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Is there a bonafide way to stop cats and foxes coming into my garden?

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It's one of the main things stopping me from enjoying my garden. It's now especially more disgusting now that I have artificial grass. I have tried using the sound blasters etc., but cats keep coming in and I swear then pick on my garden. I just wish owners were more considerate and kept their bloody pests inside.

I have put spikes around on the fence and though it did initially deter them from using certain entry points, the always find a way around or just get used to it. What can I do?

The only thing I can think of is getting very high fences (I can currently see over mine) and putting prison-style barbedwire all over.
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Comments

  • If you have artificial grass, sprinkle a load of ground black pepper over it. They don't like sniffing it (who does!). It worked on a patch of gravel outside a flat I once lived in. Of course, if your patch is very big, you may need a lot of pepper
  • naf123
    naf123 Posts: 1,708 Forumite
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    I've heard if you get the male of the house to urinate around the garden it would mark your territory from the cats and foxes
  • docmatt
    docmatt Posts: 915 Forumite
    Pee and black pepper around the boundary lines. It actually feels quite nice peeing in your own garden
  • iammumtoone
    iammumtoone Posts: 6,377 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
    Get your own cat, this will keep the others away :)
  • ka7e
    ka7e Posts: 3,129 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic
    Get your own cat, this will keep the others away :)


    Tell that to the moggie that keeps coming in my cat flap to pinch my cat's dinner!
    "Cheap", "Fast", "Right" -- pick two.
  • Johnhowell
    Johnhowell Posts: 692 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts
    get a chip detector cat flap to stop other cats getting in. We did this. Our cat likes sitting outside making the flap click open/click locked over and over... ;-) But no other cats getting in.

    J
  • no1catman
    no1catman Posts: 2,973 Forumite
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    ka7e wrote: »
    Tell that to the moggie that keeps coming in my cat flap to pinch my cat's dinner!

    Had that happen at previous house, now the cat-flap only allows entry with the right embedded micro-chip.
    I used to work for Tesco - now retired - speciality Clubcard
  • bouicca21
    bouicca21 Posts: 6,690 Forumite
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    Many years ago we had problems with the cats belonging to cat crazy neighbour. Used a sonic deterrent and they learned to avoid our garden.
  • iammumtoone
    iammumtoone Posts: 6,377 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
    You could try a water pistol every time you see one (just don't get a mega super blaster!).


    My cats used to sometimes come home with a wet patch on them where someone must have sprayed them with water, I had no issue with this I understand not everyone likes cats and it doesn't do the cat any harm.
  • Davesnave
    Davesnave Posts: 34,741 Forumite
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    Your fence is too low and the top is probably too rigid if you can put spikes on it. Honestly, what would those or barbed wire do when cats can easily shin up and down prickly hawthorn trees?

    You are restricted by law to a 2m fence, but if neighbours are OK with it, you might go a bit higher with some floppy polypropylene netting, angled inwards and held by something like mild steel bars and cable ties. However, 2m overall is high enough. If there is no purchase at the top of the fence, animals won't like it. You can get the netting in black, which is UV stabilised and less obvious visually.

    I know this works, because it's kept foxes out of an orchard where I run hens for 9 years now. Cats go over mine because the posts aren't adapted as above and they just act as wonderful routes in/out, but then I want the cats in there to deal with any rodents the hens can't murder for themselves!
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