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Cat deterrents

les.derbyshireles.derbyshire Posts: 2
in Wildlife gardening
 I live in a rural West Country village and welcome all manner of wildlife to my garden.

In the space of the last year or so the neighbourhood seems to have gone cat mad. Whereas we used to have a wide variety of birds visiting our feeders, suddenly numbers have diminished significantly. I've seen the cats staking out the areas around the feeders. It's no coincidence. Also they've taken to using newly planted beds as their toilet. 

I also have a fairly new small wildlife pond but despair of ever seeing frogs or newts as I'm pretty certain these will also be frightened off. 

My question is this: are there any plants that are known to deter cats? Species that they really cannot stand but that are a good addition to the garden. Short of planting an impenetrable barrier all round the garden I'm at a loss as to how to deal with these pests. 
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Posts

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    welcome to the Forum 
    Another £1 for me :D
    Devon.
  • WaterbutWaterbut Posts: 344
    High powered pump action water pistols.
  • CeresCeres Posts: 2,698
    arossrob said:
    High powered pump action water pistols.

    I will second that and add that you don't actually have to hit the cat with a jet of water from 20 paces. Just the sound of the thing and the water falling from above can get a cat moving at a speed I would not have thought possible.
    There are ultrasonic cat deterrents that you can place in the garden though they seem to annoy my son more than the cats. I have seen videos of ultrasonic deterrents that activate a water spray though I have no idea who sells them.
    Prickly plants.....when you prune berberis, rose or holly or some other vicious shrub, put the prunings over bare soil to stop cats using the area as a public convenience. Should work unless you have a masochistic cat in the neighbourhood.
    Pepper sprinkled on bare soil (has to be replaced if it rains).
    Orange peel.
    Putting a wire cage over newly planted things so that they can get growing without being dug up by felines. You can leave the cage over the plant and the stems will grow through.
    Putting wire or plastic mesh over the bare soil so that the cats cannot dig.
    And still the ******s come.


  • djosmond41djosmond41 Posts: 6
    Coleus caninus (Scaredy Cat Plant) - BBC Gardeners World Magazine
    and Dogs
  • rowlandscastle444rowlandscastle444 Posts: 2,612
    djosmond41 said:
    Coleus caninus (Scaredy Cat Plant) - BBC Gardeners World Magazine
    and Dogs
    That's a great idea. Especially as it keeps away foxes too. I'll keep that suggestion tucked away for future reference.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Re that coleus - even if it worked [highly unlikely] it would cost a fortune to have enough of them, and then what do you from October till May when there's frosts?  :D

    That's when these things are at their worst - hanging around the bird feeders. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • rowlandscastle444rowlandscastle444 Posts: 2,612
    Fairygirl said:
    Re that coleus - even if it worked [highly unlikely] it would cost a fortune to have enough of them, and then what do you from October till May when there's frosts?  :D

    That's when these things are at their worst - hanging around the bird feeders. 
    That's when you use the high powered water pistol.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    They don't work in winter either - if you mean the water scarecrows.
    However, if you mean an ordinary water pistol, I'm afraid I don't have the time or the inclination to sit 24 hours a day with one of those because of other people's effing pets, and yes - they are out day and night round here. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Standen1Standen1 Posts: 65
    Hi, we have had problems with cats coming in and messing in our garden for years. In the past two years, I have used coleus (Cat shoo!) plants - about half a dozen of them and just plant them, quite early in the year, near the area  they usually mess in and they have been VERY successful - although the cats still come in and wander around, we’ve only had one lot of mess this spring / summer so far 😀 Mind you, now I’ve said this….
    admittedly they need to be replaced each year and so winter is still a problem…😠
  • les.derbyshireles.derbyshire Posts: 2
    I saw today an advert for an ultra sonic cat scarer that claims to be the only one approved by the RSPB. I wouldn't mind trying that but it's rather pricey at a shade under £60. I know cheaper ones can be found but last time I looked at one in a shop the blurb on the box said that the setting for deterring cats also scares off birds which rather defeats the object. 
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