Neighbours cats peeing and pooing in our garden!

Stationmaster

2 cats belonging to 2 of our neighbours are daily going to the toilet on a small patch of our garden that we have converted into a small rockery. Has anyone any experience with how to stop this? We have tried a gel (can't remember the name of it) that seemed to work but it's bloody expensive. Also tried putting pine cones around the area as cats apparently don't like the feel of them but these didn't work. It's not really an option to put up wire around it (no matter how low) as this wouldn't look nice and would defeat the purpose of why we put in the rockery in the first place!

Any ideas/suggestions!? Our neighbours are aware of the situation and came to us apologising in early spring when we were planting flowers but it's still happening.

Thanks in advance.

doubter

can't really stop cats from going there, it's hard to keep them out(or in).There are a few plants , like lavender, curry plant and scaredy cat plant (lol) Plectranthus caninus which will deter them..but that will not stop them from going anywhere where these plants are not.

kylith

Motion activated sprinklers is one suggestion. Some people say that laying chickenwire over the beds will stop them as they can't then bury it. Thorny sticks or a 'mulch' of whole pine cones are also suggested. Orange peel or bottles of water DON'T work, and orange peels will attract slugs like nothing on earth.

Really the only guaranteed thing is for your neighbours to keep them enclosed on their own property, but that's unlikely to happen. Just thank your lucky stars that it's not a vegetable patch; carnivore poo is not good around plants you'll be eating.

aaakev

Super soaker

skallywag

Some class of Ultrasonic device which emits an annoying tone that only they can hear?

Kevin McCloud

Am electric cat fence would work.

cfuserkildare

Try Jif Lemon juice, the stuff in the plastic lemon, or even some Vick or Old English Mustard.

Hurts the sinuses and makes them think twice about returning.

Also works when training dogs to not chew things.

bpmurray

http://www.predatorpee.com/

Nody

aaakev wrote: »

Super soaker

This only teaches them to avoid you; not stopping the peeing. The motion activated sprinkler is honestly your best bet; after a month or so your problem should be sorted (and it will take care of any animal trying it; for extra lulz turn it on when the misses is ready to go out :P ) and you can move it to other parts of the garden if needed.

boomerang

In order for the super soaker to work, it would have to happen to the cats each and every time they go to that spot in the garden. Using a water pistol on the cats only when you happen to see them in the act is not going to work, it's just cruel. Same thing goes for using a water pistol on a cat when you see them jump on the table. They're just not going to learn from it. Not that I would use a water pistol on cats anyways.

Stationmaster

Kevin McCloud wrote: »

Am electric cat fence would work.

If they were my own cats I might consider it but I'm not spending that money to keep other peoples cats away!

Stationmaster

cfuserkildare wrote: »

Try Jif Lemon juice, the stuff in the plastic lemon, or even some Vick or Old English Mustard.

Hurts the sinuses and makes them think twice about returning.

Also works when training dogs to not chew things.

Think I'll try this one next - thanks for the tip.

B0jangles

In an ideal world you could get new neighbours who are responsible pet-owners. Failing that, I'd second the super-soaker option. Or one of these: http://www.pet-bliss.ie/acatalog/Cat_Traps_Humane.html

(I lost several pet fish from my pond to my neighbours' uncontrolled cats so forgive me if I am not entirely sympathetic to the needs of your darling Mittens or whoever to roam freely wherever s/he wants.)

aaakev

Nody wrote: »

This only teaches them to avoid you; not stopping the peeing. The motion activated sprinkler is honestly your best bet; after a month or so your problem should be sorted (and it will take care of any animal trying it; for extra lulz turn it on when the misses is ready to go out :P ) and you can move it to other parts of the garden if needed.

Thought them to avoid the garden altogether!

Stationmaster

Update. Believe it or not this has stopped since we put a garden gnome in the rockery last week!

Staph

Who knew cats had such discerning taste in garden ornaments!

skallywag

Hmmm, I would not count on it lasting, cats can be very careful, they are probably just biding their time and sussing it out!

Stationmaster

We're putting in a lavandar plant as well so fingers crossed. Although I'm not too happy looking at a bloody garden gnome every day either but I suppose it'll have to do for the moment.

Shenshen

I would suggest tying up strips of tinfoil from nearby branches or on sticks in the ground. It may or may not work, but all my cats are absolutely terrified of the noise tinfoil makes when you move it - anytime I take some out of the cupboard, the kitchen empties at amazing speed.

And it might be a tiny bit better to look at than the gnome?

Nody

Shenshen wrote: »

I would suggest tying up strips of tinfoil from nearby branches or on sticks in the ground. It may or may not work, but all my cats are absolutely terrified of the noise tinfoil makes when you move it - anytime I take some out of the cupboard, the kitchen empties at amazing speed.

And it might be a tiny bit better to look at than the gnome?

Depends on the cat; ours will try to paw it of our hands if we eat for example Toblerone (and they love their tinfoil balls!).

Pumpkinseeds

Maybe wrap the garden gnome in tin foil. Unless of course some students kidnap the gnome and start sending you postcards or ransom demands.:)

the_syco

B0jangles wrote: »

I lost several pet fish from my pond to my neighbours' uncontrolled cats

We have plastic mesh over the pond, more so to stop the heron from eating the fish, though!

=-=

Where can you buy the sensor activated water thing? Or what would it be referred to as?

vicwatson

Stationmaster wrote: »

Update. Believe it or not this has stopped since we put a garden gnome in the rockery last week!

It's not fair on the cat though that the Gnome has a fishing rod disguised as an M16 !

Pumpkinseeds

the_syco wrote: »

We have plastic mesh over the pond, more so to stop the heron from eating the fish, though!

=-=

Where can you buy the sensor activated water thing? Or what would it be referred to as?

Places like amazon and I'd say most good garden centres, Woodies, B&Q etc would probably sell motion activated water sprinklers. Someone I knew in the UK had a fabulous Coy Carp pond in his back garden and had to cover it to protect them from his own cats. The cats were content to sit and watch them and the Carp were content to eat, swim and get fat.:)

Ever2010

We have 4 of our own cats and grow veggies so have to keep them off those patches - with ours they hate citrus, basil & mint - so try inter-planting some of these (keep the mint in a pot as it will spread over the whole bed!) lemon verbena might work too.

They just see it as a big litter tray, so you could try laying twigs or gorse around if it's in your area - might work to keep slugs at bay as well - two birds and all that