[alang]

Not sure if this is the correct section as it involves my raised vegie beds, so admin please move if incorrect.

I have planted out quite a lot of veggies this season in our raised beds. And they were/are growing nicely.
But i have a major problem with next doors cat coming in and digging up said beds and veggies to do it's dirty smelly business.
Now i know that unfortunately cats have the 'right to roam' rubbish protecting them but i for one do not think that gives them the right to defecate in my garden. My neighbours are next to useless about the situation. It's their 'prized joy' and little tiddles cannot do no wrong.

Obviously these days i/we have to do things humanely to try and stop the cat so i would like to open it up to yourselves for some solutions. I work all day so am rarely at home when the cat does it's thing. I've heard there is some sound device you can use but i have dogs and don't know if it would annoy them too (i could switch it off when they are outside i suppose).

Any advice?

[in the hills]

Netting/wire around the veg patch?

[alang]

Tried that. Had chicken wire around it but it can jump in off the fence and then can jump back out too. I don't want to have to make something so high that i have to put it up and take it down every time i want to get access to my veggies. That would kill any joy i have in what i am doing in the first place. The netting has been up to keep out pigeons and will go back up on the brassicas for the butterflies. Just not at the moment.

[doganjo]

I've had to totally fence in my own veg, and flower garden - but not because of neighbour's cats - my new pup was running in and out of the raised beds, chased by his 7 year old auntie. 

Damned dogs were getting me down, my blood pressure was going through the roof.  I used posts and plastic coated wire stapled round the sides, with bean netting on top.  Bean netting can be lifted at the corners wher I've left the roll ends as gates.

Peace now reigneth and it only cost me £20 and an afternoon 

[cans]

cats are supposed to dislike citrus so i bought 4 lemons.  Unfortunately the were starting to go mouldy by the time we got them to the allotment by which time the mice had eaten the peas so i pushed the lemons into the ground at the end of the rows alternating with some onions ( onions seems to work with the beetroot as mice were munching on them till we ringed the beetroot)  Anyway the cat at this point hadnt visited but the law of sod came into play and the cat eventually visited a different raised bed so mouldy lemon pushed in where it had been.  OH been on watering duty of late and doesnt think cat has been back.

Conclusion:    try "planting" some lemons and see what happens

[Fleecewife]

Jet Spray Cat Repeller By PestBye® £28.99 (primrose.co.uk)


Cats hate getting wet.  Normally I would recommend a water pistol but as you're not there all day, this movement activated sprayer looks good.  One of my sons has exactly the same problem with a couple of neighbours' cats so I'll suggest this to him too.  It has the extra advantage of watering your plants a bit.  A water spray is a perfectly humane way to discourage cats - I love cats and I would not suggest something bad for them.  It would make sense to suggest to your neighbours that they dig a sand pit for their cat, and keep it cleaned out and hygienic so the cat doesn't have to use neighbours' veggie beds, with the accompanying risk of spreading some rather nasty diseases.

[doganjo]

It would make sense to suggest to your neighbours that they dig a sand pit for their cat, and keep it cleaned out and hygienic so the cat doesn't have to use neighbours' veggie beds, with the accompanying risk of spreading some rather nasty diseases.

My cat lives inside overnight.  she is not allowed out until she has poo-ed in her litter tray.  I know she only does one a day from when she lived in all the time.  She only goes out if it's sunny

[Richmond]

I would go with the citrus option if you are not going to be there to use a water spray. Peel a few oranges or lemons and place peel at various places around your veg patch.

I've used this method in the house to stop kittens peeing and pooping in places other than their tray, while trying to litter train them. It works.

[Lesley Silvester]

When I had the goats, I found mulching with half rotted manure overwinter kept the cats off. Now I only have a little manure left and it's well rotted so no smell of goats so I laid cardboard over the beds, weighted with bricks in the corners. This year I have planted my courgettes in holes cut out of the cardboard and the cats don't use it, although I have seen next door's cat sitting on the cardboard.


I like the look of those sprays. After a while, the cats would probably not bother to come in.

[Alex_]

I have a thick large blackberry that I use for protecting part of my garden that seems to work.
I have also found if you let them get close to the patch and chase them they will stop coming in after a while. You have to really go after them though not just a little scare but sprint like you are going to catch them.