Deter Cats from shi.... in garden

uch

Does anyone know of anything I can use that will deter my cat from Shi..ing in a certain spot in my garden, something that the cat won't like but not something that will do any harm to anything, I don't want to have to put wire or mesh as it might harm other creatures. any help appreciated

tatli_lokma

I have heard - can't confirm if it is true as I haven't tried it myself yet - but apparently putting orange peel in an area where you want the cat to stay away from works. As I said, not sure if it actually works - maybe another boardsie can confirm/deny??

kylith

Various things are suggested
1) squirting them with the hose, or a motion-activated sprinkler
2) Orange peel. I don't know what it does for cats, but slugs love them, and your garden will look like a kip
3) Plastic bottles full of water. I've heard mixed reports on effectiveness. Again, will make your garden look like a dump
4) CDs hung on bushes; see Plastic Bottles
5) Trap. Get a live trap, deliver cat either to owner or to shelter.

Do you know whose cat it is? We who don't want roaming cats in our gardens need to start calling round to the owners, the same as one would for dogs fouling your garden, and complain about it. It can be difficult to know whose cat it is, though.

uch

It's my own cat, little feck has a large-ish patch of my garden barren, I want to level it off and replant grass but if I put loose soil/compost she'll just **** in it again, so it's really just to keep her off it till the grass re-establishes

kylith

Sorry, I thought it was someone else's cat. Hmmmm, maybe you could cover it with plastic or mesh to deter the cat, and put a litter tray elsewhere in the garden. Once they're in the habit of using the litter tray take the plastic/mesh up.

uch

Might try the litter tray idea

tk123

We used to use get off my lawn gel to keep my neighbors cat from pooing in our garden and it worked a treat...when I let out cat smell it he scrunched up his face and ran under the table!! Vicks (look for Aldi/Lidl cheaper version) works well too.

boomerang

I think providing somewhere else appealing for her to do her business is the most effective solution... Is there a distant, discreet corner of the garden where you could break up the soil at mix in some moss peat for her? A friend of mine does this and sprinkles a bit of cat litter on top.

Tranceypoo

I was in the local post office the other day and it being rural it's their house as well, in their front garden there's 2 or 3 empty wine bottles, turned upside down and stuckabout 3 or 4 inches into the grass, I had to ask and apparently its for deterring the cats, postman says it works a treat! Looks mildly ridiculous but I suppose if you're desperate!

Armaiti

Don't use any deterrent (like orange peeling) if you don't want to get from cat poo to cat pee. Orange (and lemon too) have an unpleasant smell to cats, but they could decide to cover it with pee (it's a territorial behavior).

I know for sure that cats prefer their litter to the bare ground: did you try putting an open litter outside?
I'd try this option with the water bottles in the spot you want to protect.

elfy4eva

Couple of my neighbors used to use the Fizzy drink
bottle filled with water trick, so either it's a widespread
urban legend. or perhaps theres some truth to it

(It doesnt look THAT bad)

According to Doctorgreenfingers.co.uk
at night-time the little light that
enters the water bottle is refracted in
many different directions making a bit of
a Laser show to cats eyes which they dont
like. I would say this is speculation at best
however.