How do I keep cats off my garden?

[Holiday Planner]

For that past three weeks we have been having our back garden 'made over'. The very overgrown shrubs have been cut right back or removed. The lawn which contained very little actual grass was taken up - levelled, retained with some sleepers, and the patio was re-shaped, and a new one laid. It's now all virtually finished - just waiting for a nice day to do the pointing on the slabs.
Imagine my horror when I woke this morning to see that my new lawn (only laid on friday) has been dug up on places and the soil underneath pulled out all over the surrounding grass. To begin with I thought we had had a badger in the garden, but on closer inspection Andrew thinks it was a cat. The piece of lawn had just been turned over at the corner - not dug out entirely. We have several neighbouhood cats who fight over our garden, and I imagine the new soft soil was too much temptation.

Has anyone got any advice for how I can keep the cats from digging up lawn and plants / soiling my garden / shredding the fence? I have no objection to the ones who just come and sun themselves on the patio, although one or two cheeky ones sometimes creep into the house if we leave a door open!

[Dark Knight]

Get a dog or two

[davecttr]

Spread lion droppings liberally around, the cats will run a mile.

Hi powered water gun?

Half brick? - well perhaps a bit extreme.

[towny44]

My son uses one of those sonic devices on his front lawn which he says works very well.

[Gill W]

My son uses one of those sonic devices on his front lawn which he says works very well.

I've tried various pepper dusts and cat shaped 'scarecats', to no avail, so I got a sonic device, and it seems to be working well so far

My dad swore by old plastic cola bottles filled with water, and dotted them around the garden. I don't think it worked, he was always complaining about the local cat population!

[Boris+]

Well our daughter has a sonic cat scaring device - to keep the pesky little darlings away from her sports car soft top. She says it works, we may well have to get one because a neighbour has just announced with pride that they have bought a kitten.

Previously (before we moved) we had a curry plant - and the local cats really didn't like it, but then it stank so neither did we!

QED top of the old wish list for Santa - a supersoaker! I've always wanted one, and now I have an excuse perhaps!

Em

[GillD46]

I hate cats with a passion and in our last house we constantly had them walking through our garden. NOTHING I did got rid of them - absolutely nothing! Fortunately in this house, SO FAR, there have been none seen.

Long may it last!

[haveabeer]

I cant stand cats but we have three the reason is my wife likes cats
what does that tell you

[Jean W]

I've ordered the cat shaped 'scare cats' on the advice of a Neighbour.

I couldn't harm a cat, but I am not a lover of them.

Our next door Neighbours (having moved in about 6 months ago) have 2 and they have taken up residence They're so friendly and try to get indoors. It won't be too bad now that my back door isn't open, but I found it frustrating having to keep the door shut in the Summer.

My Husband has also found them trying to get into his Van.

[Onelife]

I cant stand cats but we have three the reason is my wife likes cats
what does that tell you

Squeak squeak!



Regards

Keith

[haveabeer]

I cant stand cats but we have three the reason is my wife likes cats
what does that tell you

Squeak squeak!



Regards

Keith

Yes Keith I know but I love motor racing and my wife hates it so we have a bit of give and take suppose that's why we been happily married for 46 years

[Quizzical Bob]

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/peter ... ur-garden/
http://www.primrose.co.uk/cat-deterrents-c-102.html

A 12-bore would probably be most effective but I have always wanted to try one of these, if only for the comedy effect of watching it in operation:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/STV-414-Jet-S ... 0993649794

[Meg 50]

apparently the best way to protect your garden from cats is to own one. They always do their stuff somewhere else, but stop all the others using yours!

[Onelife]

I cant stand cats but we have three the reason is my wife likes cats
what does that tell you

Squeak squeak!



Regards

Keith

Yes Keith I know but I love motor racing and my wife hates it so we have a bit of give and take suppose that's why we been happily married for 46 years

Couldn’t agree more Dave...I love my horse racing so like you say “there has to be a bit of give and take”.....

That’s why my wife takes all the winnings...squeak squeak!

Regards

Keith

[haveabeer]

apparently the best way to protect your garden from cats is to own one. They always do their stuff somewhere else, but stop all the others using yours!

If only that was true we have 2 male 1 female and they attract cats from all around they sit on shed roof

[Manoverboard]

Have you thought about putting 50 volts through your shed roof ?

[Dark Knight]

at the risk of repeating myself

Get a dog

[Meg 50]

apparently the best way to protect your garden from cats is to own one. They always do their stuff somewhere else, but stop all the others using yours!

If only that was true we have 2 male 1 female and they attract cats from all around they sit on shed roof

maybe, but do they dig?

Cats don't dig in our garden although they congregate there (mainly on our garage roof) - next door's 2 have decided it's an extension of their garden and protect it for us!

[Onelife]

Hi Angela,

Pussy cats dislike water so get yourself a sprinkler system.... if that fails ask Darkestknightmare if you can borrow his guard dogs...Basher, Fang, and Snapper they should do the trick

Regards

Keith

[Stephen]

Should've nailed your new lawn down.

[qbman1]

Angela - are you really sure it's cats causing the damage? A cat is unlikely to dig up turf as they prefer loose soil or gravel to do their "business". At a push, they will use longer grass but I would not expect them to dig it up. Sounds to me like it could be a fox.

[Jacknian]

We don't get cats in the back garden as we have a dog who seems to scare them off, but in our front garden we have quite a lot of gravel which the cats love to do their business in. We use a product called 'catapult' which is a powder that you sprinkle on and the cats don't like the smell. It lasts quite well through a shower of rain but if it pours you have to reapply. It seems to be working but don't know if it would be as effective on soil, though you are supposed to be able to use it on any surface.

[Manoverboard]

If it is a fox the smell will be .... well, whoooooh whereas a puss cat's will be sweet perfume by comparison.

[anneed]

I had a problem with cats soiling my front lawn and I'm sorry to say that I don't believe anything works in deterring them. I tried a spray, citrus peelings and bought a sonic deterrent. The cat simply laughed at this and left an unpleasant calling card right beside the sonic thing. I was so annoyed I even tried getting up early to watch for the intruder but no luck.

One friend swore by leaving rubber snakes out but I didn't try that one. The only thing that seemed to have any effect was keeping the lawn as short as possible and after a few weeks the soiling stopped. Whether the pesky varmint found another loo spot or met with an accident I'll never know.

I'm a cat lover and would never harm one but I do sympathise!

[jay-ell71]

Angela - are you really sure it's cats causing the damage? A cat is unlikely to dig up turf as they prefer loose soil or gravel to do their "business". At a push, they will use longer grass but I would not expect them to dig it up. Sounds to me like it could be a fox.

Of course, you may say that only a cat lover would say that, but QB is right. Cats go for soft soil, digging up turf would be very unusual.