Barring a shotgun, there is only ONE deterrent to stop cats from defecating ( to put it politely ) on your garden. Believe me, I've spent far too much cash on those CRAP electronic so-called cat scarers. Save your money, full stop !!. Invest in a simple little, harmless, "electric cat fence" that can be purchased for around £40-£50. which is less than some of the silly electronic devices that I see advertised all over the net by some suppliers, including the RSPB. !. Take your time to carefully set it up,( about twenty minutes for a small garden ) it's not rocket science, but a little time spent reading the simple instructions and doing the job properly will bring the results that you pay for, guaranteed !!, no if's or but's, guaranteed. . Loads of suppliers on the net, including EBAY, AMAZON, etc. In just three nights I stopped the antics of no less than FIVE cats that had been defecating ON A REGULAR BASIS all over my vegetable garden for the last twelve months. All this was recorded on my cctv system, and not one of the moggies that received the small electric shock have been spotted here since. A little 12 volt car battery will run this simple system for about six weeks before needing a recharge., but you'll find that after each cat has had a taste of the juice you only need to turn the power on ocasionally, just to keep them on their toes. Best £40 that I've ever spent. !!!.
I've tried chilli powder with some success. In my experience what ever spray repellent you use, its ok for a few mths then they come back again! I will try the holly and see what happens.
To add fuel to the fire re: cat deterrent devices that do /donot work...
The 'cut-out cat' silhouette designs shown in various gardening mags struck me as 'probaby a good idea', but hellishly expensive AND I'd rather make my own from a lino offcut, matt black emulsion paint (two thick coats on both sides) and two jewel-like cats-eyes used in the bottom of plant pot outers for drainage... (or use clear glas marbles and two or three dabs of superglue.
"Mogg1" and "Mogg2" etc are still 'on guard' in the garden two years down the line.
I made three and placed them strategically around my garden, propped up with three lengths of bamboo - two to one side & one on 'tother. *I keep a 'spare' one in our downstairsbathroom window, just to give the impression that there's a ferocious 'mog' resident in the house too!
Cat 'incursion' + 'presents' still occurs,every now and then. I aso use holly, berberis, cotoneaster clippings ....on troughs, tubs & freshly-turned/ planted soil areas......do you get my 'point'??
Dog owners are obliged to clean up after their pets and it should certainly be no different with cats. I have asked the owners of the cats that I caught on camera in the past to come and clean up the mess, no chance !!. I don't think it's appreciated by cat owners that their cat excrement can cause obnoxious things to chilldren, like blindness etc, Why, I wonder are cats allowed the free run of the place when all other pets are restricted ?. Until the law changes on this, and I believe it will change in the next year or so, I will use any means to keep the filthy things out of my property.
Just a note to say that, although they aren't usually audible to adult humans, children can often hear them and find them distressingly piercing.
My partners neighbour had one of these electric noise machines installed to scare off rats. Despite my being 25 years at the time the first time I pulled up and got out of the car the pain it caused my ears made me drop to the floor! It was unbearable to have a window open in his house and I'd be in tears by the time I got to his front door some days! Similar machines are often used in town centres to stop "youth" gathering at night.
I'm afraid I've nothing to add to how to scare cats, it seems to depend on the individual animal as to whether they're threatened by noises / smells (though most will react to a water pistol so perhaps motion activated sensors are the way?)
Are the certain plants that give off smells a cat doesn't enjoy? Google seems to suggest something called "rue" but I don't admit to knowing what it is. Is there a mulch they can't stand?
Perhaps you would be better to guerilla bomb the gardens of those with cats with the likes of catnip / grass to encourage their cats to stay in their own gardens.
What it is perfectly clear (in terms of the law at least) that you can't do however is actively put things down intended to threaten their life (aka no matter what your personal thoughts are cats are not classed as vermin and thus can not be destroyed). Police will act if they are informed that you are putting down poisons such as de-icer for the intent of killing an animal.
Old george, dry as a stick of chalk, sipped at his pint in the local and said " I saw something in the allotment today that absolutely amazed me". Eager voices pressed him to describe this amazing thing that he had witnessed." Well, he began, " I was having a coffee on my plot when this big tabby boldly walked over to my freshly planted seed patch, did it's business, and before my very eyes it dug a hole and buried it's mess, right before my very eyes".!!!. Silence for a second or two, until Cyril, always keen to bring old George down said, " George, surely you knew that all cats do that, my own cat does it all the time" !. " What!, said George, " with a bl@@dy shovel??.
Posts
Er, Florence, if your cats don't mess in their own garden, whose do they use?
