the run and the dogs out of the kitchen. While it sounds funny I know Im going to get some black looks from the neighbors. I also know this particular cat went into the run the other night (I forgot to close it up, but luckily they were roosting waiting for dusk so they could troop indoors and raised hell). Im not concerned he will kill awake chooks, and cant normally get at asleep ones, but Im getting a mite concerned he may be big and silly enough to injure one. Currently one dog is on cat/fox duty at all times, which means I have to lean stuff against the fence so said cat can get out quick if needs be. Im going to invest in some carpet grip on the roof of the chook run. Its currently lining the tops of the 7ft fences dividing our garden from the public footpath. It was actually to keep out thieving chavs (if they dont like it they can sue me), but the cats no longer sit there either. Now if thieving chav gets hurt I can in all honesty say its there to deter cats, safely at the top of a 7ft fence where no one can accidentally hurt themselves officer..........

[lettuceleaf]

Having read pages of cat stories and suggestions, I am resigned to the fact that somehow or another cats will continue to get into my garden, to pee and to poo -and to get at my birds.

I shall still endeavour to keep them out and have decided to buy a high-powered water gun. At least I shall have the satisfaction of squirting them.

Baldrick I liked your missive - you should write a book!

[BroadRipple]

Hello fellow sufferers...I've had the same garden/poo (not greenhouse) problem and it's foul, isn't it...particularly when you're growing food, and have kids, and a pair of friendly nesting blackbirds, and just don't like unpleasant mouldy stinking surprises in your carefully tended soil...
BUT this year it's been better than previous years. I use a combination of the following:
- electronic cat scarer - don't know how useful it is.
- chilli powder - yes, not nice I know, but neither are incontinent cats
- thorny branches round edge of my plot, among seedlings, in obvious gaps in fencing...not great to work with for me, but (I hope) makes life worse for them.
-sprinkling areas they've pooed in with strong smells e.g. tea tree oil
- and recently, following my father's slightly insane pigeon-scaring technique, I squirt the odd one with a HUGE water pistol. My family laughs, but it's quite satisfying...
So, Louise etc, I think any combination of this is worth a try. One question though...we're thinking of getting a cat. I know - don't even want one, but long story. I'd heard that they, er, donate only to other people's gardens, but it sounds as if they also do it in their own! oh no...are outdoor litter trays no help?

[bishop]

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[BroadRipple]

I wasn't suggesting shooting them with an airgun! Not at all. But I really don't think a squirt of water hurts them.