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Talkback: Pussy galore

Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
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As a keen gardener, my solution is never to leave any bare soil available - thus killing two birds with one stone: I have to plant all those impulse purchases and I'm deterring Fluffy from my borders as well. The water pistol solution is indeed effective when possible - I use this one on the grey squirrels that like to eat all the birdfood in the feeder - very satisfying!
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  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    The cats in my neighbourhood are brave and observant. They watch out for my labrador and come into the garden when she's indoors. Having a dog hasn't stopped the problem but it has reduced the frequency of surprises.

    My sadistic side loves the idea of the Cat Mine!
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    We have 3 cats and a tiny courtyard - they look at the litter tray and then promptly go to the tiniest bit of earth we have and leave their "lovely" deposit! Fortunately, my other half does the "poo patrol" before I start planting! - Can someone also give advice on how to stop the cat eating the grasses I planted and then promptly throwing up!
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Not sure of the correctness of this but I have been told by 'the old fellas' down the allottments, to pour urine (human) around freshly dug areas and seed beds. It deters the cats, any views ???
    Cazzie
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    My lovely cat decided she liked the bean leaves and ate them throughout the summer without even throwing up. Strange cat.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    One of the conclusions that can be drawn from this little exchange is that if a cat was Prime Minister the world it would be a pretty scary place. Fortunately they are all far too lazy to even consider global domination.
    Other cat deterrents I have heard of include: urine (yes Cazzie it occasionally works for a very short space of time: perhaps a combination of this idea and the water pistol scheme??) mothballs, orange peel, eucalyptus oil,chilli powder, rubber snakes, spiked belts (for tying round trees - similar to the things that members of Opus Dei tie round their thighs - to stop cats climbing after nesting birds), jars of disinfectant, cinnamon, pipe tobacco, red wine vinegar, tinfoil, live lobsters, garlic, and ammonia (only one of these is a joke).
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Re cats eating grasses then throwing up, have you thought of growing 'cat grass'? The seeds of this are readily available and the resultant lush grass is much enjoyed by my two cats and rarely thrown up!
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Our pair of oriental kittens took it into their heads to strip the 3 newly planted catnip plants which we planted over the graves of our previous pair. It got to the stage this summer when I thought one of the weaker plants might not survive so I put chicken wire over it - it worked but the cats were not impressed!

    They have also had a wonderful hunting summer and we had a particularly busy weekend when our second daughter was home. The cats took turns in bringing home live mice as an offering - they must have caught 10 in one day! I think they hunt in next door's garden which is a bit of a jungle!

  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Why not invest in small slate pieces instead of gravel. Which you can buy from any good garden shop, it doesn't look out of place and blends in well. Cats don't like it cause it's sharp to there feet and moves when they walk on it. Slugs and snails also are not particularly fond of it either.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Slate is sometimes good. I have it round my pond: I had a load of slightly knackered roofing slates hanging around and let my children attack them with hammers: kept them amused and makes a great path surface. The ones you can buy in garden centres are already broken and have rounder edges. The problem with all these deterrents is that nobody ever bothers to tell the cat.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
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