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New turf lawn with fox and cat problem!
Kai_63
Posts: 81
We laid a beautiful new turf lawn last week. We knew we had a fox issue already as they dug up the bare soil (by getting in through holes they dug in the soil under our fences. We started putting down my husband's pee and a Foxwatch and it seemed to work, but last night they dug a hug hole at the edge of the lawn. We also have a resident cat who used the middle of the lawn as a bathroom (I had already put orange peel down dor that but it doesn't care)! My questions are: 1) What can I do about the animals, particularly the Fox, quickly and fairly easily now and in the longer term over the next week or two to stop the fox? 2) The turf that was dug up seems intact so presumably I could try to put top soil down and repair it as best as possible now? It is at the edge so wouldn't require walking on the grass. I must say I am quite fed up at this point! Thanks
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I know exactly how you feel. I've just sown a new lawn and because of the cat issues round here I had to net the entire area. Thought it would be fine now that it's all growing well but it didn't stop one using it the other day - twice - as it's toilet. I've had to resort to carpet gripper rod round the top of every fence, netting at the corner where they were getting in, plus a strand of wire on 6 inch nails attached to other fences. So far - so good. Ridiculous though, that I should have to do this. With foxes - they'll dig under fences to get in, as you've found, so it's not so easy. I know some members here swear by the Contech (think that's the name) scarer which is a device you attach to your hose and is movement activated. It squirts a jet of water when they go by. It's mainly for cats but it may deter foxes if you know the usual point of entry. Just remember to warn hubby if it's switched on!
Other than that - it's electric fencing I think.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Are you absolutely sure it was cat poo on the lawn? It doesn't sound very cat-like to go right in the middle like that, especially if there is loose soil about, and foxes do leave theirs in prominent positions to mark their territory. You need to discourage the foxes, maybe going outside, or opening a window and making a noise at random times, especially dusk and very early mornings, so they feel less secure. Could you 'borrow' a dog for a few days? Maybe have a friend stay over?The sound and smell of a dog in the garden will help to deter them. There is also some stuff, called Renardine I think, that you put at entry points. It smells awful, just like foxes, but is supposed to work by making them think a more dominant fox is in possession.
Alas no dogs around. I think it was a cat, we certainly have a resident one that isn't eaily scared and there were no points of entry for the fox visible ( they bury under rather than go over at the moment). Without getting too graphic, I've seen both types of faeces and the fox one looked very different! Who knows though!
Thanks
That sounds more like fox behaviour than cat. Cats just don't dig up turf.
This time of year the young are dispersing and going out to establish their own territory. They will scratch and defecate to mark that they've been somewhere.
You'll not put a fox off with pee (nor a cat with orange peel). What you could do is spray with something that marks the territory as "already taken". There's a few things on the market. Better still though is to get and set up one of the water device "scarecrows". They basically have a motion sensor and when activated will spray and scare it away. Put it so it covers the edges of your garden.
Don't forget you've got it though if you go out to the bins at night time
Badgers certainly dig well. I think I would set up a motion-sensitive camera to make sure. A low electric fence all round the garden would be a good solution.
To clarify, it's the fox digging up the turf but there is also a cat who seems to have left very small deposits that don't look like the fox poo on the lawn. They are small and white deposits if that helps clear this up!
We live in SE London so I wouldn't have expected to see badgers here, we're a fair way away from any big parks or woods? I've certainly seen at least one fox (who casually walks alongside you in the street if it feels like it) and also a cat.
The costs look like they will be quite high if I am really serious about protecting the area (cameras, motion sensor sprinklers and electric fences)!
Thanks
My heart sinks reading this - we're quite a way off the turf stage at the moment but as my meagre digging over of the existing lawn has induced some quite extensive 'complementary' digging by the foxes, I just know we'll have the same problem in a few months. Also in SE London - there are many, many foxes here, there's no keeping them out (they dig under AND leap over fences) and I generally just shoo them away and am resigned to clearing up foul deposits on a regular basis. Shooing only gets them to move a few yards whilst staring disdainfully at me - if I really want them to leave the garden I have to run after them! But if they wreck my lawn when I finally have it I'll be very hacked off.
No useful advice, just feeling your pain and watching this thread with interest.
Fox poo develops a white colour because of calcium in the diet. From bones of small mammals. Urban foxes are often raiding bins and eating the likes of chicken carcasses.
Cat poo isn't ordinarily ever white... unless it's suffering from liver disease or failure.