Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
Cats generally tend to poop on the borders of their core territory - amongst other things, it marks that territory as theirs. They are only doing what is natural to them - unfortunately it does bring them into conflict with humans. As the resident litter tray scooper chez Casa Reynard, I have to say that my two refuse to poop outside. Pee yes, if they're caught short, but poop, definitely not. They prefer to use the litter trays as they are nice and quiet and private.
If you want to deter cats from using your garden as a latrine, you need to make it unattractive from a cat's perspective. Cats like a nice soft and diggable surface in which to toilet. Putting down a layer of sharp gravel or coarse wood chippings (these would need to be replaced regularly) should help, as cats find them uncomfortable to stand or walk on. Mine won't use pelleted litter for precisely that reason.
Another plant that cats actively don't like is Rue - when touched, the leaves emit a rather pungent, bitter aroma that actively offends a cat.
Just a further note - cats will toilet where they smell that it's appropriate to do so. Usually it is because their own scent is in the area from previous visits, but will often "go" where someone has used bleach to clean stuff - the ammonia in bleach gives them the same kind of signal. So if a cat has pooped or piddled where it's not supposed to, don't use bleach, use something that has no ammonia in it e.g. white vinegar or a solution of warm water and bicarbonate. Bicarb is a very good deodorizer as well.
If you want to deter cats from using your garden as a latrine, you need to make it unattractive from a cat's perspective. Cats like a nice soft and diggable surface in which to toilet. Putting down a layer of sharp gravel or coarse wood chippings (these would need to be replaced regularly) should help, as cats find them uncomfortable to stand or walk on. Mine won't use pelleted litter for precisely that reason.
Another plant that cats actively don't like is Rue - when touched, the leaves emit a rather pungent, bitter aroma that actively offends a cat.
Just a further note - cats will toilet where they smell that it's appropriate to do so. Usually it is because their own scent is in the area from previous visits, but will often "go" where someone has used bleach to clean stuff - the ammonia in bleach gives them the same kind of signal. So if a cat has pooped or piddled where it's not supposed to, don't use bleach, use something that has no ammonia in it e.g. white vinegar or a solution of warm water and bicarbonate. Bicarb is a very good deodorizer as well.
