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Evil foxes/cats

Jimbo83Jimbo83 Posts: 15
in Problem solving

We bought our first house last summer so this year is going to be our first growing year as the house is now sorted.

We have lots of cats and foxes come into our garden (there's a den of them next door apparently). They were attracted to the freshly dug ground and the fruit bushes I planted in November (the tags had been ripped off them)  Is this going to cause an issue when I plant out seedlings under cloches? Has anyone had any experience with them?

 

Thanks!

Posts

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,056

    Some people welcome foxes and others prefer not to encourage them.  Cats and foxes will be attracted to newly turned earth for digging up grubs and toilet purposes respectively.    Foxes droppings smell particularly bad.    My cats also liked to sunbathe on freshly turned soil and thought nothing of using my seedlings as a cushion whilst they kept me company in the garden.

    Have a Google for a water scarecrow.  It's a device that attaches to an outside tap and has a sensor which triggers a spray of water when a fox or cat passes.  They don't like it and move on.    You need to move the sensors regularly as cats in particular will learn how to avoid them.

     

     

    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • Dave MorganDave Morgan Posts: 3,123

    Human urine is a good fox deterent. Find out where they are entering your garden, on pour any urine there. It will discourage them, with repeated applications.

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,056

    Smelly though so not good in summer.

    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • Jimbo83Jimbo83 Posts: 15

    Thanks guys. Will try things out. I like the idea of coming back after a night out and heading straight to the garden for a pee! They just frustrate me because I was hoping to have chickens as well but obviously that won't happen with foxes around.

  • SwissSueSwissSue Posts: 1,447

    Get a dog, Jimbo, preferably a terrier!image

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,056

    Great idea if someone is at home all day but they dig too.   Ours does - hears a mole or a rodent underground and goes for it.   Our newer Labrador has taken to copying.  Can't dig for toffee but he tries.   Good job I'm not precious about our "lawn".

    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • AnniemarshyAnniemarshy Posts: 63

    Try spreading lion dung around, you can buy it in dried form from garden centres.  Also as suggested human pee, they seem to dislike girls more than boys,  I've successfully got rid of badgers from a garden this way!

    If you can borrow a dog and let them pee over your garden this helps too.

    Foxes and cats don't seem to like shiny things either especially mirrors.

    You don't say if you are in a rural or urban situation, you could try asking your local authority if they can get rid of them if there's a lot.  We are rural and the local farmers take care of them when they breed too successfully.

    Good luck

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