Help!cats using my garden as a loo (merged threads)

Snapelover

Craig_A wrote:

TBH you'd be doing me a favour if you bought some rabbits into my garden and let them chew on the weeds

However, presuming for a minute that you weren't doing me a favour, would you mind if I were to shoot your rabbits?

You'd have no reason to shoot my rabbits if they were in your garden upon request. However, you'd also have no reason to shoot my rabbits at any other time as I keep my rabbits in my garden where they belong and I don't let them go off into other peoples' gardens to ruin their gardens etc. See what I am saying.

Craig_A

How would you feel if I brought my rabbits into your garden without your permission

See what I am saying.

Oh, yes, clear as day (see first quote!)

Seriously what is called for here is some common sense. Accept that cats are likely to come into your garden unless you take reasonable (I don't mean shooting or poisoning them) steps to disuade them - that's a fact of life. Accept that (most) cat owners would be mortified to think that they'd be leaving their doings in a place where it is causing distress or where it could be handled by kids and would willingly come and clean the mess if they are made aware. And accept that if you go round shooting or injuring cats then there are going to be an awful lot of upset cat owners out there. I refer you back to the mention of shooting your rabbits... how would you feel?

Snapelover

My rabbits make a mess in their own garden - they don't leave their mess in other peoples' gardens. I am a educated rabbit owner who does not allow my rabbits to roam into anywhere and everywhere.

What we require is educated cat owners who keep cats indoors - I've known people whose cats never go out - apart from maybe their own garden. Are cat owners actually aware of what their little darlings' poo can do? Maybe if we sat them down and explained it to them it make make some (but not all) of them realise what they are doing.

I have taken responsible steps - I have wire mesh attached to the top of my garden fences at the back of my house (where my rabbits are allowed out) but at the front I do not my garden to look like a fortress - which is why I need to take other steps to stop cats coming in and using my flower beds as a toilet - I have kids and I don't want them picking it up. I have an old (washed out - don't panic) washing up liquid bottle which I keep on my doorstep in order to squirt the cat with but it doesn't stop them coming back - so I need to take action and do something they won't forget.

Craig_A

That's fine and understood but advocating shooting them is a little extreme, I am sure you'll agree!

Anyway... *yawn* bored now

churchmouse_3

Try planting Stargazer lillies in the garden where the cats come in. Not only are they lovely scented flowers that are easy to grow, they are apparently quite nasty for the feline speices...... so no !!!!!!s.... no damaged lawn. You have beautiful flowers for your vase ,free...... Cant be bad.

mpet

I have only read a few pages of this post, but are you sure it is actually cats - have you seen them do it. If not, foxes may be the culprits as they cr*p anywhere. The fact that you have a 6ft fence won't put them off - I have a tall fence and foxes jump over it with no problem. I have 3 cats and they all dig in the dirt, do their business and cover it up.

If it is foxes, mens wee puts them off.I have to do this (not me personally) to stop the foxes messing on my patio.

Mpet

buttonmoonfan

I found that a liberal application of Scoot tends to deter cats from around our bin area and garden-apparently it also is supposed to deter birds and dogs.Check the web under garden products i got mine from an online garden centre but cant remember who-sorry.

Snapelover

I opened my back door last night and frightened a cat which had somehow come into my garden - and because it ran towards the back of the garden it put the frightners on my poor little bunnies. They were so stressed out. We have wire mesh stapled onto the top of our fences with the edges pointing up so I hope the cat is hurtung now.

Anyway, I am really considering buying one of those ultrasonic cat repellers but would like to know if any other people have them and what they think of them as there are a few different models on the market.

What type of coversage do they give (up and down as well as across/around) and do they work? We have quite a big garden (about 20 metres long).

Finally, will they be safe for my bunnies?

George_Bray

slobbery wrote:

I have a really good device that has a sensor on it just like a security light does. You put it the lawn, set up the height and distance of the sensor and attach it to your hosepipe. See it here:
http://www.gardensupplydirect.co.uk/?productID=2045&op=catalogue-product_info-null&prodCategoryID=121
Not cheap but utterly brilliant.

This sounds good but do you know if you're allowed to use it during the period of a hose pipe ban? You can still use a hose to fill a pool, clean brickwork or mix cement, etc, etc (I think) so perhaps you can also use a hose to feed a cat scarer.

But why should we have to foot the bill of say £20 - £80 pounds, every 2 or 3 years when these electronic devices need replacing. And/or £s on pepper, garlic or whatever. These costs arise wholly as a result of the cat owners HOBBY, i.e. cats.

Say I practised archery in the garden and an arrow went over the fence and pierced the fabric or teak of a neighbour's garden furniture - I'd probably be liable for criminal damage and have to pay for repairs. We should be able to send cat owners the bill for frequent new grass seed or turf, top soil, and labour to sow and water it, amounting to several hours at, say, £10 an hour.

A farmer is allowed to shoot dogs which trouble his cattle or crops. I guess this is due to the cost of potential damage or distress. Likewise, we should be allowed to shoot cats in our garden with an air rifle. The law is unfair in giving special treatment to the cat 'hobby'. It's no wonder some people take the law into their own hands.

Regards
George

Snapelover

stevewilliams wrote:

Best solution I have found is to let an old tea bag dry out, spray it well with Deep Heat / Ralgex and bury it just under the surface.

It lasts quite a while to.

Did this tip last week but I haven't checked my front garden lately to see if it works. I will keep you posted.

Unfortunately, this will not do the trick in my back garden - there is never any gats poo in our rear garden - just the cats com ing in is the probelm. It's on their route. The sooner I can make them change their route the better.