Barring a shotgun, there is only ONE deterrent to stop cats from defecating ( to put it politely ) on your garden. Believe me, I've spent far too much cash on those CRAP electronic so-called cat scarers. Save your money, full stop !!. Invest in a simple little, harmless, "electric cat fence" that can be purchased for around £40-£50. which is less than some of the silly electronic devices that I see advertised all over the net by some suppliers, including the RSPB. !. Take your time to carefully set it up,( about twenty minutes for a small garden ) it's not rocket science, but a little time spent reading the simple instructions and doing the job properly will bring the results that you pay for, guaranteed !!, no if's or but's, guaranteed. . Loads of suppliers on the net, including EBAY, AMAZON, etc. In just three nights I stopped the antics of no less than FIVE cats that had been defecating ON A REGULAR BASIS all over my vegetable garden for the last twelve months. All this was recorded on my cctv system, and not one of the moggies that received the small electric shock have been spotted here since. A little 12 volt car battery will run this simple system for about six weeks before needing a recharge., but you'll find that after each cat has had a taste of the juice you only need to turn the power on ocasionally, just to keep them on their toes. Best £40 that I've ever spent. !!!.
Chickens!!! Cats daren't come in the garden. The English Mastiff helps too
whoa! careful there buddy, cats can wander as they please under the current law
I've tried chilli powder with some success. In my experience what ever spray repellent you use, its ok for a few mths then they come back again! I will try the holly and see what happens.
To add fuel to the fire re: cat deterrent devices that do /donot work...
The 'cut-out cat' silhouette designs shown in various gardening mags struck me as 'probaby a good idea', but hellishly expensive AND I'd rather make my own from a lino offcut, matt black emulsion paint (two thick coats on both sides) and two jewel-like cats-eyes used in the bottom of plant pot outers for drainage... (or use clear glas marbles and two or three dabs of superglue.
"Mogg1" and "Mogg2" etc are still 'on guard' in the garden two years down the line.
I made three and placed them strategically around my garden, propped up with three lengths of bamboo - two to one side & one on 'tother. *I keep a 'spare' one in our downstairsbathroom window, just to give the impression that there's a ferocious 'mog' resident in the house too!
Cat 'incursion' + 'presents' still occurs,every now and then. I aso use holly, berberis, cotoneaster clippings ....on troughs, tubs & freshly-turned/ planted soil areas......do you get my 'point'??
Dog owners are obliged to clean up after their pets and it should certainly be no different with cats. I have asked the owners of the cats that I caught on camera in the past to come and clean up the mess, no chance !!. I don't think it's appreciated by cat owners that their cat excrement can cause obnoxious things to chilldren, like blindness etc, Why, I wonder are cats allowed the free run of the place when all other pets are restricted ?. Until the law changes on this, and I believe it will change in the next year or so, I will use any means to keep the filthy things out of my property.
Domestic cats are protected by law and it is an offence to trap, injure or kill them.
My partners neighbour had one of these electric noise machines installed to scare off rats. Despite my being 25 years at the time the first time I pulled up and got out of the car the pain it caused my ears made me drop to the floor! It was unbearable to have a window open in his house and I'd be in tears by the time I got to his front door some days! Similar machines are often used in town centres to stop "youth" gathering at night.
I'm afraid I've nothing to add to how to scare cats, it seems to depend on the individual animal as to whether they're threatened by noises / smells (though most will react to a water pistol so perhaps motion activated sensors are the way?)
Are the certain plants that give off smells a cat doesn't enjoy? Google seems to suggest something called "rue" but I don't admit to knowing what it is. Is there a mulch they can't stand?
Perhaps you would be better to guerilla bomb the gardens of those with cats with the likes of catnip / grass to encourage their cats to stay in their own gardens.
What it is perfectly clear (in terms of the law at least) that you can't do however is actively put things down intended to threaten their life (aka no matter what your personal thoughts are cats are not classed as vermin and thus can not be destroyed). Police will act if they are informed that you are putting down poisons such as de-icer for the intent of killing an animal.
Old george, dry as a stick of chalk, sipped at his pint in the local and said " I saw something in the allotment today that absolutely amazed me". Eager voices pressed him to describe this amazing thing that he had witnessed." Well, he began, " I was having a coffee on my plot when this big tabby boldly walked over to my freshly planted seed patch, did it's business, and before my very eyes it dug a hole and buried it's mess, right before my very eyes".!!!. Silence for a second or two, until Cyril, always keen to bring old George down said, " George, surely you knew that all cats do that, my own cat does it all the time" !. " What!, said George, " with a bl@@dy shovel??.