The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Growing => Gardens => Topic started by: Bobby on June 11, 2009, 06:26:54 pm
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We have a big problem with cats pooping everywhere in our garden. We have tried just about everything short of shooting them - we don't want to be cruel - any ideas how we can keep them away
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Hiya have been told chicken manuer pellet do the trick not tried them so don't know
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thought about getting a dog? or maybe create an area that they can use as a litter tray- a pile of sand maybe and they'll use that instead of the whole garden -worth a shot ;D
Lynne
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A dog does the trick especially one that doesn't like cats. Saying that have three dogs and a cat who get on fine, but interlopers this is a no go area.
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yep, thats what we find- in fact the cat is more aggressive than the dog in protecting her territory! and she uses a sand pile outside as her litter box so I know what area the kids can't play in.
but I do sympathise- a friend has the same problem and not happy with soiling every where, they atarted nesting in her newly planted tubs- the air was blue for weeks!
Lynne
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I have a problem with ferrel cats cr**ing in my onion beds ! (none of the other veggies interest them !) Have tried water pistols, pepper, dog (but he's a fanny - the only german shepherd I know who's afraid of cats!) So now I'm thinking it'll have to be the 'scaredy cat' plant or the lions dung pellets which allegedly keep them away - I'll let you know if i've any success ! ;)
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I have a friend who has a metal cat silhouette stuck in the middle of her garden - never has any problem with cats.
I've lost one of mine - a very pretty orangey pinky peach colour. Soft as putty, comes to her name 'Candy' if anyone is in Clackmannan at any time, have a look for her for me. She doesn't poo in veg patches lol I miss her a lot.
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I've just finished a book on cats that said cats origionate from the desert so there is nothing they'd rather use as a toilet than a pile of sand. It suggested putting the pile near the veg plot and apparently the cats would always s**t in the sand instead. I've been meaning to try it out for a few week now as I have the same problem with my onions. Needless to say I haven't got around to it yet so I'm not 100% sure it'll work but I thought I might as well share the news.
Good luck
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It wasn't chicken manure, Linz, but lion poo or pee like against foxes. I had a cat once that ate chicken manure pellets! I have the same problem with my own cat, wherever I've been digging, she's in...:&>
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We tried the lions poo - made no difference at all
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if you dont have any cats of your own why dont you try one of those sonic devices that are everywhere?
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Sand definately works.
We are always building or plastering something, and constantly need a pile of sand, the 7 cats we have use it as a loo, then we cannot plaster. So we now have to keep our plastering sand under cover.
So try a little sand pit, but don't put it too near the veg patch, put it near where they sleep, or they will just poo in both of them.
You could try putting a bag of cat litter on top of the sand if they were ever used to it, as the smell will attract them.
Julie
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Lion poo didnt work for me and it was quite expensive. Our dogs seem to do the trick (even with our own cat!)
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:( I don't think there anything that works to stop cats in my experience, have tried just about everything apart from a gun !!
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:( I don't think there anything that works to stop cats in my experience, have tried just about everything apart from a gun !!
You can borrow my Jack Russell if you like. He hates them on sight. Trouble is they sit on the shed roof and torment him. i wondered how my neihbours would feel if I let the dog sh*t in their garden >:(
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I have just come across some suggestions while browsing -
Coleus Canina - Scaredy Cat Plants - pot plants they dont like the smell of.
scatter cafetiere coffee grinds - apparently they dont like the bitter taste on their paws
a garlic based granular product you can buy in shops.
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A late contribution to the debate but for I have tried orange peel and found it to be minimally effective. I have quite a small plot in an urban area and I have resorted to fencing the perimiter it with 2' high chicken wire. In addition, I drape fine netting between the top of chicken wire and some inner bamboo sticks, to stop them simply jumping the fence. This is the only way to keep them out, and still the odd one finds a weak spot and gets in for a scooby.
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Get a dog??? ;)
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Or get a cat of your own - one with muscles that will mark the garden as his territory to keep other cats out, but go do his business in your neighbours! ;D
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A Black Widow can be quite effective Taters ??? ;D :farmer:
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coffee sounds good! My own cat annoys me just now as she loves freshly made veggie plots with seeds in them to mess up! she thinks I made nice loos everywhere for her! My garden looks like a white cloud with fleece everywhere... :cat: :cat: :&>
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We have 3 cats, I have litter trays in the stables, barn and the house and find the cats use them rather than my veg plot. Its what they have been used too and keeps me happy :) :cat:
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I have 3 cats and I use a mixture of netting, fleece and chicken wire to keep them off the veg beds.
Had the added bonus last year of having lovely caterpillar free veg!
I would agree that if you get a feisty cat of your own it will keep other moggies away. I don't think the lion dung, orange peel etc work
Lion pee would work - a lion peed on my brothers car wheel at the safari park and when he went home his doberman was terrified when it got a whiff! Itv was cowering and cringeing and would not come near the car! Daresay cats would be similarly affected. Sourcing the lion pee might however pose a bit of a problem! :D :D :D
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I found a large piece of fishing net washed up on the shore and cut it up and laid it on all my beds (after they were prepared for sowing). The holes are 4" squares and it even helped with spacing out the seeds, onion sets etc.
Not only has it kept the cats away but I can let the hens free in the veg bed without any trouble, as they won't go where they can't scratch.
In my experience, cats want soft soil where they can bury their doings, as being crafty predators, they want to conceal their presence. They will always head for bare, freshly dug earth.
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Taters as I have said before a Black Widow is very effective ??? :farmer: