Cats fouling in garden?

Question

My neighbour is having problems with cats fouling in her freshly dug soil. What 's more, it could be my cats that are doing it! Anyone know of any remidies for such a problem?

Answer 1

I have this same issue... I have found the best luck with two different approaches.

One - make it not attractive to them by way of smell. Almost all cats will snift the ground before they find a place that is to their liking. I've used moth balls, they worked but what I found to be the best deteriant was sprinkling cayanne pepper around. i purchase the cheapest bottles of cayanne pepper (finly ground) and just gave the entire area a dusting. The kitties do not like this!

I also then "mulch" my freshly gub soil with hay and/ or shredded newspapers. They provided a cover for the soil that that cats don't like to dig through and the hay and paper is biodegradeable so when it comes time to plant those areas again, I just turn the hay or paper into the soil, plant and recover again. I have also used burlap bags as a cover/ mulch around established plants, it also cuts down on my weeding!

Good luck!

Answer 2

Cats cannot stand the smell of citrus. Buys some lemons or grapefriuts and spread a couple of handfull of the peels on top of the soil. Do this every other week or so.

Mothballs work too, but they stink awful. Cirtus smells good and doesn't harm the soil.

Answer 3

I've had this problem in the past and placed mothballs in the garden. No more cats. I have railroad ties outlining my garden and have tried bleach sprayed on them. It does work but you have to constantly spray the bleach. I prefer the mothballs. They last longer than bleach. Depending on the zone you live in, you could try a plant that's sharp i.e. a cactus like prickly pear. You could also put sharp rocks or broken glass around your plants. Just be careful when you dig.

Answer 4

I've also heard of sticking plastic forks into the ground with just the tines sticking up. Cats will not step on the sharp tines. There has to be a fairly thinck border of them, or the cat will just step over them.

But really, cats should be inside, as you probably know already.

Answer 5

My husband and I just put three brand new raised beds in our yard this year. We have a cat living next door who thinks he rules the neighborhood. He tried claiming ownership of my vegetable beds, and I wasn't having that. We tried everything under the sun, until one of my husband's co-workers told him how to fix it for good.

This is no joke. Save your money. Have a man pee in a jar, first thing in the morning. Keep spreading it around the outside of your garden until you've made it all the way around.

This has even kept the deer and rabbits away.

Cats are territorial. They'll compete against another cat's urine. But they won't go up against a human's.

Answer 6

Moth balls! They hate the smell. Also there are produdts available at your local pet store and garden shop. If it's your cats try putting a kitty litter pan some where in your own yard to encourage them to stay closer to home.

Answer 7

Yes and it is very simple and helps the cat as well!
Keep your cats inside!
Inside cats are healthier, less exposure to disease & wild animals & dogs. No cars to worry about! etc etc.
It is actually illegal in my city to let a cat out of the owners yard without a leash controlled by a human. Just as it should be.
Do your neighbor, your cat and yourself a favor and keep your kitties inside.

Answer 8

there are special mats you dig under a thin layer of soil, the mats have soft spikes on them that the cats don't like to step on. you can cut them to size(the mats, not the cats!) and it doesn't effect your soil or flowers.

Answer 9

Other than tieing up a pit bull in her garden? Not much. LOL. I have heard of people using ammonia, but that attracts them. I have also heard of moth balls, that deters just about everything. Try it, they're cheap...

Answer 10

usually cats dig before they do & cover it . it their habit. however u cannot toilet train a cat like how u do for dogs. u have to chase the cats whenever they come to your garden.