Deterring Neighbourhood Cats...

Our back yard is fully fenced, but our front yard is not. Deer are not the big issue, it is the neighbourhood cats which I would very much like to discourage. It is not so much that they use the garden as a litter box, more because we designed our garden to be "bird" friendly and having a cat around does not help!

Any suggestions on new products which are effective at keeping cats at bay? We do have a dog, but he has free range of the back area and is hardly let loose in the front yard. Too bad, because he definitely keeps the cats away :-)

 

A good water gun and fill it with a water white wine vinegar mix and spray them with it. You will need to catch them in your garden for this to become a detterent. (sp). Try not to use the cider vinegar its a bit too drastic. The white wine vinegar smells but will not irritate.

Liz

 

I'd try the water WITHOUT the vinegar. We use vinegar to kill weeds that grow through the cracks in the pavement. It may harm your vegetation.

 

Sounds like a good idea, except my neighbours are very nice, elderly folk of whom I do not want to 'upset' by shooting their cat with a water gun. They like watching us garden and keep an eye on our place for us when we are away. When we mentioned about the cats they tend to blame "those people up the road' ... there are some battles you just have to tackle a bit more discreetly.

I was thinking if there are any effective odours or sprays which people have used that defines a "territory" so other cats will avoid?

I checked with my local pet store and they do not carry anything, but will bring it in for me if I find something effective that does not screw up my dog's olfactory system as well.

 

Lion dung is supposed to work well, but it isn't the easiest stuff to get hold of!

 

Fox urine available in your area ? Howabout Tobacco dust ? Moth flakes ? Dried blood ?
All of the above mixed together should do the trick.
If this all seems like overkill, there is a product called "Liquid Fence". Hopefully it's available up there. Maintaining a barrier can get costly when buying those prepared products though, as they need constant reapplication.

 

Ignore my last post. You have a dog. That Mix yer own stuff should be kept away from dogs. They hate it !! Maybe omit the moth flakes, and it would be a lot safer.

 

Hey Thanks, the Liquid Fence stuff sounds great and hopefully would solve my problem nicely - the fact that it is fully biodegradable and uses natural ingredients is a bonus. If I am unable to get it through my local pet store, I'll see if I can obtain it in Seattle and bring it back with me next time I'm down there.