I'm fed up to the back teeth with Cats using my veg plot as a toilet, Tried all the usual cat repellents from the garden centres, old CD's plastic bottles, water pistols even resorted to throwing soil at them but to no aveil. Has anybody out there used the sonic cat scarers? If so which is the one the has the best results the battery operated ones or mains. (big difference in price)

A dog?
Especially one of these small "yapping" ones

Originally Posted by coreopsis

A dog?
Especially one of these small "yapping" ones

Think I'd rather have to deal with cat poo than put up with a yappy little dog... hang on... I do

Twiggy prunings are effective, and free

The only ones I've seen that work are the ones that fit onto your hose and squirt water when the sensor is triggered.
The sonic ones seem ok but I can hear them (and I believe children can too!) and they drive me mad!

I think your best bet is to cover up, just like you would for pidgeons, or other " garden pests ", i have three cats (who poo on my beds), but they dont if mesh is down.

As far as scaring cats off!!!!! my cat arn't scared of dogs, humans waving things or loud noises, as i also have three young kids, and a springer spaniel, so prevention is better than cure for me.

And finally, with regards to comments like "air rifle" and " hit it with a spade " (as seen in a previous thread recently), I'm sure these comments have been in jest, but give us cat lovers a rest, it really is quite offensive

My OH and I moved into a new house just over a year ago and I have seen at least 12 different cats regularly using my garden as a loo. We even had problems with them coming in the house, through an open window, when we first moved in.

I haven't tried the sonic devices but have tried some of the gel products but with no joy.

I do keep a large water pistol by the back door but in general the cats are too quick for me!

I spent quite some time prepping some new beds last weekend and covered them all with chicken wire and trellis but the little so-and-so's are just pooing straight through the holes! I think I'm going to have to get some finer mesh.

I know I have to protect my plants from wild animals, which I fully accept, and I know that people are unlikely to stop keeping cats as (allegedly) domestic animals but it still irks me something rotten that other people's 'pets' regularly come into my garden, dig things up and makes such a mess. As a kids my sisters and I had pet dogs and we would have been held fully responsible if our pets had caused such damage and rightly so. It drives me nuts that people can't be/aren't held responsible for the damage their pets cause (cats or dogs). Wild animals are just that, wild, so while they may cause damage no-one is responsible but people should act responsibly when it comes to their pets.

Phew, rant mode over! I promise that is my first and last rant on the 'c' subject on the 'vine!

I really hope you can find a solution that works for you chrispy... and let me know what it is!

I've ordered some 'Coleus Canina' (scardy cat) plants so hoping they might help... I'll let you know if they do!

Originally Posted by chrispy

And finally, with regards to comments like "air rifle" and " hit it with a spade " (as seen in a previous thread recently), I'm sure these comments have been in jest, but give us cat lovers a rest, it really is quite offensive

+1
Having had a cat once who was shot with an air pistol (by the neighbourhood morons, cos it's, y'know, 'funny'), this sort of rubbish just makes me not want to bother reading or participating in the forum... My garden - growing veg and flowers - is important to me; so are my animals. The two things are not incompatible. I have two litter trays outdoors in addition to the one indoors; I use mesh and twigs to discourage my own and others' cats from using bits of the garden I don't want them to. It's really not that hard. I appreciate that it probably helps if you like cats, cos they'll come anyway - but seriously, get a grip.

well said sweepster, i entirely agree with your comments, where are the moderators????, I have now seen two photo's of gun on this " family" forum, and am really at the point where I'm not sure if i want to participate now.

Is this a gardening website, or some sort of rifle club?

This is supposed to be a discussion about which sonic scarers work the best, battery operated, or mains. Please restrict your comments to that discussion.
There have been plenty of threads about other ways to deal with cats elsewhere on the Vine, and it is always an emotive subject.

Damaging the cat is ILLEGAL and any posts suggesting that will be removed.

Equally, if you have a problem with somebody's posts, please click on the Red Triangle in the top right of the post - Mods cannot read every single thing posted on the Vine

I have one of these

Scarecrow Cat | Scarecrow Water | Scarecrow Sprinkler

Works a treat. Tho I get a regular soaking when I go to pick my veg. Can never remember to turn it off

See thread 'How to stop the cat pooing on the veg?' for other recommendations on how to rid cats (and their poo) from your patch. I posted a recommendation for a sonic cat repellent (bought from Ebay - £15) there. Worked a treat.

stay close and keep a watch. run them off when spotted. short of that get one of your own they never do it on their own manor. try netting, the things you put on the ground like spikes, water filled bottles, all the different chemicals that are on the market. at the end of the day a shotgun works best. did I say shotgun? Imeant one of those waterblaster things. at 30 feet you can certainly put bthe wind up them. I had a prob once and tried to turn to my advantage by flicking it onto the persons ground where the cats had come from. doesn't make no diifference but they have to cleam it up. cats being a creature of habit will come back all the time so break the habit and problem solved. takes time though. good luck.

You can get Lion poo from some Zoo's. That is surposed to scare them.

The also don't like Bleach or Jays fluid.Sprinkle some of that arround the plot.