Keeping Cats out of Garden

witchgirl26

Hey, just looking for a bit of advice.

There are a number of cats on my road and they seem to have made my back garden their home. I didn't mind previously when they'd just wander through but now there's a horrible smell of cat pee around and poo in the grass. I often have my nieces and nephews over and now have to go through the grass to pick up any cat poo before they come which is a bit annoying. Is there any humane way to keep them out of the garden or stop them pooing and peeing in it?

Thanks!

philderbeast

Cats apparently hate the smell of citrus. Spreading some orange or lemon peel across the garden can work plus it'll get rid of the cat piss smell

looksee

It just occurs to me that if someone invented a water squirter linked to a movement sensor they would have a winner!

Squirting water at them is one solution OP but you have to be able to move fairly fast!

Ms Doubtfire1

the smell of wee is usually from un neutered Tom cats - it stinks to high heaven. Contact a TNR group in your area and see what they can do to help.

witchgirl26

Ms Doubtfire1 wrote: »

the smell of wee is usually from un neutered Tom cats - it stinks to high heaven. Contact a TNR group in your area and see what they can do to help.

TNR?

I doubt the cats are un-neutered as the person who owns them works for a shelter.

scarepanda

Trap neuter release

And you'd be surprised at some of the stuff people will do/not do who are in a position to know better.

kylith

looksee wrote: »

It just occurs to me that if someone invented a water squirter linked to a movement sensor they would have a winner!

Squirting water at them is one solution OP but you have to be able to move fairly fast!

You can get sprinklers linked to motion sensors. Have a look online.

Most of the cat proofing is more designed to keep cats out than in. If you have understanding neighbours you could put fencing at a 45 degree angle facing away from your garden and that should help.

If you know who owns them I'd be inclined to bag up the poo and give it back to them.

Shivi111

It would be very odd for a cat to just go in the grass and walk away, most are very particular about waste burial... are they just leaving waste lying in the grass, or are they focusing their attention on one spot?

There are a few repellants on the market, but I'm not sure how well they work... if there is a particular spot where they are digging/ trying to bury waste you can put some pine cones there, should discourage them.

Again, if they are picking a particular area of loose soil etc. you can put some chicken wire/ netting down, this will prevent them digging which should prevent them using the area.

witchgirl26

Shivi111 wrote: »

It would be very odd for a cat to just go in the grass and walk away, most are very particular about waste burial... are they just leaving waste lying in the grass, or are they focusing their attention on one spot?

There are a few repellants on the market, but I'm not sure how well they work... if there is a particular spot where they are digging/ trying to bury waste you can put some pine cones there, should discourage them.

Again, if they are picking a particular area of loose soil etc. you can put some chicken wire/ netting down, this will prevent them digging which should prevent them using the area.

There's no particular spot they're using. I've found it by the decking and in a few areas around the garden. No other animals (bar birds) would have access to the garden.

jomalone14

Cats do poo in long or short grass.....I had the same issue a few years in my own back garden, lasted about a year, very annoying. I went and bought an ultra sonic device called Defenders Mega-Sonic Cat Repeller. I positioned 3 of them around the garden and the cats stopped doing their business on the grass. It has mixed reviews but I found it worked for me.

I now have 3 dogs who hate cats.....guess what, no cats anymore