how do you get cats to stop pooing all over your garden and digging up the plants?

Answer 1

I have two suggestions. Firstly, my aunt's garden was being regularly visited by the neighbour kitty cat posse and they used her flower beds as an outdoor litter tray. Not particularly nice hot in weather especially when you try to host a garden party for your office! She then bought some green two litre bottles of Sprite or spring water and once they were empty she filled them with water and placed them in the flowerbeds. For some unknown reason the cats hate them! They absolutely detest the sight of these things and they avoid the flowerbeds like the plague. I honestly don't know why they dislike these things but it worked well for my Aunt's bougainvillae and honeysuckle! (The bottles have to be green apparently otherwise it doesn't work).

Secondly, if these are neighbourhood cats and you don't want them anywhere near your garden try contacting your local zoo and ask them for some lion or other big cat crap. I'm serious if you lay that around your flowerbeds the neighbour kitties won't dare come near your garden because they will be petrified of what might be living in your garden. To them they will think something large, powerful and hungry has moved in and claimed your garden as its own territory and will not want to enter your backyard in fear of becoming lunch. The smell of the poo to the human nose is not so bad either much like horse poop and your roses will love it!

Answer 2

Your cats or neighbour cats?

If your cats, you could make a small area that is especially for them - gravel would be attractive to them. A water pistol aimed at them when they go to the wrong place would deter them, but make sure they don't see you doing it.

Sounds silly but grow more plants - i.e cover the ground well, so they can't get at the soil. Net areas where new plants are, or use overturned wire hanging baskets to protect newly emerging perennials.

Just a few ideas.