Cat Deterrents

[marymck]

Spring has sprung and so have the cats.

Not content with making an unpleasant mess in the garden and spraying in the porch, our new neighbours' cat enters our house via open, 1st floor windows.

Help! Short of keeping the windows closed all through the coming summer, what can I do?

We have a small courtyard back garden and have deterred other cats from messing in the tubs and window boxes by fixing plastic Prickles to the top of the fence. Doesn't bother this cat. It walked along the top of the Prickle-edged fence, up over a sloping roof, onto the balcony and into the bedroom. Luckily, I was in the room and managed to chase it out before it did anything gross.

I used to be a really keen gardener, but I've all but given up on the front garden as nothing protects that from the ravishes of the bruiser cat who lives with the neighbour on the other side.

Here I've tried all the usual brands of cat deterrent, pepper, expensive ultra-sonic alarms, lion poo, even covering the garden with netting and, when that didn't work, we bought a huge bag of slate and covered a two-metre section with that. The cat used it for a cairn to mark its latest offering.

What can I try next?

[bensonby]

get a cat of you own!

[marymck]

No go, Bensonby. Firstly, I'm allergic to cats. Secondly, I like gardens and birds and I think there are quite enough of these dander ridden, wildlife torturing, s**t machines in London as it is. I'd love to get a dog, but it wouldn't be fair as it would be left alone too much (something that many cat owners don't seem to care about).

[marymck]

I just found this great site ...

http://www.cat-deterrent.co.uk

Nothing new there in the way of deterrents, but some very amusing pix.

[Annie]

Hi,
OLBAS OIL sprinkled on the "chosen" area in your garden will help to get rid of the cat using the area as a loo, do it at least every other day for about two weeks, don't water it down.
it worked for my garden and it hasn't been back.buy it from help food shop its a bit pricey for the amount you get but you only use a few drops on the soiled area.

[Annie]

HELP food shop??????? opps the sherry was starting to work!

[marymck]

Thanks, Annie. I hadn't thought of Olbas oil. I'll definitely give that a try.

I've been searching on-line for movement or heat activated alarms that sound like dogs barking, but I'm not sure these would work for a cat. What do cat owners think? Is it the mere sound of a barking dog that scares cats? Or would they need to smell/see the dog?

It's an expensive option ... and I've already spent a small fortune. Here's hoping the Olbas oil does the trick!

Ah ... sherry ... now there's a thought.

[Annie]

If you drink enough sherry---------you wont notice the cats!

[G-Man]

We have the same problem, our neighbour has given us permission to shoot them with a spray gun.

I'm going to try the Olbas oil though, sounds good.

G-Man

[Annie]

Also,cats /foxs hate the smell of "Scardy cat" coleus canina which is an attractive plant with blue flowers, plant in the borders of the garden, when established the cats avoid the area, luckily the smell is only horrible to the animals not us! might be worth a try.

[marymck]

Hi Annie: I've been away, so sorry I didn't respond to your post earlier. I tried the Scardy Cat, but it didn't work for the giant moggy we're contending with. In fact, she dug them up, supplied her own brand of fertiliser and replanted them in it!

I bought the Olbas Oil and also some Lemon Balm plants. I'm now planning a day of not so fragrant digging out of the deposits, before hopefully making things a little more fragrant.