Cats in the garden, the plant they don't like

Stoner

this is meant to be the plant to make your garden unattractive to cats and dogs.

OK it's called Coleus canina,

the Germans market it as "piss off" in German, but it might go ahead as pee off here and the UK.

I got three small bits from e bay for €12.
A number of bits had broken off in transit (its a very small plant at the moment) anyway I used the broken off bits as cuttings, and without rooting powder they have all sprouted roots in under a week.

They recommend sandy soil, but I think that it will fly, it may even be a bit of a pest if it grows like mint, since it looks a bit like and smells similar to mint.

Seapoint

I love to see cats in and around the house. Personally, I don't like cats as pets - that's a matter of choice. But.... have you ever watched a cat in your garden after a mouse? there is a lot of truth to the saying when the cat's away........

Stoner

Seapoint, I have seen cats with mice, and with small birds too, I've saved both from cats in the past simply because the cats were too busy playing with them before they killed them.
Point taken though, I live beside a canal and train tracks and rats would be a problem,
trouble with me is that i have so many wild / half wild cats around me , we moved in three years ago and the old guy who owned the place before us had loads of cats, and our garden was the local cat toilet, I've manged to displace most of them, and they now to their biz on the extension roof of the woman beside, and it is covered in the stuff and it is really disgusting to look at. The trouble is that people half own them, and dont take care of them , so the cats are being fed and are producing at an alarming rats. The authorities wont call out to deal with cats as they say they are too busy with other issues.

Anyway I hope the plant works.

Marathon Man

Try placing clear bottles of water amongst your bedding. Cats hate to see their own reflection and will stay clear of your flowers. I have 4 cats and prior to putting the bottles down my bedding was constantly being destroyed.
Seriously give it a try.

madds

We recently replaced our lawn with decorative stone, and laid a load of new plants. Unfortunately, our front garden now seems to be the toilet stop for 1 or 2 dogs in the area. Not sure what is attracting them, could be that we have a dog ourselves and they are trying to move in on his turf.

This is driving my wife mad as each time we have to clean up the muck, we're also losing 10-20 stones. Patches will start to appear in no time at all!!

Anyway, is there any other deterrent other than these mint plans or bottles of water (or pellet gun )

Stoner

yep, mix a light solution of Jeyes fluid and run it around the stones, I use a small garden sprayer, the Get Off My Grass green crystals are also go, but Jeyes Fluid is the best, it will zap any smell .

you can also get old cloths and soak them in a solution of jeyes fluid and water and hid them around the place, this prolongs the effect.

madds

Thanks Stoner...will give that a try.