[kdabbler]

Does anyone have any suggestions on keeping the neighborhood cats from using my little vegetable garden as their litterbox? The sparrows taking dust baths in it is one thing - I just need to keep it damp and they're put off. But the cats? I know catnip attracts them but is there a repelling herb I can plant?

 

[NatureMama3]

fence it with fencing they can't climb (such as chickenwire) or fence the dog in with it? (ok, so the dog would do damage too)

we're trying to work that one out too!

 

[lmonter]

As soon as my catnip plant(s) is/are big enough, I plan to plant them out in the front yard away from the garden, and maybe in a weird far away corner in the back yard. I don't know if it'll work though, still working on getting the seedlings big enough.

I also tried forks (plastic, tine up) out by my lettuce, but the cats dug around them so two-thirds of my lettuce seeds weren't allowed to germinate, darn cats.

 

[Jenn_M]

Well, a quick spray in their direction with the hose works well

you really don't even have to get them wet), but you have to be out there to catch them in the act. We have the same problem and somewhere I read about putting sticks in the ground close enough together and tall enough that they can't walk around. That seems to be working ok for now.

 

[dillonandmarasmom]

Plant any kind of mint. Works wonders and looks and smells great

.

 

[cravenab00]

get some piss off plants!

Seriously, thats what they are called!!!

http://www.richters.com/Web_store/we...=3183962.27845

Havent tried it, but heard they are wonderful!

 

[OakBerry]

Chicken wire fencing works for me.

 

[serenetabbie]

Oh man lmonter, the forks didn't work? Shoot. I read somewhere that putting chicken wire on the ground works, since the cats can't dig but the plants can grow through the holes.

 

[russianthistle]

My cat was digging and perhaps peeing in my garden plot...I put cayenne all over the spot where he "visited" and he hasn't returned. This also works for cats who pee in one spot around the house. I suggest sprinking cayenne around the perimeter of your garden or on the fence that they jump upon (if that exists).

I know that forks work quite well for potted plants...at least in my experience.

 

[Rhiannon Feimorgan]

My mom swears by her motion detector sprinkler. It goes off whenever something walks in front of it.

I jave found laying branches especially prickly things like rose prunings over exposed soil has detered them. It makes it hard for them to walk accross or dig.

 

[Sadystar]

Tiger poo - apparently

Wouldn´t you go elsewhere if you thought there was a tiger about?

Do you have a zoo nearby?

 

[Erin M]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dillonandmarasmom Plant any kind of mint. Works wonders and looks and smells great .

Any mint other than catmint! I have a dedicated cat garden with a bunch of catmint, its pretty and the cats are so busy with it they leave my other gardens alone. I am unable to grow catnip, no matter how big the plant or what I do to protect it they get too excited and kill it.

I've had good luck planting wood skewers around plants. if they aren't deep enough my fat cat will just knock them over. Unlike plastic forks if they break off the bits will eventually rot.

 

[silly_scout]

Mint works well, but please don't use cayenne pepper. It's extremely painful if the cat gets it in its eye - cats have been known to scratch frantically if the pepper gets in their eye, even blinding themselves.
Or, if you really want to be nice, plant a big plot of cat grass in another part of the yard for kitties to play in.