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Shallow digging in the flower borders

mike.curtimike.curti Posts: 9
in Problem solving
Apart from  the odd cat, what is digging in my soft soil flower bed at night and leaving shallow little trenches and patches. Some near little early bulbs but the bulbs haven't been taken. I raked the whole bed smooth last night and now holes and several dozen deepish foot prints.My garden is sealed by 6Ft fencing.
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  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @mike.curti Could it be a fox? I have seen and heard them in my garden during the last few days.
    Welcome, sorry I am not the best person to ask re your e mail. Someone will help hopefully asap.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • mike.curtimike.curti Posts: 9
    Hi GardenerSuze - not a fox unless it can jump a 6' fence. I did think that a fox may be having the odd dig in our tiny on stree- front flower bed at one time though
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @mike.curti I did see one walking along our 6ft fence the other day not sure how he got up there. I think you would have a strong smell in the garden too. Think they are mating now but not sure.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    A lot of that looks like a cat scraping to cover you know what.  :/
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • mike.curtimike.curti Posts: 9
    but in a 24 ft longest side (roughly a triangle) with a total  area of only about 130 SQ Ft there is only 2-3 with you know what in them.
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    Is there anywhere nearby that a cat can jump up onto the fence and then walk along. Maybe not your garden but a neighbours?
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    We all want to be comfortable when we feel the need to "go"  ;)  Cats won't always use the first hole they dig.
    I suppose it is a matter of elimination in the end - what creature is around your neighbourhood and the most likely culprit ?  Fox faeces tend to be a bit tidier and smell differently if fresh tho that is more likely with a natural diet than one who lives off urban leftovers.

  • Slow-wormSlow-worm Posts: 1,630
    Foxes can scale a 6ft fence.
    Have you gloved up and checked for cat turds?
  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    My garden is fully fenced at 6 feet high, no problem for the occasional red fox! They dig for worms or to bury their prey, leaving the earth more noticeably disturbed than a cat would.
    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • Joyce GoldenlilyJoyce Goldenlily Posts: 2,933
    Last year we had a problem with something digging similar-looking holes in our lawns. The fencing was repaired etc as everyone thought it was rabbits but the digging continued. Eventually, a member loaned us a trail camera, and the culprit was caught on film, a pair of eyes shining in the dark, which turned out to be a fox. Worms form part of their diet which after the wet weather we have been having, are near the surface of the soil so the foxes only need to scrape shallow pits to find them.
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