Cats, Grrr

We've got a flower bed about ten feet square planted with a variety of plants and shrubs. Unfortunately it's been used for some time as a latrine by the local feline population with the the result that much of their produce has worked its way into the soile and is no longer identifiable other than by its stench and its propensity to adhere in huge lumps mixed with the soil, to the soles of my boots.

Has anyone got any suggestions as to getting rid of the muck? We do not really want to have to get rid of or dig up the plants but there seems to be no way of eliminating the offensive material. Simultaneously I am contemplating ways of banishing the cats from the area.

Thanks

 

Hi,

Have a look at this very long thread for deterrents -
Cat Deterrent Talk.? All post of this nature in this thread only.. Humane talk only please.! 2015

For the front garden we find some fine tough plastic netting stretched over the soil surface works very well, and for the back garden we use one of the PIR water jet sprayers, very effective as it makes a loudish clatttering noise as well as the water spray which they hate, but also harmless to them.

As for removal, only careful removal with some suitable trowel or rake etc, a horrible job we know, then replacing with some bags of fresh soil ...?

Keep any new soil wet as they do not like that, until you have some other deterrent in place.

 

Hello MountainMike, have your plants and shrubs been in there a long time? If not, and if it's that bad, surely it would be worth digging them up, hosing them down, replacing the 'soil' and then enclosing the bed so the cats can't get into it. Citrus fragrance can deter them...orange and lemon peels scattered around. While there's even a hint of their smell, they'll keep coming back to the same place. I do sympathise. I've got 3 and although they've got 2 acres to 'go' in, it's always the nice, soft fluffy soil they prefer. Not a pleasant experience gardening in that!

 

I'm still trialling with leaves of lavender, rosemary and curry plant, crushed and scattered around the area of use. It's quite a pungent mixture but seems to be having the desired results and also clears the sinuses.
Not in my garden pussycats....ha! (they say kormas a b**ch)

 

I don't find citrus to be at all effective; my lap cat stays put while I peel and eat oranges.

 

I agree. I live in the orchard orchards and the cats snooze under the orange trees. When we used to 'to and fro' from the UK and Portugal with the cats, Magic Sam always knew when we were near home as we approached the area of orchards as he jumped up and his nose would wiggle. He lived the first six years of his life in the UK so didn't grow up with it, neither did the ten-year olds we brought here too.

 

PIR water sprayer is the way forward. Cats can tolerate various deterrents but they hate water. After a few sprays they'll avoid your plot for sure.
Our cat likes going out, but he's under strict instructions to stay within our boundary.

 

He's a good boy... Plus the neighbour owns a terrier

 

As always …. It’s the few that give the rest of us a bad name .

 

Our Robert would run from a rabbit but neighbour has an Airedale