[jennyb]

i used to like the creatures.  but when they  all over your beautifully, neatly and perfectly ordered freshly dug garden it makes me so 

we've spent the last week extending, clearing the front garden bed.  we've fought with holly and wysteria roots, dug down to the gravel and moved roses, an azalea, a bleeding heart.  Also planted 2 blueberries, moved another, planted 3 gooseberries and moved and ordered the raspberries.

it looked perfect.  over night an the holes and the nasty smelly piles are there.  2 nights and theres even bigger holes and even more.

what do i go for?  sonic thing - problem is nextdoor have a little dog, but if i pointed it towards the house it shouldn't be set off when she takes it for a walk.

movement sensor water sprayer thing? - but that would need attaching up to a hose i pressume somehow.

lion manure? worth the money or does that leave a worse smell?

water in bottles?  isn't that just a myth?  citrus? pepper?



the fruit will eventually have a cage around it but what to do in the mean time,  other than give up completely?

[soaplady]

Probably not much help, but our cat does the same thing in our garden (thought they were meant to go in someone elses!). She got shut in somewhere for two weeks when we moved here, when she found us she was skin and bone, and now doesn't go out of the garden.
I do put pepper down, but obviously when it rains it's no good, but I have found citrus works. I used to make a lot of soap, and have litres of essential oils so use those, but I would suggest orange or lemon rind, which will decompose eventually.
Sorry not much help I know. but you never know

Soaplady

[penance]

I use netting over our veg plot to keep our cats off.
Once things are growing they wont bother with it.

[johnnyboy]

I use hot chilli powder, available in bulk from any Indian supermarket, and quite cheap.

[RGManby]

I know the feeling well, have the same trouble here, I have seen various types of plants you can plant that are supposed to work, I think this option being better as its a permanent feature rather than reapplying stuff every time it rains. Plant called cat off or cat away I think I have seen before but never had chance to try it, will be watching this closely for further ideas though.  

[jennyb]

penance - i have enough trouble killing flies, the comment was certainly in jest hence the smilie.  like i say there will be a fruit cage but that won't protect the flower bed next door.

i did get one of those plants that cats dislike but price wise i think a huge bag of chilli powder which will probably be cheaper than pepper (thanks johnnyboy!)

like you say soaplady it trying to find something that will last despite the weather.

will chilli affect the growing/taste of my fruit and veg tho?

[Lady Lottie]

I'm not sure I like the idea of chilli powder....firstly "spicyhot blueberries"?? ech!   who knows....but secondly....have you ever got chilli powder on a sensitive skin area, or in a cut, or in your eye?  It really hurts!  Think it might be a bit cruel myself - imagining here cats getting it on their paws then rubbing onto their faces or licking it off.... :blink:  Just a thought.

[richyrich7]

I have two cats and yes they can be a pain, only real way I know how to keep them off any garden is to get your own  my Mums terrified of them and has those sonic devices that you can get from Wilko's and the like. They seem to work very well for her.


This topic comes up often so please remember that some of us keep them as very loving pets. No post advocating any harm eg Shooting or poisoning will be tolerated even in jest.
 So be nice please

[Stripey_cat]

We keep the ferals off by pegging down blackthorn and rose prunings over the seedbeds.  They aren't stupid, and rapidly find somewhere else to go!  You need to use good big branches or briars, though, and remove them before they start to rot, or you'll be picking bits of thorny twig out of your fingers forever.

[Carol]

They don't seem to like holly prunings laid over the site.  I notice you said you had holly  - could you cut a few sprigs and lay it over the soil? 

I sympathise because I have this problem both at the allotment and at home. 

When I have fresh new soil in my planters at home, I insert lots of upright sticks until the  plants grow through. It stops them climbing in to do their business, but rather spoils the look of things as well.

[jazzbyrd]

I have a sonic cat deterrent device too. They seem to work the cats never hang around for long if they do come into the garden. If you keep the device in the same position I have noticed that the cats find the best way to avoid it.
If you move them around the garden periodically they are even more effective. I need another for the front garden now!

Jazz

[crowndale]

I just cover the beds, am glad most of mine are at the allotment plot and no cats to bother them, mind you there are rats, rabbits, moles, slugs.....  And mine will even dig up things growing, I uncovered my garlic bed recently becoz the garlic were showing several inches out of the soil and the blasted animals still dug up and laid deposits there!  So I have put the strawberry cage over the bed for now!  And these are my cats too.

[Aunt Sally]

what do i go for?  sonic thing - problem is nextdoor have a little dog, but if i pointed it towards the house it shouldn't be set off when she takes it for a walk.

They don't affect dogs Jenny !

[chimaera]

I was having the same problem and got round it by bending bramble branches into hoops and putting them in the soil. Not nice to crouch down on!
Charlie

[strangerachael]

Whenever I have just dug over the salad bed I cover it with that plastic covered wire mesh stuff - just lay it over the top. Then once I have put the plants in the only way is to net it. I tried sticking twigs etc in but the cat just dug them up too. Once the plants are big enough and the soil has settled the cat goes elsewhere.