Best way to keep cats out of my garden?

[piskieinboots]

..... cat's should learn to read whilst kittens

this is IT - this is how to keep cats out of your garden!!

Someone should start a cat reading -lessons business and the cat dislikers (Wayne not included cos he likes cats) can put up the signs:
CATS ENTER AT YOUR PERIL



Job done

[jackie j]

Dont know about cats reading but the signs around here for dog's not littering the paths is put at about dog height obviously someone thinks thet can read.

[bubblewrap]

doesn't matter, as long as you have the notice up ..... if no-one reads it then it's their fault ..... cat's should learn to read whilst kittens

Our cat is good on the puter & works in word Purrfeckt.

[Two_Sheds]

I only get one cat in my garden, a stupid white thing. Stupid because I chase it off with hissing and banging on the window, and it comes back for more. It'll get a bucket of water if I ever get close enough.

Mother is plagued with other people's cats (at least 4), pooing all over her garden. She's tried everything. Water is the best deterrant, but you have to keep at it.

[MaureenHall]

is now a good time to mention that my cat sits under the hosepipe or the lawn sprinkler??

Oh come on Lynda! Your cats are bound to do something stupid and un-catlike cuz you've never told them they're cats have you?

[MaureenHall]

two of my cats eat satsumas, pears and avacado's lol

*puts Bride's cats in same league as Lyndas

[lynda66]

Oh come on Lynda! Your cats are bound to do something stupid and un-catlike cuz you've never told them they're cats have you?

shhhhhh don't tell em they're 'just' cats ..... they is tigers big and fierce

[Matt.]

Same problem as you Wayne. The "smell" realted products are a waste of money and only work for a very short time. Don't waste your money. Not to mention you can't use them on grass etc. The best solution is the gripper rod approach although I use cuttings of hawthorn and other prickly bushes. I tie them to the fence and it does work. At least when I scare the cats I get a great satisfaction watching their discomfort as they have to clamber over it. Ideally I'd grow these plants all the way around the garden but that will take a long time and then its going to be bursting footballs etc! I also got some bamboo fencing and nailed this over regular fencing so that the top is about 20cm above the old fence. The top is too narrow for them to walk on and they don't climb over as much but they will climb it in an emergency. This summer I'm considering planting evergreen bushes all the way round the base of the fence. They won't climb down if there is no where to land.

Basically just put up any type of physical defence you can. You'll never win but you should have more success. I've not tried the motion sensing screech device but I've heard these work well. If you're prepared to shell out �30 you get get them in most DIY stores.

Also if anyone reading this is a cat owner and you DON'T KNOW where your cat is taking a dump shame on you - you're the people causing the rest of us the misery.

[BrideXIII]

Also if anyone reading this is a cat owner and you DON'T KNOW where your cat is taking a dump shame on you - you're the people causing the rest of us the misery.

erm it's not often i take offence, but i do take offence at that, cats unlike dogs wander much further afield to do their business, despite being provided with facilities at home, they will NOT use their own gardens as it an instinctual way of hiding their den from predators.

And while i appreciate this causes some people problems, and am happy for those people to use humane methods to prevent it, i dislike hearing that someone gets 'great satisfaction' from an animals discomfort trying to escape less humane measures.

wandering is in the nature of the animal, do you shoot birds for pooping on your car?

[Matt.]

erm it's not often i take offence, but i do take offence at that, cats unlike dogs wander much further afield to do their business, despite being provided with facilities at home, they will NOT use their own gardens as it an instinctual way of hiding their den from predators.

And while i appreciate this causes some people problems, and am happy for those people to use humane methods to prevent it, i dislike hearing that someone gets 'great satisfaction' from an animals discomfort trying to escape less humane measures.

wandering is in the nature of the animal, do you shoot birds for pooping on your car?

Thats the whole point!!! If you can't control where you cat does its business you shouldn't let it out. If you had a dog you wouldn't let it out to wander the streets and crap in your neighbours gardens. Its not on. I have a small child and HeyWayne is about to. We don't want them going out into the back garden only to fine them coming back covered in your cats dirt. Its disgusting and to try and compare to bird poo shows you don't have to experince cleaning this mess up. Your cat and your cats dirt. Keep it to yourself please.

[BrideXIII]

of course i have to experience cleaning it up!
one i have a litter tray for mine, two other peoples cats use my garden, i chase them off as best i can, without resorting to hurting them of being pleased about them struggling to get away.

whereas some cats are quite content to be restricted indoors for their entire life, i think i would be considered cruel by most people for them never to be allowed out.

chase them off by all means, what i take offence at is your lack of understanding for an animals nature, and your delight in their discomfort.

[lynda66]

my cats always go on the waste ground at the end of my garden ..... when they first started going out, they went on leads down there, and i spread cat litter about, so that's where they learned to go ...... i guess i can never guarantee they won't do it anywhere else, but first thing in the morning they tootle off down there to do their thing, along with the dog, then come back for brekkie ....... it can be done, but like i say,it's not 100% guaranteed that they won't get caught short ..... though they did only go once a day when in the house in cat litter, so best i can do

[Matt.]

We all know about the nature of a cat and we can't blame the cat for behaving naturally. Don't get me wrong its not the cats fault - it doesn't understand boundaries but what I'm trying to do is deter it from coming back. I'm not always around to chase it off and the prickly fencing is there to discourage it entering in the first place. I'm trying to teach it to avoid my garden but it still doesn't always work.

Yet again this highlights the root cause being the inability of a cat onwers to understand the consequences of keeping their cat. You find it acceptable for your cat to roam and crap in others gardens which I do not. I accept it probably is cruel to keep a cat indoors but if thats what it takes to keep it out of my garden so be it. It is your desire to own a cat and resulting purchase that would ultimately be the cause of that cruelty...

BrideXIII I should say this is intended at all cat owners not just you. All credit to you if you keep and clean a litter tray. As a non cat owner its not something I want to do.

However, if you keep a litter tray you therefore know if your cat is doing it home or away. If it is doing it away how much do you acknowledge the impact your cat is having on your neighbours? For instance have you ever offered to clean their garden if you know your cat has been there? If not why not - isn't it your responsibility after all? What effort do you make to keep your cat within your garden?

[BrideXIII]

BrideXIII I should say this is intended at all cat owners not just you. All credit to you if you keep and clean a litter tray. As a non cat owner its not something I want to do.

However, if you keep a litter tray you therefore know if your cat is doing it home or away. If it is doing it away how much do you acknowledge the impact your cat is having on your neighbours? For instance have you ever offered to clean their garden if you know your cat has been there? If not why not - isn't it your responsibility after all? What effort do you make to keep your cat within your garden?

yes i do, and if i see any of my cats in some ones garden i do chase them off myself, likewise though i cannot follow them around all day.
all my neighbours have permission to chase my cats off and even to turn the hose on them to discourage them from coming back, water doesn't hurt, which is why i recommended the water spray device.

[Two_Sheds]

Cats roam; they don't like being kept indoors.

Why did we ever domesticate them? Or perhaps they domesticated us?