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cats! Grrrrrrrr!!!!!!

(58 Posts)
liminetta Fri 24-Jan-14 19:15:24

Does anyone have a solution to the number of cats using my garden as a toilet? My daffodils are struggling to come up through the mounds of cat poo that are regularly deposited there!
I thought cats usually bury their deposits, but not any more! Ime thoroughly fed up. Any advice please.

BlueBelle Sat 25-Jan-14 15:17:00

I wouldn't waste your time with holly cuttings I put loads of prickly stuff all over and they very daintily stepped between the tiniest of spaces I 've tried curry, pepper, bottles of bought stuff, even one of those censor things that let of a noise then I sent it back with a photo of a cat pooing right next to it I don't hate cats but hate their poo bane of my life

annodomini Sat 25-Jan-14 15:20:12

Why beat about the bush? They urinate and defecate wherever they fancy. That better, feetle?

petallus Sat 25-Jan-14 15:32:18

That's still sissy and you cannot say 'cat defecate'. It would have to cat shit.

annodomini Sat 25-Jan-14 15:50:14

Faeces is the result of defecation! Or, if you like, crap, or excrement... Why do doctors call it a stool?

petallus Sat 25-Jan-14 15:59:14

Oh yes of course, you could say cat faeces. I wish I'd thought of that before I used a rude word on GN grin.

soop Sat 25-Jan-14 16:11:37

Ahem...^our cat, Rory^ always uses his litter tray. It is cleaned twice daily. He wouldn't dream of pooing or weeing in a neighbours garden...when he's in the garden with MacSporran he comes indoors to use his tray. Mind you, he has a very high IQ for a cat that lived in the wild for at least ten years. wink

Grannyknot Sat 25-Jan-14 16:42:05

Soop, my daughter's much loved dainty female cat, complains when she feels her cat litter needs changing.

soop Sat 25-Jan-14 16:46:24

Smart cats do, Grannyknot wink

ginny Sat 25-Jan-14 16:52:40

I can assure you that having a male dog does not deter cats. A spay with the hose in summer helps a bit. Opening the door or window and shouting sends them off. But , of course you have to see them first. I have often thought of following the cats home and taking the two dogs to leave a gift for their owners .

bikergran Sat 25-Jan-14 16:53:00

petallus same here!! since decorating I now have to close the bedroom doors as don't want cat hairs on my cream bed! they are little devils though, they try every which way to sneak in! and yes If I so much as leave a sock or small item anywhere they are on it!! it is weird! they have blankets etc next to radiators..but ohh no!! they wait until I have hovered all the cushions and decide to try each one! tut. unfortuantly our house is open plan so can't shut then in one room..I must say thought they never ever stay in the kitchen they know their only allowed in to eat there food then straight back out, I think cats are trainable to some extent. They have ruined my suit plucking it grrrrrrrr..I will miss them when they depart this world but won't miss the mess they make. A water pstol I would say is the best soloution if your prepared to sit there for house on end! and there are some great water pistols out as my GS has a few lol they can shoot over 50feet!! and you are not harming the cats just shocking them, they hate water.

Lona Sat 25-Jan-14 17:26:35

I'm going to make a shocking statement here grin

I really don't think that cats are suitable household pets!

There! I've said it now and I shall beat a hasty retreat grin

seclusion Sat 25-Jan-14 17:43:54

Has anyone had a really jealous cat? When I was staying with my DS1
his cat kept nipping my ankles and giving me dirty looks. Watching television
I had to sit with a magazine in front of my legs and she sat a foot in front
of it glaring at me. I was scared to move. He just told her to 'be nice' -
lot of good that did. A former girl friend had left it with him as she said
it would be a shame to take the cat away from where she was settled,
but I think the cat nipped her too.

rosesarered Sat 25-Jan-14 17:55:47

There is NOTHING that works [keeping cats off your garden] so don't even bother to buy anything that says it is effective, because it isn't. Cats don't cover up if they feel threatened by lots of other cats about the place, and they are marking their own territory [then all the other cats do the same.]

petallus Sat 25-Jan-14 18:02:42

I agree cats are not suitable household pets but then are dogs much better?

