I don't have any complaints about my neighbor or any problems with animals as we own 2 dogs ourselves, but I'm at my witts end about my neighbors cat pooping in my flower bed in front of our bedroom windows.

The flower bed consists of bark (which I'm sure probably has some part in attracting the cat) but I'm constantly out there cleaning it up. I have talked with my neighbor and he understands but insists it's an outside cat and is free to roam. OK, I can live with that but is there something I can spray or do (which will not harm the cat) to keep him out of my flower bed?

Thanks in advance.

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Originally Posted by 98JeepTJ

I don't have any complaints about my neighbor or any problems with animals as we own 2 dogs ourselves, but I'm at my witts end about my neighbors cat pooping in my flower bed in front of our bedroom windows.

The flower bed consists of bark (which I'm sure probably has some part in attracting the cat) but I'm constantly out there cleaning it up. I have talked with my neighbor and he understands but insists it's an outside cat and is free to roam. OK, I can live with that but is there something I can spray or do (which will not harm the cat) to keep him out of my flower bed?

Thanks in advance.

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Moth balls in the flower bed worked for me but I don't know if that works for all cats. There is also a commercial spray you can buy.

I love cats but alas they can be a problem in the garden. I have used upside down mouse traps. They will scare the poor kittys and then they will go elsewhere to do there business. :)

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Originally Posted by kwhiston

I love cats but alas they can be a problem in the garden. I have used upside down mouse traps. They will scare the poor kittys and then they will go elsewhere to do there business. :)

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A friend of mine was just telling me - she has 3 big dogs - that she collects dog urine and puts it in her flower beds to keep the cats away. I have no idea how she collects the urine or if that's terribly sanitary if she intends to do any gardening but thought it was an interesting concept - :D

I don't know if this is true or just a mythe, but a friend of mine swears it worked for her. Plant marigolds in your garden, they are a natural deterrent, cats don't like the smell.

Citrus is another natural deterrent, as are moth balls (which Judy mentioned).

Ammonia works too, but do not spread it on your garden or your plants will die. Fill glass containers with ammonia, bury the containers in the garden to the neck of the container. This will deter the cats, but it can be dangerous to children and or other pets so I don't really recommend this method.

That's all I've got, I hope one of them works for you. :)

There is something called Liquid Fence.. it is coyote urine... it reeks to high heaven for awhile.. but it works...

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Originally Posted by susananne

there is some thing called Liquid Fence..it is coyote urine...it reeks to high heaven for awhile..but it works...

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Well, I guess I could have a worse job than I already have. I COULD be the person following the coyotes around with a specimen container.

Hi, 98JeepTJ!

If you put netting just under the top portion of the bark, or even on top of the bark, if it's not unattractive, that will then make it much more difficult for the cat to dig like they like to do when they do their business.

Thanks!

Netting works a bit... but after a while the cats don't bother to dig... just squat. My neighbor put out plates of food for all the stray cats... and they did their business in my yard. They soiled everywhere, they took songbirds right off the feeders and made gardening not worth doing anymore. My yard smelled from the neighbors cats. It was embarrassing. The best thing to do is confront the neighbor. If they won't do anything, trap the cats humanely and take them to a shelter. It'll get worse before it gets better.

Get one of these:

Scarecrow Motion Activated Sprinkler

If you want to get fancy, you can probably add a wireless water valve, so when you lets the dogs out, you can turn it off remotely.

;)

Best of luck to you with this answer... It worked for me and continues to work... I sprinkle cayenne powder. I guess any kind of chili powder could work. Not very nice, but really works. Like I said, best of luck

I won't use cayenne powder for one reason... it's cruel. The cat's get it in their eyes, and eventually scratch their eyes out from the irritation. And I'm not an animal rights freak, but know a vet who swears this is accurate. As much as I dislike the pests, I won't go that far.

Put a litter box beside your flower bed.

You can get cat pellets a kind of blue colour that you sprinkle around your flowers, that's quite effective, also cat pepper is very good, I know you say you wouldn't use anything like that, but I've used it for years and the cats never get close enough for it to get into their eyes they can kind of sense it's there.

Another way, told to me buy my neighbour... it does work... fill with water 2ltr empty lemonade bottles, lay them in your flower beds ,making sure they are not obstructed in any way, apparently the cats come along to investigate see their reflection in the bottle and run away... absolutely true, lastly why not invest in a cat alarm, it goes in your garden and sounds should the cat come near, humans cannot hear a thing, again this is brilliant.

Bye for now

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Originally Posted by 0rphan

You can get cat pellets a kind of blue colour that you sprinkle around your flowers, that's quite effective, also cat pepper is very good, i know you say you wouldn't use anything like that, but i've used it for years and the cats never get close enough for it to get into their eyes they can kind of sense it's there.

Another way, told to me buy my neigbour...it does work..... fill with water 2ltr empty lemonade bottles, lay them in your flower beds ,making sure they are not obstructed in any way, apparently the cats come along to investigate see their reflection in the bottle and run away.... absolutely true, lastly why not invest in a cat alarm, it goes in your garden and sounds should the cat come near, humans cannot hear a thing, again this is brilliant.

Bye for now

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And I saw in a garden catalog that there is some sort of automatic device, sort of a sprinkler hose, and when the animal crosses the beam the sprinkler turns on. (Of course, every time I went outside I would probably forget about it and "sprinkle" myself but it might be worth looking into.)

Hi, dust ground cayenne pepper all in the flower bed... when sniffed, they take off and the pepper will not hurt the plants.

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Originally Posted by polly123

Hi, dust ground cayenne pepper all in the flower bed...when sniffed, they take off and the pepper will not hurt the plants.

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This has been suggested. There is some concern that while it won't hurt the plants, it is cruel to the cats.

Cats have a very sensitive smell... they do not actually get it on them or even in their nose.. it just deters them.

I think I would keep a hose handy. When you actually see the cat coming to use your garden as a toilet, a good spray with the hose enough times will probably teach it.

Actually cayenne works because the cats smell it and back off. They don't get close enough to scratch at it, they detest the smell and run off.

I just live with the problem, and don't consider it a big deal. I don't use my hands to root around in my flower beds anymore cause can't work on my knees,

Tick