The water scarecrows don't actually spray a lot of water so are unlikely to harm the plants. They also make a hissing noises which cats don't like (and which also serves to remind you they are there in time to get out of the way when you've forgotten to switch them off).
Unless you have a very small garden you do need to move them around from time to time though so the cats don't work out how to avoid them and it does mean you have a hose trailing to them which isn't a great look.
If the ground was covered with plants when you moved in, that would be why the cats weren't using it as a toilet. They like a nice loose open surface. One thing that helps is to have as much of the soil as you can covered. Maybe try ground-cover planting, or use bedding plants to fill in between young shrubs until they grow and fill the space themselves. Try a green manure if you need to leave veg beds vacant for a while between crops or over the winter.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
The RSPB sonic repellent has worked entirely for me - coming up to a year with nearly zero poo. It takes a few months to settle in, but entirely worth it.
We’ve had major problems in the past with neighbours cats using our garden as a loo 😩. Ever since we placed two motion activated water sprays in our garden we haven’t seen any cats at all. The sprays click as they detect movement and sometimes that noise is enough to warn the cats what’s coming next. The amount of water used is minimal too. We find these, along with the ‘Defenders prickle strips’, which can easily be cut to size, have worked wonders for us. We leave the sprays on permanently at the moment as we’ve got fledgling sparrows and starlings and definitely want the cats kept out 😢
Why do people keep so many animals? I love cats but that's too many in a home. Also why do a lot of cat owners not have litter trays for them? Too lazy to clean it out I suppose. Also, having so many cats I doubt they keep them regularly wormed.
OP, I feel for you, must be very frustrating. Keep up the work with the water pistols, hopefully they'll get the message or... a gravel garden? Less enticing for them.
We’ve had major problems in the past with neighbours cats using our garden as a loo 😩. Ever since we placed two motion activated water sprays in our garden we haven’t seen any cats at all. The sprays click as they detect movement and sometimes that noise is enough to warn the cats what’s coming next. The amount of water used is minimal too. We find these, along with the ‘Defenders prickle strips’, which can easily be cut to size, have worked wonders for us. We leave the sprays on permanently at the moment as we’ve got fledgling sparrows and starlings and definitely want the cats kept out 😢
Yea, me too. I find if I leave it on (I have 1) for three consecutive nights the problem goes away for a long while. Then.... another 3 nights.
Posts
Unless you have a very small garden you do need to move them around from time to time though so the cats don't work out how to avoid them and it does mean you have a hose trailing to them which isn't a great look.
We’ve had major problems in the past with neighbours cats using our garden as a loo 😩. Ever since we placed two motion activated water sprays in our garden we haven’t seen any cats at all. The sprays click as they detect movement and sometimes that noise is enough to warn the cats what’s coming next. The amount of water used is minimal too. We find these, along with the ‘Defenders prickle strips’, which can easily be cut to size, have worked wonders for us. We leave the sprays on permanently at the moment as we’ve got fledgling sparrows and starlings and definitely want the cats kept out 😢
OP, I feel for you, must be very frustrating. Keep up the work with the water pistols, hopefully they'll get the message or... a gravel garden? Less enticing for them.