I have three cats, that are outside cats. By the way, they have a number of shelters from bad weather on our property. My question is, how can I keep them out of our vegetable garden and our flower gardens. They think they are giant litter boxes??

-- Russ Bauer (russbauer22@msn.com), March 06, 2001

Answers

A good dog will help, but not solve, the problem. We have lots of barn cats and the dogs keep them out of the garden, but when the dogs are inside it doesn't work. What does help is to prune my BIG rose bush and lay the thorny clippings on top of the mulch. Good luck!

-- Wingnut (wingnut@moment.net), March 06, 2001.

Fencing? Realize that they probably will be a deterrent to rodents in the garden, if they can get to them. If you fence them out, they can't catch the rodents as easily. Also, cats don't like the smell of citrus, so orange peels will repel them -- sometimes! I've read that moth balls repel them as well, but I don't want moth balls around my growing plants OR my cats.

-- Joy F (So.Central Wisconsin) (CatFlunky@excite.com), March 06, 2001.

I have had to deal with the same problem ever since I put a garden in.I have no cure exept acceptance. When I am working in the garden and I come upon some cat you-know-what, I either toss it or bury it! I certainly can't fence in the garden. Anyway, if I know my cats, they'd climb the fence just to see what I was up to!

-- Ardie from WI (a6203@hotmail.com), March 06, 2001.

I agree with Ardie....cats will climb the fence or post or even find a way under the fence, especially when the robins are in your garden digging for worrms!!! Actually, the only time my cats really disturb my garden is when I've just seeded a row and they dig it up a little. I try to fix the row and deal with it since the cats do keep the rodents away. Any suggestions as to keeping them out of a small area such as a flower or herb bed?

-- Marcia (HrMr@webtv.net), March 06, 2001.

for small areas - lay chicken wire on the ground - keeps them from digging

-- Pat (mikulptrc@aol.com), March 06, 2001.

I don't try to keep them out either, small price to pay for all the rodent control they do, they are great hunters of mice and moles, all eight of them!

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), March 06, 2001.

Plant lots and lots of marigolds around your veggies, and pennyroyal will help too. Plant a big patch of catnip somewhere far far away from the garden.

After that, mostly dinner will be what they enter the garden for, they won't be able to stomach the smell of the plants. So, look out mice, and thanks from the garden!!!

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), March 07, 2001.

I had this problem last year and thought of scattering mothballs around when I planted. It worked and they had melt by the time the plants were up. The cats had lost interest by then. i use the mothballs in the feed room to keep bees from building in there, too.

-- Lynne (lekhorse@yahoo.com), March 10, 2001.

I grew up on a small farm and we had a few cats. WE HAD A REAL NICE GARDEN THAT THE CATS DID NOT ENTER EXCEPT TO INVESTIGATE THINGS AND VISIT US AS WE WERE WEEDING. I do not remember stumbling onto any of those unpleasant surprises, that the cats leave behind. Because, my father had a truck load of sand brought in for us kids to play in. Unfortunately, the cats thought this pile of sand was brought in for their bathroom. We soon could not play in it and abandoned it to the cats. My suggestion is to get some sand and place it in an area where you want the cats to use as their bathroom area (preferrably aways from the garden). I know that my dad had a dump truck load brought in, however, you maybe able to use less, if you don't want a whole truck load or don't have the room for this much. Cats like to dig in soft soil or sand to do their business and this would probably solve your problem. Let us all know how it worked, if you decide to try it.

-- Eileen Schoen (FreeTrialSchoen@aol.com), March 11, 2001.

I'm having this same problem now with my cats. I've laid chicken wire down on top of the beds and that has worked somewhat. My grandmother told me to try putting coffee grounds or shredded orange peels there, but I haven't tried it yet.

Tracey

-- Tracey Lanier (trjlanier@cs.com), March 11, 2001.

Thank you all for your information, wish me luck. Russ

-- Russ (russbauer22@msn.com), March 12, 2001.

i always found that a shot gun and a couple of cartridges does the trick. Take a head shot as this works best

-- dez (dez@homesober.freeserve.co.uk), May 08, 2001.

Our daughter lives near New Orleans, doesn't have a veg. garden, but they have beautiful flower beds--when they can keep stray cats out! They have a housecat that never gets outside. Sprinkled red pepper around in the soft dirt--no more stray cats dig there now!

-- ruth in s.e.Illinois (bobtravous@email.com), May 09, 2001.

I found a web site for a recipe to keep cats out of the garden, give it a try. http://www.floridagardener.com/recipes/potions.htm

-- Linda (jetgirl72@yahoo.ca), May 09, 2001.

Buy a powerful super soaker gun and soak them real good. They will not come back in a hurry!

-- Gary Hopton (gary.hopton@talk21.com), May 11, 2001.

