At least I think its cats. I found evidence of animals in my flowerbed on several occasions and I’m getting tired of cleaning it up. Is there anything I can do to keep them away without hurting them or the flowers?
Fence (chicken wire).
My mom sprinkles a cayenne pepper-based hot sauce around her garden, which seems to do a good job keeping cats at bay. Something cheap like Crystal should work fine–they hate the smell.
Get a dog.
If you need to get rid of the dog after it gets rid of the cat[s, it gets kind of complicated But it has been done before.
Shotgun if you live in the country.
Catnip.
Fence - Not practical
Dog - Did you miss the part about not cleaning it up?
Shotgun - Did you miss the part about not hurting it?
Catnip - Wouldn’t that attract cats?
Hot Sauce - I’ll give it a try. Thanks!
I have heard that making a seperate, cat friendly garden will lure them out of yours. A garden with catnip, catmint, and sandy soil, with equal amounts of shade and sunshine.
It is reputed that cats don’t care for citrus and that leaving the peels of such will keep them at bay. I haven’t had much luck with this method.
I am actually heading out to the nursery here in a bit to buy a laurel tree; my plan is to stick toothpicks up in the container.
The laurel tree is going to be about the extent of my garden, so take my advice with a grain of salt.
Put it in the *neighbor’s * yard.
Hissssss :mad:
If the cayenne doesn’t work, there are commercial products designed to keep unwanted feline visitors at bay. You should be able to find several kinds at your local pet store.
Don’t be terribly surprised, however, if none of them work. Cats are like kids…trying to keep them out of an area tends to make them more curious, determined, and sly.
Now that I think about it, there was one method I have heard of that seems pretty effective. All it requires is a mini boombox with a remote control, and a CD of barking dog noises. And good timing.
Yes, I did, sorry.
Dry cayenne works well too, and would probably last better if you get rain. Try an Indian/SE Asian market or a bulk-food store, much cheaper than those little jars in the supermarket.
First of all, dig around in the dug up area…I wear a pair of rubber gloves…and find the crap that was left. Get rid of it. Plastic bag into the trash. Cats have a tenancy to return to the scene of the crime. Sprinkle moth flakes in the area, and re cover the hole. Never failed for me. They were frequenting a 12’ by 8’ area along side my walk, so I sprinkled the moth flakes all over that area. Problem solved.
I noticed a funny thing. I have 4 fifty foot white pine trees on the side of my house. Grass never grows under them, but the area is packed with dead pine needles…very soft…and If I was a cat, I’d love to take a dump there, but, they avoid it. The pine smell chases them. I read to place fallen pine cones around an area. It worked for me.
Okay. I mixed some cayenne pepper w/ mustard powder and sprinkled it around the area. Let’s see if that works. I like the moth ball and pine cone ideas too. I’ll add some of each just for insurance.
Thanks all.
BTW -** ltfire** - is that 161st & river in the Bronx? I grew up on 181st & Vyse. Small world.
Cats were constantly napping on my porch chairs, leaving hair all over the cushions, and one day I mentioned this to the little old lady who lives across the road. She suggested sprinkling fingernail and toenail clippings on the porch steps. I laughed. She didn’t. I tried it. It worked.
A trap and a trip to animal control always worked fine for me. You can convince yourself that the rightful owner will show up and pay the fine for loosing (as in loose, not lose) their cats, and they won’t be put to sleep.
Get a SportKa
My ‘Location’ is in homage to the most famous address in the Bronx. Think about it.
I can’t believe no-one’s mentioned bottles of water!
When you’ve finished your two-litre bottle of coke (or whatever) rip the label off and fill it with water. Do this with several bottles and place them in strategic places in your garden. Cats will stear clear.
I haven’t the foggiest Idea why this works but it does.
Bottles of water? I thought that (didn’t) work for dogs, not cats.