How to stop neighbourhood cats crapping all over garden

One_More_Mile

Hi everyone.
The last few weeks I have had 3 neighbourhood cats using my back garden as a toilet regularly. I have 2 small children & would like them to be able to use the back garden without fear of stepping in something.
Everytime I have seen the cats come in I run out to them but they keep coming back.
I have tried putting orange peels & lemon peels around the garden but it isn't helping. Last night I used a shoval & removed 6 piles of cat crap. Any ideas to put a stop to it?

serenacat

One_More_Mile wrote: »

Hi everyone.
The last few weeks I have had 3 neighbourhood cats using my back garden as a toilet regularly. I have 2 small children & would like them to be able to use the back garden without fear of stepping in something.
Everytime I have seen the cats come in I run out to them but they keep coming back.
I have tried putting orange peels & lemon peels around the garden but it isn't helping. Last night I used a shoval & removed 6 piles of cat crap. Any ideas to put a stop to it?

wow that's unusual, my cat goes in the neighbours bush out of sight, i would be mortified if he was going in the middle of their garden. What about vinegar? Cats hate the smell, it could be sprayed around maybe?

Discodog

This will work. It won't hurt the cats & it will water your plants - just turn it off when the kids are playing unless it's a warm day !

http://www.deteracat.co.uk/scarecrow_water_jet_pack.htm

mikemac

Three posts in and nobody has suggested getting a guard dog?
Though the cats would probably stand on your walls and tease the dog driving it mad

Go with the water jet pack

Your kids will play with it too!

dev100

Snip.not allowed.

Solair

get a dog or a very territorial tom cat!

Discodog

Solair wrote: »

get a dog or a very territorial tom cat!

The dog may not deter a cat & a tom will father hundreds of unwanted kittens. Even if you are joking some people may read this & believe you.

Solair

We have a neutered tom cat and he will not allow other cats anywhere near the garden. They are all challenged, and run-off.

Personally, I prefer the idea of a friendly, fluffy, helpful pet than spraying the place with chemicals as is suggested by some gardening websites.

One thing that may work well is lemon rinds. Cats detest citrus fruit. They find it totally repulsive.

Be careful about sprinkling too much vinegar or lemon juice as you may just acidify the soil and damage plants.

Mr. Presentable

Drop some sand in a corner of your neighbours garden and sprinkle it with bleach. They'll start going there instead.

Keep your own garden clean - they like to go where they have been before.

MLC_biker

Ever wondered why people put bottles on their lawns? You may have been told its to keep cats away and its true. But does it work and how? First of all we must half fill a clear plastic bottle with water .( Its very important to fill half full of water. ) Put lid on and place in the middle of the lawn. If you have a big lawn then put a few about. Leave out and see if it works! Cats are suppose to be scared away by the bottle, but how you ask? It works best at night and if there a breeze. Take a light say from a street lamp, car or one of your windows. This light travels through the bottle and the water which is then reflected away like laser beams in different directions giving off little flashes. The cat sees these flashes and Zap! He's away. There you have it so go out and try it out on your lawn.

dan_d

I still maintain that getting a cat of your own is one of the best ways to stop this....having gone through the whole thing myself. And it's not that unusual actually - I always thought that cats buried their business, but we spent a year or so with cats crapping in the middle of the lawn, basically like dogs. It was disgusting. (and it was mainly tom cats, strangely enough).

A good suggestion is putting compost in a far away corner of the garden, and trying to "show" them it - it's akin to an outdoor litter tray for them, nice and soft and undisturbed. It's a case of "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em"...on your terms..

However, one of the most effective solutions is to get a cat of your own. But I know that won't suit everyone. So try the option of giving them a corner chosen by you to go in, and see how you get on maybe?

careca11

tried and trusted methods .

get hold of the cat , and rub its nose in its own crap (the cat will never dump in your garden again)

another on is sprinkle pepper all along the fence/wall between yourself and your neighbour

Solair

careca11 wrote: »

tried and trusted methods .

get hold of the cat , and rub its nose in its own crap (the cat will never dump in your garden again)

That doesn't work and it's very crewel.

Also, I would absolutely no recommend handling a cat that you do not know. They can quite literally put you in hospital! I know of one elderly lady who picked up a stray cat and was absolutely torn apart by it.

While cats are cute and cuddly when domesticated, tame and familiar with you, they are one of the world's most perfectly adapted hunters and are quite capable of doing a lot more damage to you than even an angry dog.

An angry, frightened cat is one of the most dangerous animals you will ever encounter in Ireland.

old hippy

We use an ultrasonic cat repellent; works a treat.

evilmonkee

MLC_biker wrote: »

Ever wondered why people put bottles on their lawns? You may have been told its to keep cats away and its true. But does it work and how? First of all we must half fill a clear plastic bottle with water .( Its very important to fill half full of water. ) Put lid on and place in the middle of the lawn. If you have a big lawn then put a few about. Leave out and see if it works! Cats are suppose to be scared away by the bottle, but how you ask? It works best at night and if there a breeze. Take a light say from a street lamp, car or one of your windows. This light travels through the bottle and the water which is then reflected away like laser beams in different directions giving off little flashes. The cat sees these flashes and Zap! He's away. There you have it so go out and try it out on your lawn.

+1 . I cant vouch for how it works but my gran has always sworn by it to keep cats away!

One_More_Mile

Thanks for all the suggestions everybody- Will try the bottles of water 1st & see how that goes.
Wont be needing that poison after all (Joke).

mikemac

I've seen lots use that water bottle trick but nobody could ever explain how it works. I just figured it was one of those urban myths

But the explanation here makes sense

I still say get the water jet. It's for your children to play with too
Sunny day and get a paddle pool and you can have the jet spraying over the pool.
Kids are nice and cool and the cats are staying away