Cats - how to deter them from my garden and veggie plot 9 February 2022 at 4:22PM in Greenfingered MoneySaving 21 replies 2.1K views

MrsPorridge

Can someone please advise on a cat deterrent that works?  I have been using cat pepper and going through tubs of it, but its not helping and is costing a fortune.

Many thanks.

twopenny

For soil there is a plastic mesh with soft spikes that you bury just under the soil. It's available on Amazon. Iwas, and may still try this.
I used canes and netting a foot high around my veg to deter pigeons. It worked a treat.
More aesthetic and expensive would be a willow fence a foot high. Or you could make one yourself. It doesn't have to be solid, just a weave every couple of inches.

tracyc17225

I have had problems with Cats (I don’t have any pets) pooing in my garden, like twopenny I have used canes and netting, as well as weed membrane to cover problem areas.  

One tip I read was that if the pooing keeps happening in the same area, the cat may have marked it as it’s territory - so you need to destroy the scent as well.  Pouring washing up water over it and /or a tea bag sprayed in deep heat.

frankie

I use clematis netting for when I've just planted seeds, supported on horizontal timber batten.

MrsPorridge

I think netting is the way we are heading.  We bought some bamboo canes yesterday, just need to get the netting now.  Thanks all.

Brie

I used to read that cats are deterred by thorny bushes and then I found one of mine perched in a rose bush.  And the bit about spraying water doesn't really work either.  Our first cat used to think it was a fun game and would just roll about to get a full soaking.

Spender£

I use wire mesh flat on the ground which stops them from digging as they don't like the feel of the mesh under their feet, i put this over gravel and soil which has done the trick for me.

Farway

Spender£ said:

I use wire mesh flat on the ground which stops them from digging as they don't like the feel of the mesh under their feet, i put this over gravel and soil which has done the trick for me.

The cats around here with wire mesh seem to shrug their shoulders and leave it on top the mesh without attempting to bury it, in a sort of "serve you right" way

scrummy-mummy

I cover my beds in cardboard in the winter and net them off in warmer weather. I woodchip all the paths around the beds. It's not perfect but does seem to help quite a bit. I probably spend more cash protecting my veg than I actually do on seedlings and other gardening stuff, you have my sympathy.

thriftwizard

Minced citrus peel deters them - they hate the smell with a passion - but does need replenishing every week. We have 3 cats and when I have newly-planted seedlings, etc., I just mince up any orange, lemon or grapefruit peel & scatter it, instead of composting it as usual.

ispookie666

I did try a lot of these and finally human urine once a while seemed to do the trick.