Cats

I have three lovely cats, but they insist on using my borders as a toilet. I have recently put loads of work into a new border, filling it with a mixture of plants, flowers and brocoli and runner beans - know it sounds odd but looks (or did look) great. The cats see this as an invitation to toilet!!!

I've covered with a layer of mulch, and repeatedly spread cat repellent granules over it, but to no avail, the little blighters keep doing it, and have dug up several of my brocoli seedlings (which I raised from seed).

I'm new to gardening and was full of pride with what I'd achieved, but they are ruining it, Help!!

 

Hi,Blue Skies, and welcome!

I must say I've never really had a problem with my cats using my flower borders as toilets except is caught short. My only cat now, Magic Sam, would cross his legs first ... he'll come at a high rate of knots through the garden and house to his litter box in the bathroom!! Maybe I'm just lucky!

The only other deterrent I can think of is pepper.

 

croeso(wellcome) Blue Skies

 

I'm in the process or re-planting one of my borders and I was worried about the same thing. The cats have left it alone though in favour of the unplanted bit where the soil is looser. I really packed down the soil where I had replanted, and watered so it formed a hard surface. Might be worth a try.

 

Try chili powder, and find bramble, rose , or other prickly cuttings to spread on the border. Some people find their cats don't like bark chippings as a mulch, and you can also hide [if you've got time] and squirt them with a water pistol! :D
Moth balls and tea bags dipped in Jeyes fluid have also been suggested!

 

Hi and welcome blue skies from rosa

 

Orange peel spread about might put them off as they hate anything citric but it may not look "appealing". :D

 

Ha, ha, ha, ha ... my cats love oranges and sit on the stone walls where the oranges hang over and rub their head on them and they snooze under the trees where the fruit drops and rots ... so we don't believe this tale (or is it tail?)

 

I'm only going by my present and previous cats who all hate oranges(and apples) one did like jam and peanut butter(not together US style). :D

 

Mmmm, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches - jam and cream cheese is nice too. Time for brunch ... mozarella and horseradish melted on home-made ciabatta! With orange juice!

 

My crazy cats eat my chili plant! admittedly they spit out the chilis, but powder would't stop them :rolleyes:

 

keep mulching and instead provide a tray with lose soil nearby - maybe they get the hint to use that rather than the bark chips or any more prickly material!

Luckily, my cats are also of the kind that rather cross their legs running into the house than using any part of the garden! That was, when they were still allowed to go out. :(

 

Cats are beautiful.
This is my neighbours cat Bess who has a whole bunch of attitude and objected to having her picture taken......Just thought I would share it with you.....Mind your fingers...

 

Oh, I love Bess with an attitude .. better than any Rottweiler!

Our cat Penguin actually brought a Rottweiler (Blake) up in Bucks ... she was afraid of no one. The owners of Blake however were not so amused when they used to take him walking and he reared up and flapped his paws around like he was batting Penguin! Blake used to come and sit outside out back door in the mornings waiting for Penguin to come out to play! Such lovely memories (late 70s / early 80s).