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Cats - low growing spiky plant for top of wall?

dumbleydorydumbleydory Posts: 5
in Wildlife gardening
Adjoining wall to next door is about a foot wide, and about 20m length. New neighbour's cat is lying on top and waiting for birds to use the feeders 

The cat is out virtually 24/7, so I cant water pistol. It would be hard to fill the space with cat deterrent spikes without spending a lot, they wont look very nice, not really wanting to use plastic anyway plus she's a nice lass. 

I was thinking I could put planters along the top of the wall with thorny low growing plants as it seems an opportunity to plant for bees etc.

Any ideas for something I could grow in a shallowish container?


(Disclaimer I dont hate cats, dont want to poison/shoot/already have a dog/dont want my own cat, it doesnr care about lavendar, citrus, garlic etc,  I just dont want it to kill the birds I take a hell of a lot of pleasure in. Ive already had to put short plant canes in all the beds to stop it crapping everywhere, which isnt great when granddaughter comes round to 'help')


Posts

  • dappledshadedappledshade Posts: 982
    Could you grow anything up your adjoining wall, that could be trained onto the flat bit on top? A picture of the site would be great.
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 9,028
    Personally I'd consider that the cat being in plain view on the top of the wall is the best place for it. The birds will know it's there and can avoid it easily. Can you move the feeders out of reach instead? Giving the birds safe places to eat and perch while trying to reduce places the cat could hide is often the best bet as the birds are used to dealing with predators.
    Tradition is just peer pressure from dead people
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,036
    Putting shallow containers with spiky plants the whole way along the wall, and maintaining them, will cost a lot of money and a lot of effort. You could grow something up the wall e.g. Pyracacantha and do a bit of a 'combover' on top, which would eliminate the need for watering and expensive containers. Pyracantha is very beneficial to birds in its own right, with berries, cover and food for insects. But Wildedges has a point about keeping the wall open so the birbs can plainly see the cat, if it is there.
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