What can I use to keep cats out of my flowerbeds and out from under my trailer?

Question

I just recently moved a new trailer onto my lot, and I want to keep the cats out from under the insulation until I get the skirting up.... I have heard that using vinegar and orange peels works, or using mothballs but I want to know if there is anything else that may help. My neighbor has 9 cats and while I have contemplated a bb gun, I cant be that mean.

Jeffry C I admire your creative ideas but while I am TEMPTED (I said I can't do it). .. well thanks for the effort, you at least made me laugh.
On the serious side I would board it up if I could but Ive already sunk a lot of money into this thing and I just want to keep them out until I get the skirting up. I never knew moth balls were toxic its just what my great gram used in her flowers but my trailer is 16X 80 and that's alot of moth balls. I m hoping something out of these ideas work. .. Im going to give some of them a try, but I am open to other suggestions (humane ones please)

Answer 1

Hi there...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

Someone mentioned Coleus plants, there's a specific type called "Scaredy Cat" or "Dog Gone". The rest won't do anything.

I used to work in a garden center and we had a HUGE problem with feral cats using the greenhouse for a toilet (no clue how that started!) It smelled AWFUL! Nothing worked, not mothballs, not the cat repellant granuals we sold, nothing.

One of the problems is that if there is ANY cat pee or poo left behind, they'll keep coming back. You gotta go pooper scoopering and also get the top inch or so of dirt out and THEN put down the repellants for them to really be effective.

I have had pretty good luck putting carpet tack strips down in my flowerbeds, just under the mulch. Kitty can walk through the bed unharmed, but if she starts trying to dig out a potty hole, she scrapes her paws and takes off. Like you said though, big trailer, that's a lot of strips!

Answer 3

Well do not try to use a bb gun on them, that will only get you in major trouble and you could face animal crulty fines and/or a trip to jail.

So now that I have gotten that out of the way, one way to keep them out of the flower beds is either by putting orange peels in the soil or aluminum foil works really well because they dont like the feel of it. As for under the trailer theres really not much you can do you can try orange peels, but cats are very curious and naturally want to explore everywhere. The only "real" way to keep them out is by borading it up. Get a few wood boards and place them all around the trailer so they cannot get it. Hopefully this helped!

Answer 4

You can borrow my BB gun! Actually, a low power one ($17.00 at Wal-Mart) applied to the rump of the cat is a good deterent! Look for around 200-300 feet per second (fps). It shouldn't draw blood but will remind the cat not to go near your place.

Pellets will kill a cat so use BBs which are cheaper.

Try not to let the old lady see you shooting the cats.

Another way is to get an electric fence ($40 at Tractor Supply). Wire it up with an open can of tuna so that when Mr. Whiskers licks the tuna, Mr. Electricity licks the cat!

Or get a HAV-A-HEART trap for the cats. Again use tuna. After you trap the cat you can take it to the pound or use a blanket and a hose running from the exhaust of your car.

Or you could dip trap and all into a large barrel of water, but that seems meaner than just having the cats go to sleep from the carbon monoxide from the car.

Do you or your neighbors have small children? If so do NOT put out bowls of anti-freeze as dogs and cats will drink it and go to dog or cat heaven!

A water pistol filled with amonia or vingar when shot in the fact gets the cats attention (and is somewhat fun).

Small mouse traps will whack their noses, but should not stick. Use strong wire to keep kitty from stealing your traps if they use their paws first.

Answer 5

I have the same problem since I lost my dog. I have put lots of short sticks where next door's cat has made a toilet and it has stopped it pooping there but no doubt it will find another patch. It has made pruning my rosebed a minefield though! Never know what I am going to step on. Funny how dogs can't behave like that but cats can with no punishment to the owner.

Answer 6

I used cayenne pepper when I lived in a trailer in NC. It worked well, but has to be resprinkled around the trailer after a rain.

Check with a local vet for other safe alternatives. You could also try using different ones in different areas.

Good luck! I feel your frustration.

Answer 7

neighborhood outside cats are such a pain....I tried dumping cayenne pepper all over...it helped for awhile. Jean Nate is supposed to be a deterrant also. Currently, I am dreaming of cat traps...poor cats it isn't their faults, but they can become a real problem

Answer 8

Maybe use some chicken wire for under your house, or some scrap link chain fence. For your flower beds, maybe PLANT some peppers. Please don't use a BB gun. Even if you weren't aiming for them, you could hit them. My dad's cat was killed with a BB gun by our neighbor.

Answer 9

Cayne pepper mixed with water soaked in cotton ball or the same thing with vinger

Answer 10

Maybe with pepper (that's my real answer).

An other solution would be to listen to Thai music at a really high volume ;-p
If you want to try check this website for Thai radio:
http://mog.software.free.fr/Thai/Radio.html <-- Thai radio

I think that certain songs are perfect for making your cats go away ;-p