Or parrots or those little pigs?

When you think about it, it's odd that we voluntarily share our homes with animals.

I love doing it though!

margaretm74 Sat 25-Jan-14 19:55:29

Someone said an old washing up liquid bottle shoots water quite a long way. My expensive JL water pistol didn't work! Otherwise keep the hose connected? Or get a dog? It is disgusting, isn't it!

rosesarered Sat 25-Jan-14 20:20:49

Although I don't have a cat, I would argue that they DO make very good household pets [millions of people would agree.]They keep themselves clean, are quiet, and can be left on their own when owners are at work, without biting the postman or barking their heads off.True, some of them have a few anti-social habits [killing birds and bringing mice into the house] but if you put a jingly bell on their collar, that seems to help.They bring happiness to a lot of households.

absent Sat 25-Jan-14 20:28:35

Well-rotted horse manure is a splendid soil fertilizer and would almost certainly put cats off.

Deedaa Sat 25-Jan-14 21:58:48

We did have a problem when our 4 cats started using the patch of grass right next to the patio, which began to get very smelly in the hot weather. I spread trimmings from the Mahonia (sp?) which were nice and prickly and worked very well. Obviously you wouldn't want it spread over the whole garden though.

liminetta Sun 26-Jan-14 09:42:52

Well, thanks for all your ideas and suggestion, Gransnetters. Made a very interesting read,and made me smile and although I still have the problem, I now know that I am not alone!
I cant go out to get holly branches today as the weather is absolutely foul,and, reading your comments, I have gone off that idea anyway.
I have heard of the Lion poo idea, but there is enough poo already on the garden, so Ile give that one a miss.Have scattered citrus peelings about, and coffee grounds, and will plant the pungent smelling plant, though.
Finally, Ime going to get a huge water pistol!
Thanks once more ladies-(oh, and gents). smile

BlueBelle Sun 26-Jan-14 10:19:38

I think the water pistol idea is probably best BUT it means you have to sit by your window all day waiting nah cant be bothered with that one but I am extremely fed up with not seeing the stuff on my pebble paths and coming into the house covered in the stinky stuff

There is an easy solution for cat owners but it will never happen when they are kittens before they go out you teach them to use a litter tray which goes nearer and nearer the back door until it goes just outside the back door and the cat will hopefully still use it as they are actually clean animals and creatures of habit wouldn't that be lovely

D0LLIE Sun 26-Jan-14 10:32:09

late husband used to keep racing pigeons and was inundated with cats so he bought the following and it worked....

Scaredy Cat Plant
The scaredy cat plant was bred by a German gardener to repel cats from gardens. Of all the plants that cats dislike, not surprisingly the scaredy cat is the most repulsive to them. Humans find its appearance and scent appealing, though. It has blue flowers and smells of peppermint schnapps. You may find the scaredy cat plant at your local garden center, but most likely, you'll have to order it online or from a catalog.

Aka Sun 26-Jan-14 10:37:15

I've solved this problem to my own satisfaction. In all the spaces between my taller plants, especially on bare soil, I leave my rose prunings. I discovered this by accident when I forgot to clear up after myself one weekend and left them lying where they fell.

Next weekend I noticed no stinky cat poo in that area. I cut them to about 4-6" and spread them around. Cats don't appear to want thorns in their bottoms.

Aka Sun 26-Jan-14 10:43:15

cat deterrents

harrigran Sun 26-Jan-14 12:22:40

I have stopped cats entering my rear garden. Two years ago we replaced all our wooden fencing with Colourfence ( Australian Grans will know what I mean ) this is powder coated metal that does not give any grip to paws. Cats only jump down into garden once and realise they can not exit so have to wait until someone opens the gate, only one cat tried and then must have told his mates grin

margaretm74 Sun 26-Jan-14 13:02:35

Lion poo didn't work!