Hello Russ, Having studied the phenomenona often described as "cats in the garden" for years now, I have come to the final conclusion that many of us have been on a run of self-deception, ever since we planted our first vegetable and flower gardens. This path of psychic destruction began when we noticed a small itching on our right index finger, right after we had asked our nearest neighbor,"Do you have something I could borrow to just move the cats out of my garden?" The following year, the itch became a twitch, as we wondered if the cats were leaving us anything in return for what we were leaving for them. The entire situation gained total control of us ,as we extended our search for relief throughout the world,looking for answears to our unansweared questions, now...on the internet. To compensate for our personal suffering, we often denied the reality of Nature..., as we began to project what the coming year might have in store for us out in the yard. Nonetheless, I have something to offer you tonight that may assist you in solving your dilemma regarding your difficuty with your cats. the following are for free, no charge, and they are what really works:

1.) buy more spray 2.) keep the cats inside 3.) gently and affectionately fly the cats to: Zamboanga City, Phillipines (along with a card, wishing them well, and a safe flight) 4.)do nothing.........doing nothing and accepting the fact that nothing can be done, will eventually ease our (your) burden.

Most Respectfully, John on The Cape

-- John (alta25_2000@yahoo.com), May 24, 2001.

I dont think a gun is really the solution, that is just mean!!!! Pennyroyal oil works the best. Cats hate the smell of it.

-- Mel (vibrantthing@yahoo.com), July 06, 2001.

We live ina townhouse in the city, have a nice fenced patio and 8 by 12 garden. Neighborhood strays multiply quicker than bunnies and thanks to soft-hearted and soft-headed neighbors feeding them, the cats use the most fertile garden to poop. There are 6 to 20. I've tried pepper, liquid and dry, bought granules, concocted stuff, done mothballs (they work if YOU can stand the smell, and gels. They have come into the enclosed patio area and sprayed everything included clothes hung out to air. I've used the havahart traps and got 15 cats in one summer. Also bought a commercial fly exterminator which filled 3 times in 2 months. If it weren't for the squirrels, cardinals, finches and fish pond, I'd use rat poison. The strays have made my life miserable and have taken the joy out of gardening and sitting outside. Whoever comes up with a successful solution will earn a million dollars and the gratitude of many.

-- Geo Eveland (alosa@blazenet.net), February 14, 2002.

Cats are a continual problem for us as well. Local arborist says that he has very good experience with the motion-activated sprinkler.

We just got one, called the "Scarecrow." It shoots a spray of water when anything comes near. Haven't tried it yet. I see that Hav-a- Hart makes one, also. Not sure of the area yet covered, but am going to target it towards our raised beds with carrots, beets, etc. (below ground foods). Only negative I've heard mentioned is that it is very sensitive and must be set just right, so it doesn't over or under spray. Costs around $70.

-- HV (veggie@ourplace.com), February 14, 2002.

Cat Deterrents for your Garden:

* blood's meal fertilizer * purple foutain grass (link below - just imagine it purple) to hide a pool pump that the cat LUVVVVVVs it and lays in the long leaves all day. So my thought is maybe put something in that the cats really like and - you know cats won't winky were they like to hang out. * chili powder, red crushed pepper , cayenne pepper (Beware for reasons posted above) * toothpicks * coffee grounds (highly recommended) * black pepper * aluminum foil * cinnamon * bramble cuttings * heavy bark mulch * water bottle on "stream" * motion sensor sprinklers * chicken wire * gutter covers * rose bush clippings * crushed rock * donate catnip into your neighbor's yards * citrus peels * cedar compost * pennyroyal * marigolds, lots * river rocks over the exposed soil * garlic * squirt gun with water * six-inch bamboo skewers (pointy side up) * black plastic forks (tines up) * short twigs throughout the planted area about 6" apart * thorny berry, lilac, hawthorn, clippings * holly leaves * Essence of Orange. Essence of Lemon, Lime, Citrus Essential Oils... * pinecones * lavender * keep your area damp, they like dry soil * Carefresh - "recycled" wood pulp * spray on your leaves (not the cat): fill a spray bottle with 1/2 t chili powder, 1/2 t cayenne pepper, 1 t dishsoap and water ***cayenne pepper (NOT recommended), it gets on the cat's paws then they wash themselves and they get it in their eyes, beware cats have literally scratched their eyes out because of this *** moth balls (NOT recommended), avoid these in your garden because they are highly toxic

Give them their own areas (to keep them out of where you don't want them): (if you don't mind them protecting your garden from other critters)

* give them their own areas to dig in: loose soil and mulch like small bark mulch * give her her own plants - ie., pots of grass for her to chew on and a place in a large planted container on her balcony with some miscanthus grass in it (the cat likes to curl up in that for some reason) * pick the cat up and bring it to eye level with the plant to see and smell it up close. She noted that once her cat has seen and sniffed at the plant, she usually doesn't bother with it later. * Barley Grass * Oat Grass * Wheat Grass * Flax * Wheat Berries * Catmint cultivars * Carex elata 'Bolwes Golden' but put it in some shade * Valarian * Jacob's Ladder * Lemon Grass * Striped Ribbon Grass (can be invasive) * Cat Thyme (Teucrium marum) * Silver-vine (Actinidia polygama) * Mints * Sweetgrass * Various Varieties of Cat Mints (Catnips)

-- Amber Na (Aquilegia@37.com), March 19, 2002.

I have used ground red peppers. that keep the cats out of our garden.

-- Earl Drew (earl_1961@excite.com), March 27, 2002.