How To Get Rid Of Cats?

[taranis]

I have cleared my flower tubs of dead plants ready for next year, but they are now being used as litter trays by local cats. How can I stop this? If I could I would shoot them.

[Prudie]

I lay a lattice of sticks across the top to stop them digging (usually my own cats).

[EDDIE51]

Get a dog.

[gness]

Much as I love cats it is frustrating.......

I have new beds with friable soil.....cats were using two areas every night so I tried a tip given to me.....lengths of hose cut to look like snakes and laid on the soil.
The cats immediately stopped using the area with the red hose on but ignored the grey hose.....so I seem to have cured the problem with lengths of red hose......well I hope I have.

My mother would half fill clear plastic bottles with water and lay them where cats were fouling....haven't tried that.

[Ringlet]

Just be aware that a statement such as the one you have made makes you very vulnerable. There are many, many people who would turn your threat on you. Be extra careful that your identity cannot be traced because you could bring trouble on yourself for such a statement. This country is full of cat lovers who would not think twice about finding out who you are.

[taranis]

Ringlet, I said IF I could, can't you read. Why do people have pets that can make a neighbours life a misery?

[PankySmooch]

Get them with a powerful hose, and if the cat owners of the UK track you down give them the same treatment

[tiggerblue10]

http://thescaredycat.com/how-to-stop-cats-pooping-in-garden/

Its about preventing cats from getting into your garden rather than getting rid of them. Having said that, I would rather animals hid their poop than do it on the pavement for people to step on, which is what happened to me a couple of months ago right outside my front gate. Took me ages to wash it off my shoe. Had to use bleach even though the smell of bleach makes me feel sick. BTW I have nothing against dogs, just irresponsible owners, unless it was a stray.

[Mosaic]

You could put some bright windmills on sticks in the pots. And a liberal dusting of chilli powder.
I agree with ringlet - to protect yourself, it's probably best to not be as open as you were.....you can end up being targeted by odd or spiteful people. I also agree with you that people should manage their pets and not inflict their poo on the neighbourhood.

[IggyB]

Chicken wire laid on top of area stops their digging and they don't like walking on it. By the time you are ready to plant they will hopefully have moved on

[IggyB]

Haha advert on screen right underneath the question is a picture of a cat saying 'you can save my life'

[smurfchops]

EDDIE I don't think taranis is the type of person who could love a dog if he talks this way about cats. Taranis try orange peel on the earth.

[wildwood]

Other people's cats are the bane of Mrs.WW's life. It seems that many cat owners feel that it is their neighbour's responsibiity to protect their property from cats. We have 7 direct neighours and only one now still feels this way. One has a wirenetting strip above the fence, also to protect their own bunnies. Two have made a weather protected sanitary-maintained 'sandbox'. We now live in reasonable harmony.

For the odd stray we got one of those motion activated cat scarers and they work 100% but only cover a small area of our somewhat largish garden.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Contech-ScareCrow-Motion-Activated-Deterrent/dp/B005MW9VOM

[Togo]

Does anyone else think that ringlet made that sound like a threat. No report?

[frugalfred]

Buy some lion dung from Amazon.

[wolf63]

Cats are infuriating and unpredictable. What deters one moggie will not bother another.

I think that the chicken wire idea seems the best place to start. Or Prudie's idea is good too.

Ringlet - your answer was a bit OTT. There is no excuse for hurting our animal friends on purpose - even if we sometimes feel like it.

[Peaspeculiars]

Taranis, If you haven't got a greenhouse or shed to store them in over-winter, do as you would with a pond or fruit cage, put your tubs together in a batch, stick some bamboo canes in, and cover with either chicken wire or garden netting.
I have x3 cats and they are kept out of the veg patch with this method using chicken wire - very simple, effective and lasts for years - Also can help to keep out snails/ slugs if the mesh is fine enough during the growing season.
My MIL uses old round wire hanging basket bases turned upside down to cover her pots and keep the cats & squirrels off.
Or, if you aren't planting anything in them, you could use horticultural plastic (or black bin liners) to pop over the top of the pots and hold down with gardening wire along the rim.

[Togo]

There are no vegetarian, organic gardening, cat owners.

[rsvp]

We don't play like that on AB Ringlet - most on here are polite - considering you've only been on here for a month (under that name anyway) I would suggest you learn the local rules before coming on so strong.Politeness costs nothing and threats are stupid.

[Linotype]

Hi there: We have a similar problem here in Cape Town in the complex where we live ... to stop cats from cra**ing in your garden tubs ... it worked for us, get larg(ish) stones, minimum size around 3 inches, and cover the surface area with them. Cats apparently hate it when they can't get to the 'earth' to do their business ... Lots of luck. PS: We got our stones from a nearby river bed, we do live in Africa, so its quite easy(!) you may have to find a good garden centre in your area who has stock. Regards

[Peaspeculiars]

^^ good tip Linotype