How do I keep my neighbor's male cat from using my flower bed as a litter box?

Answer 1

Hi David...Aside asking your neighbour to consider keeping their cats indoors, there are non-toxic ways to try and deter cats.

Common odours that are effective deterrents for cats are:

Citronella works best for cats as well as citrus scents such as orange or lemon (primarily towards cats), cayenne pepper, coffee grounds, pipe tobacco, lavender oil, lemon grass oil, citronella oil, peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil, and mustard oil.

"Havahart's Cat Repellent" uses capsaicin pepper and oil of mustard as its active ingredients. It repels by both taste and odor, has a lemon scent.

Every animal responds differently to each of these. Some will not be phased by them and others will be quite revolting.

For training purposes they are applied on items that are to encourage avoidance behaviours and not for use with a squirt bottle as they could harm the eyes or respiratory system. Test each substance and observe to see which works as a deterrent so that accidental injestion does not occur as some could then be fatal.

Coleus plants can be effective, but every cat responds differently so it is uncertain without experimenting.

Many people believe mothballs work, however they are considered toxic and should NOT be used. Here's more information on this:
http://www.cvm.uiuc.edu/ope/enotes/showarticle.cfm?id=89
MOTHBALLS are toxic to cats which contains the ingredient Naphthalene. Mothballs are approximately twice as toxic as paradichlorobenzene, and cats are especially sensitive to naphthalene. Signs of ingestion of naphthalene mothballs include emesis, weakness, lethargy, brown-colored mucous membranes and collapses. Paradichlorobenzene mothballs may cause GI upset, ataxia, disorientation, and depression. Elevations in liver serum biochemical values may occur within 72 hours of indigestion.

Answer 2

Tell your neighbor to keep his cat inside because he's using your yard as a litter box. There are some parasites that can be transmitted from the cat's stool to humans and you shouldn't have to be subject to it.

If he can't get into your flower bed, he'll find somewhere else to go. He doesn't know any better.

Answer 3

Keep the soil damp/moist. Cats hate muddy feet.

You can also get a product called SSScat...it detects motion of the cat, and then sprays a horrible smelling mist (very loudly too) toward the cat. (not cheap)

You can also collect all the poops, put them in a ziploc bag, and drop it off on your neighbor's porch, with a note such as "I believe this belongs to you" attached.

People who let their cats mess up other peoples lawns and gardens are rude and inconsiderate!

Answer 4

I guess you get fairly some abuse - I did whilst asking a question approximately neighbour appropriate puppy problems. The generall element replaced into don`t be so petty, love thy neighbour, that style of element! Pepper dirt ought to deter the cats. in any different case use a bathing up liquid bottlle and squirt them with water - it doesn`t harm them in any respect yet basically gets the message by way of, good success, different peoples puppy administration or loss of it quite is a reall undertaking.

Answer 5

i threaten the neighborhood cats with a water hose; if i spray in thier direction they will run without me having to spray them and i won't feel bad. After 2 or 3 threats they tend to steer clear of my house.

thier are motion detector sprinklers which will train everything to stay out of yard in no time (plus it works while your not there).

My favorite garden pest deterant is crushed cocoa shells. You can buy them for mulch at some garden centers. It is very rough and cats won't walk on it in my experience. It is also excellent for keeping slugs and snails at bay as they won't cross it either. Best of all it smells like chocolate for weeks!!! ---but don't use if you have a dog as they can become quite sick if they digest it.

Answer 6

You could keep the flower bead some where were the cat will not be able to get it or you can get this flower called cat nip and put it some where. the cat will more like likely go eat the cat nip and not go to your flower bed

Answer 7

Tell your neighbor to stop letting his cat out. The cat could get run over by a car, after all, and it's killing neighborhood birds.

Answer 8

Is it hurting your flowers? If not... why do you mind... the kitty is fertilizing the flowers.

:-D

No but I have heard that if you sprinkle pepper around an area that you do not want them to go into it will stop them. Don't know if this is true but hey its worth a shot.

Answer 9

the double sided tape suggestion usually works - or try burying some aluminum foil or sandpaper just under the soil surface. the next time old tom visits, he will really be unhappily surprised by the feeling under his paws and likely not return.

Answer 10

Cut up some lemons and spread it around your garden. Cats will not usually do their business around the smell of lemons.