Cats..what to do?

[TheSandwichMonster]

Crossbow.

 

[Jimmy Doug]

My mother's got one of these. She's very happy with it.

 

[Melonfish]

very small landmines!
should discourage the slugs too.

 

[ianrauk]

Mrs Ian has just reported back that she has been to Homebase and got some sort of spray. Stinks like a million bulbs of garlic apparently. Well that's my gardening job tonight sorted then.

 

[Sittingduck]

Sprinkle pepper all over the place.

There are some very well seasoned advisors on this thread. But I'd take this one with a pinch of salt.

 

[Arch]

How about some reverse psychology?

Start feeding the cats, in the garden, and making them welcome. Make then much more welcome then they would be at home so that they spend more time in your garden then at home.

Eventually they will start lounging about in your garden, having adopted you, and move their toileting next door!
When the neighbours have given up on them ever coming home you can rehome them elsewhere.

I think where your idea falls down is, you're trying to outwit a cat. The only animal to have truly domesticated humans....

 

[Night Train]

I think where your idea falls down is, you're trying to outwit a cat. The only animal to have truly domesticated humans....

It's not the cats you would be out witting, it would be their people. The cats will happily change allegiance leaving their original people without cats, but with the poo problem.

 

[ianrauk]

right. Wow Mrs Ian wasnt joking when she said the stuff smells of Garlic. It's one of those spray gun mister things like Mr Muscle. So instead of spending eternity and risk of RSI using it as a spray I poured a load into a watering can, filled it with water and used that.... yegods the smell... did I mention the smell?

Let's see if it has any effect.

 

[2Loose]

Don't dig over all of your borders, cats love freshly dug or loose soil...compacted soil or those anti-weed blankets covered in chippings on your borders will mean the cats go somewhere else they can move the soil. Or just leave a little dug spot out of the way - they'll only poo there. promise.

 

[Paul J]

Why have a go at the cat? With gardening hoe in hand fling it at there washing on the line.

or

Place in a neat pile on neighbours doorstep, cover in lighter fluid, ignite, and ring door bell and quickly leave. Amazing how many people will stamp on something burning.

or

Place in well taped jiffy bag and post through letter box. They have to rip it open and cat poo everywhere.

or

Pickup place in ice cream tub with some water bigger pile of poo the better and leave to mature. Suckup liquid with old bike pump and spray through neighbours letterbox up their hallway.

Hmm something tells me I lived a mischievious childhood

 

[PaulSB]

So come on Cycle Chat peeps. Some good advise as to how stop the cats from digging up my flower beds.

OK this works in our back yard and outside the back gate. Yard is paved and outside is a mixture of busted Tarmac, gravel etc.

Remove all crap as soon as it appears. Spread moth balls around, even just puncture the packet and leave in the area. Spread hawthorn, Berberis or any really thorny trimmings around.

Most general hardware stores will have moth balls.

On soil the other method is to sprinkle crushed chillies and black pepper directly on the crap and in the general area. Cats come back to smell their poo and really do not like pepper or chillies.

Works for us but you have to be persistent. Even when you think you've won keep attacking!!!

 

[Night Train]

Maybe send the bill, for all the stuff you have to buy, to the cats' owners?

 

[Arch]

It's not the cats you would be out witting, it would be their people. The cats will happily change allegiance leaving their original people without cats, but with the poo problem.

Ah but your whole plan depends on cats doing what you think they will. Hence, they'll do the opposite!

 

[slowmotion]

I think where your idea falls down is, you're trying to outwit a cat. The only animal to have truly domesticated humans....

That old saying...."Dogs have masters, cats have staff."

 

[MisterStan]

Don't dig over all of your borders, cats love freshly dug or loose soil...

A couple of years ago I had just transplanted some tomato seedlings into a long container, the next morning I wen downstairs to make SWMBO a cuppa and noticed that they'd been 'disturbed', upon closer inspection as I was replanting them, I found a couple of cat eggs freshly laid and buried. Lovely way to star your Sunday morning.