Cats are fiercely territorial, so one solution is actually to get your own cat(s) to scare the others off.
Otherwise provide them somewhere to go, I know it's annoying to give up part of your garden to other people's cats but it's likely to be less annoying than having to clear that much off your veg patch everyday. They loved freshly turned soil or even a sandy spot to go in.
Water scarecrows are all well and good but won't they target you when you walk past them and what radius do they actually cover? How many £50 water scarecrows do I need to protect even a modest-sized garden?
I have some cheap plastic mesh I put down in open areas of dirt. I don't like the cats using my flower bed as toilets nor do I like seeing squirrels in my backyard in the spring, chasing each other and skronking. I chase them into the neighbours yard, where I don't have to have that monkey business going on right in front of me. lol Strange that it never bothered me on the farm when the bull and cows were going at it. Probably because their making babies made us money.lol
I have one twenty quid scarecrow and it's a helluva lot cheaper than the endless other methods which don't work, not to mention the fury it gives you when you stick your hand in a pile of c**p.
It's simple to use and you just move it around now and again to thoroughly deter the regulars and the occasional offenders. Site it where they enter the garden or near bird feeders (the main attraction)
I now have no cats coming in here, and I often don't have it on at all. They've clearly learned to b***er off somewhere else 'cos they don't like it up 'em.
and no - why should I or anyone else have to get a cat or dog or provide facilities...bizarre
The cheque's in the post Hosta....
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I had cats using my garden as a toilet too so I bought a solar alarm that scares the cats away. Works really well in the summer ,don't have a problem with them coming into the garden. The alarm can be charged up in the winter when there is no sun by plugging it into your computer. But in the winter I use short canes pushed into the ground and put the cheap plastic netting over the top, low to the ground and they wont come in, yes it looks a bit messy but it works and I'm not out gardening then anyway. I hate how cats are allowed to come and crap in your garden and its ok . How would they like it my dog crapped in their garden and I never picked it up? There would be a huge song and dance about that I bet.
My neighbour dug over his veggie patch and then covered it with fine netting suspended about 6 inches above the ground. Cats still crapped on the netting!! He swore that if he caught it he would teach it to swim in his water butt. Fortunately for the cat he never did catch it. I firmly believe he woud have carried out the threat as he was so angry.
Coleus canina, a herb nicknamed scaredy cat, is said to repel cats. Also lavender infused water sprayed around plants. I also heard of ground black pepper in hot water sprayed around but surely that would block the sprayer?
I spread moth balls in the flower beds where the non-invited cats like to congregate. We have cold winters with no snow. It seems to halt the invasion somewhat. I continue using them throughout the seasons. They eventually disintegrate, so I continually add them when necessary.
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Cats are fiercely territorial, so one solution is actually to get your own cat(s) to scare the others off.
Otherwise provide them somewhere to go, I know it's annoying to give up part of your garden to other people's cats but it's likely to be less annoying than having to clear that much off your veg patch everyday. They loved freshly turned soil or even a sandy spot to go in.
Water scarecrows are all well and good but won't they target you when you walk past them and what radius do they actually cover? How many £50 water scarecrows do I need to protect even a modest-sized garden?
I have some cheap plastic mesh I put down in open areas of dirt. I don't like the cats using my flower bed as toilets nor do I like seeing squirrels in my backyard in the spring, chasing each other and skronking. I chase them into the neighbours yard, where I don't have to have that monkey business going on right in front of me. lol Strange that it never bothered me on the farm when the bull and cows were going at it. Probably because their making babies made us money.lol
never had visiting cats when we had our own one.
I'm not greedy.
I have one twenty quid scarecrow and it's a helluva lot cheaper than the endless other methods which don't work, not to mention the fury it gives you when you stick your hand in a pile of c**p.
It's simple to use and you just move it around now and again to thoroughly deter the regulars and the occasional offenders. Site it where they enter the garden or near bird feeders (the main attraction)
I now have no cats coming in here, and I often don't have it on at all. They've clearly learned to b***er off somewhere else 'cos they don't like it up 'em.
and no - why should I or anyone else have to get a cat or dog or provide facilities...bizarre
The cheque's in the post Hosta....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I had cats using my garden as a toilet too so I bought a solar alarm that scares the cats away. Works really well in the summer ,don't have a problem with them coming into the garden. The alarm can be charged up in the winter when there is no sun by plugging it into your computer. But in the winter I use short canes pushed into the ground and put the cheap plastic netting over the top, low to the ground and they wont come in, yes it looks a bit messy but it works and I'm not out gardening then anyway. I hate how cats are allowed to come and crap in your garden and its ok . How would they like it my dog crapped in their garden and I never picked it up? There would be a huge song and dance about that I bet.
My neighbour dug over his veggie patch and then covered it with fine netting suspended about 6 inches above the ground. Cats still crapped on the netting!! He swore that if he caught it he would teach it to swim in his water butt. Fortunately for the cat he never did catch it. I firmly believe he woud have carried out the threat as he was so angry.