How to skin a cat. (Or at least keep him off the garden!!!)

[hoomin_erra]

Ok, i have a flower bed that has been completely destroyed by my cats. It took me 2 hours yesterday to clear out all the crap (literally).

I know they won't go there once the plants have covered the ground. It's the fresh soil they like.
I'm reluctant to cover it in pebbles, and they will keep destroying anything before it has a chance to grow.

Apart from covering the beds in wire mesh until the plants have established. Are there any plants (Aprt from spiky cactus!!) that will keep them away?

[farmerdrea]

This may sound weird, but I discovered quite by accident that chicken manure (non-composted) spread on the ground kept the cats from using it as a toilet. I had spread it thickly on an area where I'd planted brassica seedlings, as I'd been told that it would help combat clubfoot in the caulis and broccolis. It was the ifrst freshly dug and planted areas that the cats (our cats) have avoided, and continue to avoid each year where I spread it.

Just avoid getting the manure (assuming you can get ahold of some - we have our chooks, so I always have a bin of manure stored somewhere) directly on the plants, and it makes a fine fertiliser as well.

Cheers
Andrea
NZ

[Wombat]

Claymore mine!

Nev

[mrsflibble]

if you have a local zoo then lion poop works.
so does elephant poop.

[hoomin_erra]

Poop isn't really an option. I have a 3 year old, and soon a set of twins that will be in the garden.

Knowing the penchant for wee ones to put things in their mouth...............

[Milims]

Apparently if you fill plastic bottles almost to the top with water, put a slight twist in them and then leave them in your garden, cats think they are snakes and stay away! Apparenty............
Theres aways the super soaker method too A well aimed squirt with a powerful water pistol will teach them pretty sharpish that your flowers aint a toilet!
All this from a cat lover too!!

[Martin]

a Jack Russell (or 2!)

[hoomin_erra]

Hmmm, Super Soaker!!!!

[ina]

Poop isn't really an option. I have a 3 year old, and soon a set of twins that will be in the garden.

Knowing the penchant for wee ones to put things in their mouth...............

Sp what? Makes them grow big and strong...

No, honestly - I think folk are too uptight about not getting anything nasty in their mouths. When I was working in France, the then toddler regularly tested chicken poop with his mouth. He's now a big strong 20-something - never did him any harm (nor his siblings). Any child growing up in farm environment had that experience, and was none the worse for it.

[Green Aura]

My mother puts canes, pea sticks etc criss-crossed all over her new beds. The little beggars are too lazy/dim to shift them and don't have room to squat and scratch - works a treat.

[mrsflibble]

smear poop up the fence?

[ina]

I also always try and cover everything up until the plants are big enough... Might not look too attractive in a flower bed, though.

[QuakerBear]

If you have a three year old, why not give them a water pistol?

[QuakerBear]

Or instead of a water pistol a washing up liquid bottle filled with water.

[hoomin_erra]

Or instead of a water pistol a washing up liquid bottle filled with water.

Because after the few times of me blazing out the back door, any time their is someone in the Garden, they're as good as gold.

And i don't want to punish them when they're not doing anything. They won't learn anything that way.

I thing i've solved it tho, i put wire mesh on the soil in the beds so they can't scratch. Now i just need to get foliage growing to cover it.