| Do cat repellents work? How to stop a cat from | | | | detector. When the cat enters the area covered |
| using garden as litterbox? Tell me how to keep | | | | by the detector the sprinkler shoots out a jet of |
| cats out of my garden. These are common | | | | water to scare the animal away. It is claimed that, |
| questions of concern to all gardeners but is there | | | | after one or two encounters with the jet, the cat |
| a real answer?The first line of defence is to | | | | will learn to avoid the area.Ultrasonic devices emit |
| ensure that your yard boundaries are secure. Any | | | | a high frequency sound which is annoying to cats |
| gaps in your fence should be blocked to deny low | | | | (and dogs) but is not audible to humans. There |
| level access. But cats can jump so fix a taut wire | | | | are various different models some of which |
| or string some six inches above the top of your | | | | operate continuously and others which have an |
| fence to deter this approach.Once inside your | | | | infra red detector and only emit a pulse of sound |
| garden many people say that the best cat | | | | when the cat triggers the device. To be |
| repellent is a dog who will soon see off any feline | | | | successful you need to ensure that the model is |
| invader. If you are not a dog lover then you will | | | | powerful enough to cover the area you wish to |
| have to resort to more passive methods. Since | | | | protect. In addition make sure that the sound |
| cats like to lie on freshly dug soil you should lay | | | | frequency is designed for larger animals since |
| mulch on your borders so that no bare soil is left | | | | some models are intended to deter insects and |
| exposed. Seed beds should be covered with wire | | | | so would be no use for cats.There are also |
| netting or twigs arranged as a barrier.Young trees | | | | commercial scent cat repellents. Those that use |
| should have plastic guards fitted around their | | | | chemicals should be kept away from any food |
| trunks to protect them against use as a | | | | crops but the essential oil based granule varieties |
| scratching pole. | | | | act in the same way as orange and lemon peel |
| Your garden pond should be covered with netting | | | | mentioned above. Another way to keep a cat out |
| to keep your fish safe.Cats are generally known | | | | if the garden is a repellent evaporator which |
| to dislike water so a well aimed bucketful or a | | | | consists of a container holding puffed rice which |
| squirt with the hose will certainly make an intruder | | | | has been impregnated with essential oils. These |
| run. After one or two dousings it may learn the | | | | are effective for three to four weeks and can |
| lesson and stay away.To protect plants and | | | | then be refilled for a further period. Another |
| borders both mothballs and citrus are said to be | | | | natural product which many people claim really |
| effective deterrents. Place the mothballs, orange | | | | keeps a cat out of the garden is lion's dung. You |
| peel or lemon rind in the borders. Alternatively | | | | may need to visit your local zoo to obtain this |
| spray cloths with orange scented air freshener | | | | although some stores do stock zoo poo.In |
| and place the cloths around the plants you wish to | | | | Ontario, Canada the local township provides a cat |
| protect. Other known cat repellents are cayenne | | | | trap service. Once the animal enters the cage it |
| pepper, coffee grounds, pipe tobacco, lavender oil, | | | | cannot escape but is completely unharmed. The |
| lemon grass oil, citronella oil, eucalyptus oil and | | | | owner has to pay to recover his pet and so |
| mustard oil.Certain herbs are said to deter cats. In | | | | should be encouraged not to let the cat stray in |
| particular rue but not catmint which has the | | | | future. Apparently few owners bother to reclaim |
| opposite effect. Coleus canina is another plant | | | | their cats but just obtain another kitten. However |
| which is marketed by one merchant as a cat | | | | this sounds like a good way of dealing with a cat |
| repellent.The broadcaster Jerry Baker has | | | | that cannot be deterred by any other method. If |
| suggested treating your yard with a tonic made | | | | there is no such scheme in your area, just buy |
| from chewing tobacco, urine, birth control pills, | | | | your own trap.So, to recap, the first priority is to |
| mouthwash, molasses, detergent and beer. A | | | | secure your boundary fences. Then you have the |
| smallholder has reported success using dried rabbit | | | | whole selection of suggested cat repellents |
| blood but you may feel that the ingredients listed | | | | ranging from homemade recipes to expensive |
| in the previous paragraph should be tried first.If | | | | commercial gadgets. I would suggest that you try |
| you visit your local garden center or hardware | | | | the orange peel and prickly twigs for a start. If |
| store you will find several cat repellent products | | | | you are around when the intruder appears, try |
| on sale. These range from electric water | | | | the bucket of water or hose. Even if you miss, |
| sprinklers and ultrasonic devices to sprays and | | | | the shock may be a sufficient deterrent. If these |
| granules.Motion activated sprinklers act in the | | | | do not do the trick, then you may have to |
| same way as a burglar alarm using an infra red | | | | consider the commercial alternatives. |