Cats digging up raised beds

[maverick451]

Hi

This year ive made 6 more raised beds but as soon as I put soil in them the cats around here big them up, is there any alternative to netting each one?

[Penellype]

Cats are a pest when they decide to use your garden as a litter tray, and there are several which appear in mine from time to time. I find it depends a bit on the cat. Until last summer, when new people moved in next door, I found short twigs poked into the soil vertically at intervals deterred the cats from digging - presumably they don't like being poked by the sticks. However the new neighbours brought with them a ginger cat which seems completely impervious to sticks, simply digging them up along with the plants. He also likes to walk along the fence and jump down onto the soil, which usually means onto the veg garden.

I've resorted to placing "prikka strips" on the soil between rows of onions to stop him flattening them, and these do seem to have kept him off the onions. I'm reluctant to attach these to the top of the fence - they wouldn't keep him out of the garden anyway as there are other ways in. I also tried orange peel as cats are not supposed to like the smell, but this didn't work at all. The only way I have found of keeping him off new seedbeds is to cover them with nets or fleece.

[Nicos]

Maverick...there are absolutely loads of threads relating to this problem if you put cats into the search facility ,top right,
Some really helpful advice too...worth reading them all

[kathyd]

In the UK before we had cats ourselves I used to buy something you watered on your garden across the areas a cat might use - I can't remember what it was called, but if they still do it, it'll be with the pest control products. It did actually seem to work. I've also read about people who scatter holly around, which seems like a possibility if you have access to lots! But like others, I now use debris netting on all my beds at least until the plants are big enough to fend for themselves.

[BUFFS]

the old assured way of keeping cats off your garden was always for the gardeners (male) to pee into a bucket then sprinkle just a small amount (you wont smell anything but cats can) around each side of the area and that's it for about a month, unless it rains all the time. I was taught this by my granddad when about 7/8 and even though we are surrounded by neighbours cats I get no trouble from them, they walk up the drive but don't go on the garden.....

[solway cropper]

the old assured way of keeping cats off your garden was always for the gardeners (male) to pee into a bucket then sprinkle just a small amount (you wont smell anything but cats can) around each side of the area and that's it for about a month, unless it rains all the time. I was taught this by my granddad when about 7/8 and even though we are surrounded by neighbours cats I get no trouble from them, they walk up the drive but don't go on the garden.....

That's interesting. I've always put a lot of pee on my plot and it makes no difference to the local cats. the only way I can keep the b****rs off is by covering newly dug/seeded beds with wire netting.

[Penellype]

Apparently lion dung is effective. Finding a supply could be tricky though, unless you have a pet lion.

[BUFFS]

That's interesting. I've always put a lot of pee on my plot and it makes no difference to the local cats. the only way I can keep the b****rs off is by covering newly dug/seeded beds with wire netting.

do you put it around all the sides you want to protect as if you leave one side untouched the little dirtfactories will use that side as an entrance and it also helps me that I know which way the prevailing wind blows and dose the upwind side a bit heavier, its worked for me in 5 gardens in the last 35yrs so I will keep using this way of keeping them off..

[BUFFS]

Apparently lion dung is effective. Finding a supply could be tricky though, unless you have a pet lion.

aren't you near flamingo land? they probably sell it as if I remember correctly they do have lions..

[Python15]

the old assured way of keeping cats off your garden was always for the gardeners (male) to pee into a bucket then sprinkle just a small amount (you wont smell anything but cats can) around each side of the area and that's it for about a month, unless it rains all the time. I was taught this by my granddad when about 7/8 and even though we are surrounded by neighbours cats I get no trouble from them, they walk up the drive but don't go on the garden.....

Deffo gonna give this a go! A) It's free. B) It seems to work! One daft question though, is it a first thing in the morning pee or any time of the day?

[Penellype]

aren't you near flamingo land? they probably sell it as if I remember correctly they do have lions..

Quite a way from flamingo land here - getting on for an hour in the car. That's a bit far to go for something that may or may not work, if they would give me it.

[BUFFS]

Deffo gonna give this a go! A) It's free. B) It seems to work! One daft question though, is it a first thing in the morning pee or any time of the day?

from what I was told all those years ago it has to be male pee, for some reason female doesn't work..

[BUFFS]

Quite a way from flamingo land here - getting on for an hour in the car. That's a bit far to go for something that may or may not work, if they would give me it.

I was given some quite a few years ago from a midland animal park and it does work but you can smell it...uuuuuugggghhhhh...

[BUFFS]

with raised beds ,I keep mine covered with netting (steel) until the crop is big enough to block any gaps, or treat each individual bed, a pain but successful...