How to repel neighbor's cat from digging our front garden?

Wizard! · 30-11-2022 1:21pm #1

We live in a relative new estate and almost all of our neighbors are owners, so we try to have good relationships with all of them.

However, one of them, as a cat that is rolling around the estate, and digs front gardens.

Normally I wouldn't care, but our house is across theirs, therefore it is the one "visited" daily and the cat makes a mess, just in front of our front door.

I don't want a confrontation with them, as the only option is to keep the cat inside since they cannot be trained like a dog.

I don't want to harm the animal either.

What is the best method to keep her away from my patio?

I have seen sprays, ultrasounds, etc, but the reviews are either excellent, or useless.

10-10-20 · 30-11-2022 1:31pm

Freshly ground pepper.

You'll look like a wally applying it every ~7 days, but it works a treat. 😎

looksee · 30-11-2022 1:37pm

Cats can be creatures of habit, and it sounds like your visitor is. If you can make a determined attempt to get it to take its attentions elsewhere it could well give up on you. Suggest you use a strong solution of something they don't like - citrus is one, orange essence or oil. Citronella is another which is readily available as it is used as a mosquito repellent. Spray it generously on the entrances to the garden (not sure how grass would react). If it is not working after a few days try another scent. Of course with rain like we have had recently you are up against it. If you see the cat, a water pistol is a great repellent.

D3V!L · 30-11-2022 1:44pm

I used to live in an estate with loads of cats and tried many things over the years, nothing worked apart from Get Off Crystals. You can get them in a pet shop for about 10 Euro.

Usually about a week or two after we ran out of them the cats came back. We'd go through a bottle a month but it was worth it. Once one cat goes its a flag for the rest to drop their load.

diddlybo · 30-11-2022 1:50pm

We had similar issues at our place and we found coffee grounds worked well. Chance your local coffee shop, most are only too happy to get rid of it for free.

MacDanger · 16-12-2022 2:51pm

Buy a big bag of chilli pepper from an Asian shop, sprinkle it in the area as needed

New Home · 09-01-2023 1:27pm

I've recently read that if you lay some wire netting/mesh (e.g. chicken wire) just under the surface of the soil it'll disrupt their digging and discourage them. Worth a try, anyway. On the plus side, plants will still be able to grow through it.

magicbastarder · 09-01-2023 1:31pm

sounds like a drastic solution to me - and you wouldn't want you plants to have to grow through and around chicken wire anyway.

sniperman · 09-01-2023 1:32pm

bleach and dettol mixed with water in equal parts worked in my case,sprayed on or in water can

Ian OB · 09-01-2023 1:34pm

My Grannys tip was plant garlic. Have to say that it works too.

New Home · 09-01-2023 1:37pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120085579#Comment_120085579

Bleach usually attracts them, maybe it's the dettol that does it. But what does that do to the soil?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120085575#Comment_120085575

Sorry, why not? (Genuine question, not trying to be polemical). Plants can grow through cracks in the tarmac. Besides, chicken wire (or similar - you could get something with a larger mesh) wouldn't have any impact on the quality of the soil and wouldn't harm the cats, either. Obviously, if you have shrubs or trees you'd have to make larger gaps, but for annuals and bedding plants or bulbs, I really don't see an issue with it.

sniperman · 09-01-2023 2:20pm

dont know what dettol does to soil,i dont plant anything,i just have loose stones/pebbles around the front garden,cats were digging and dumping,but not anymore,to be honest i cant see bleach attracting anything,maybe it does,but ive no more problems

GreeBo · 11-01-2023 12:43pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120085589#Comment_120085589

Be careful with garlic (wild garlic anyway) it is invasive and will take over your garden

GreeBo · 11-01-2023 12:44pm

When using sprays, crystals or smelly stuff, I found that all I had to do was use them in the area that the cat (or fox!) used to enter my garden.

that was enough for them not to bother trying to hop a wall etc.

Graces7 · 17-01-2023 10:45am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120085548#Comment_120085548

This works very well for me. But I lay it openly atop the soil. And overlap onto the path slightly

Better open as they hate even putting a foot on anything that is not solid so no idea why under is suggested. IAnd it was my own cats so I watched them look at the wire. then test with one tentative paw... and back off when it moved..

I also used it when I had a greenhouse/tunnel as the local wildlife would invade. Stopped all comers in their tracks and once purchased?