Detering Cats

[flump1]

Anybody ever used pepper to deter cats from lawn?

[janbee]

Yes and it doesn't work. I've tried all sorts of things and currently have a solar pest repellent. It works but it needs the sun to power it. Amazon sell them

[andy-hughes]

I find moth balls are effective, but you do need to remove all traces of exrement and bleach the area first.

[in a mo]

It is incredible I can scare the beegeebers out of Trick or Treaters but cats they still come back for more and of course they DO leave a real message.
There was an idea that "ZOO POO" was a good deterrent although I have no evidence if it does or has worked.

[FrogNog]

They don't like citrus smells

[Old_Geezer]

I think you need a good 8" of it over the whole garden.

[Daffy6543]

Movement activated sprinklers if you can afford them. Pepper just washes away or blows away, citrus peel has to be replaced very regularly so unless you eat huge amounts of oranges and lemons that is a non-starter. Cats hate mint and eucalyptus smells, try planting some eucalyptus shrubs in the areas they frequent, cheap, easy and nice to look at :)

[wolf63]

Cats can be stubborn and devious and something that will frighten off one cat will not bother another. I know of someone who bought a sonic scarer and the visiting cat used to sleep on top of it.

All of the deterrents mentioned and many more 'may' work but there is no guarantees they will scare off your visitor.

Here is the information from a very reliable source

http://www.icatcare.org:8080/advice/how-guides/how-keep-cats-garden

I heard from an on-line vet about putting balloons under the top soil so that get a shock when it goes bang! I am not sure how you would actually set it up.

[dunnitall]

I don't have the answer and I am animal lover....but how annoying one has to go to the ends of the earth to find a solution to a problem you are experiencing when it is caused by other people and their thoughtlessness. IMO cats should not be allowed to roam free IF you care for the animal, but I am in the minority and it's usually the animal keeper who will whine on about freedom et al. I think it's extremely difficult if nigh impossible to completely deter any animal especially cats from your own space/garden.

[trt]

I find those plastic spike strips that you put on top of a fence to keep birds away do the trick, just saw them in 6'' strips and scatter them about.

[jomifl]

Granules (for soft surfaces) and spray(for hard surfaces) containing UNDECANE-2-ONE (METHYL NONYL KETONE) seem to work. Once cats get in the habit of using someone's garden as a latrine it is very difficult to stop them so you need to discourage them in as many ways as possible.

[Daffy6543]

Are you 100% sure it is a cat pooping on the lawn? It is very rare for cats to go on a lawn as they really like to bury their poop if they can. Lots of people find animal faeces on their lawn and assume it is a cat, it is possible (and even quite likely) that your pooping visitor is a fox.

[jomifl]

Dunnital, I agree with you completely. Cat owners who let them roam are irresponsible. When their pets get injured they blame anybody but themselves.

[ummmm]

What do you suggest? Taking them out on a lead?

[dunnitall]

Ummmm, yes it can be done after all, you wouldn't allow your dog out without one would you? Would you? Not only do we think of the animals, we should think of other people who might come into contact with them. Worry if it doesn't fit into animal keeping nowadays but life is difficult in many ways even in domesticated animal keeping afaic.

[dunnitall]

*sorry... Not worry!

[jomifl]

If they must go out, yes. We used to have a cat that we took out on a lead, it isn't difficult, though it might require a little effort.

[Daffy6543]

I would only blame anyone for my cat being injured if they had deliberately hurt either of them or put poisoned food out (has happened round here before).

[ummmm]

You can't really compare dogs and cats.

[flump1]

Thank you all for the answers, and yes Daffy, I watched the cat !! Left to me I would clean it up and leave well alone, Mr Flump however really hates cats and is unreasonably stupid when it comes to them ' going' on our lawn. His ex wife had and still has a house full of cats left un-wormed and full of fleas and not let out so with 14 cats to use litter boxes he developed a dislike for cats. This spirals ridiculously when he spots one in our garden , or sitting on his car ! He would never hurt one, he is full of bluster, I would like to deter them to stop him banging on the window like a loon every time he spots one coming up our path !!

[dunnitall]

Course you can't compare ummmm, but I was talking about animal husbandry/keeping....each pet whatever it may be should not be left to annoy other people, whether the person keeping it likes it or not.