Cats damaging garden fence and pooing in my garden

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kuepper
kuepper Posts: 1,360 Forumite
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in In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving
I have a ~5' traditional fence with overlap panels but to get between gardens my neighbours' cats scramble to the top of the panels and cling there before jumping down the other side. Through their claws and their weight (and an increase in the cat population in recent months) the panels have become loose and damaged. I don't see the point in replacing them like for like as the same thing will just happen again. Can anyone recommend a cat proof solution that affords reasonable privacy?

I'm also getting sick of the cats pooing in my garden too, any suggestions to deter them welcome!
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  • missile
    missile Posts: 11,689 Forumite
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    edited 12 April 2018 at 4:25AM
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    You could try one of the ultrasonic deterrents ?

    Just a suggestion. I have never used one and do not know if they are effective.
    "A nation's greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members." ~ Mahatma Gandhi
    Ride hard or stay home :iloveyou:
  • Ruski
    Ruski Posts: 1,628 Forumite
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    Sit there with your hosepipe and trigger spray ready for action - they soon get the idea :)

    HTH

    Russ
    Perfection takes time: don't expect miracles in a day :D
  • Davesnave
    Davesnave Posts: 34,741 Forumite
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    edited 12 April 2018 at 8:51AM
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    We have these questions about cats every year.

    There are dozens of 'answers,' most of of which don't work, but people try them because they're too daft, poor or lazy to do things that will work.....or maybe the cats aren't really the huge problem they say they are.

    I have chickens, badgers and foxes, not all together of course, because if the other two access the chickens, they're gone. So, I don't get any options, except to build a 100% fox/badger proof fence. I have and it works.

    You can build a cat proof fence, but I cannot pretend it'll be cheap or pretty.
    Just a bit of bird netting on top of a typical fence would certainly help though.

    Failing that, you can create what I have naturally for my cats, which is areas of dry, friable soil where the'd much rather 'go' than on other areas where digging is harder. It's not 100% foolproof, but it's better than an old lemonade bottle half full of water on the lawn, or scattering grapefruit skins around the place!

    Oh, and if your fence panels really fall to bits because of cats, I'd hate to think what the force of a 65mph wind would do to them!
  • Ant555
    Ant555 Posts: 1,569 Forumite
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    I had similar issues a few years back and was only partially successful.

    I considered putting something spiky on the fence but decided that was not right so opted for persuading them to toilet elsewhere.
    Wilko had a 'cat repellent' spray that smelt absolutely awful and a bit like garlic that I sprayed every other week over the winter and it did indeed keep them away. Not sure if its still available.

    I wasnt able to stop them walking along the top of my fence however it seemed like an amicable solution that I let them use the fence if the went to the loo elsewhere!
  • Silvertabby
    Silvertabby Posts: 9,023 Forumite
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    The best way to keep cats out of your garden - is to get a cat of your own.

    Otherwise - try soaking used tea bags in olbas oil and scattering then around the 'poo' areas. Cats hate the smell.
  • thebigstillmeister
    thebigstillmeister Posts: 188 Forumite
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    When we moved in to our house, the front lawn was covered in it from the neighbors cat. The smell in the summer walking to my front door was terrible, mowing the lawn was just nasty and was worried about my little boy getting covered in it.

    Literally every day with out fail there was something. The worst thing was the cat used to go in the top of our new topiary balls we had planted.

    I bought some of the cat scanner off ebay, about £20 each, the day I put them in I had zero mess,.. lasted for about 2 months or so, batteries ran out and immediately we had problems again.

    I had about 4, 1 i think is now a bit knackered and the others have run out of battery, so only down side is you do have to keep replacing the batteries which I havent done so much through the winter, but now its getting nicer weather I am going to get them all working again,
  • societys_child
    societys_child Posts: 7,110 Forumite
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    you do have to keep replacing the batteries
    Noticed recently that solar powered are now available.
  • ITtim
    ITtim Posts: 437 Forumite
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    missile wrote: »
    You could try one of the ultrasonic deterrents ?

    Just a suggestion. I have never used one and do not know if they are effective.

    I've had good success with these devices. The only thing is I seem to replace them every year but they really keep the cats away
    kicking squealing gucci little piggy.
  • thebigstillmeister
    thebigstillmeister Posts: 188 Forumite
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    societys_child wrote: »
    Noticed recently that solar powered are now available.

    Might have a look,. although I usually bury them in a hedge out of sight, so not sure how much sun they would get.
  • kuepper
    kuepper Posts: 1,360 Forumite
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    edited 12 April 2018 at 5:53PM
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    "Oh, and if your fence panels really fall to bits because of cats, I'd hate to think what the force of a 65mph wind would do to them!"

    They withstand the wind fine, it's the tops of the panels that have been ruined by the cats over the past few months, there's no 'if' about it. I haven't got a cat myself it's my neighbours who have, there was only 1 cat for many years which didn't cause a problem but now there's a few of them. I think they use the tops to sharpen their claws too
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