I am getting ready to seed a lawn (Vancouver, east side). I have two cats and the neighbours have more. I want to keep the cats off the lawn just until there is enough sod to stop them from digging. I am curious to know if netting will help, and, if so, can I peel the netting off after the grass is growing? I've looked in the forums here and read about the "liquid fence" product, but I don't want to keep the cats off the lawn once its growing - its for them to share. Anyone have any experience with this??
I hate to say it but your cats will be a lot happier and thankful if you plant something that is attractive to them and that attracts insects for them to chase! Why only lawn? You could plant some Nepeta (Catmint) and sew tender cat grass in the spring and summer (good for their digestion). My cats also love lavender, clover, fennel and rhubarb (for sitting under the leaves out of the sun!) I would plant a small amount of lawn and keep it long so your cats can chew on it while playing in and around the other plants. MXB
... yes, I know! I said I would "share" the lawn *with* them - but its mostly for me!!! Don't worry - they are getting a lovely back meadow full of plants that are never cut down - I will add your suggestions to whats in the soil there. I am a selfish human, and want a bit of the garden for me and my human friends. I know its not very considerate, but they haven't lifted a paw to help in the garden, so I get veto power!
I have seen chicken wire laid over new seeding but that might be a bit expensive. You could try the string on short sticks tied like a grid across the patch and add some flapping bits of material or plastic. This would also keep birds off. I hope this makes sense. Picture a large piece of graph paper over your lawn made of string tied about 2 to 3 inches off the ground.
You might be ok just putting a low bendable metal fence [the kind called an edging fence] around the outside of it, bent inward a bit so that the cats won't want to risk a jump over it into the planted area -- or a tallish netting one for that matter -- You can get an inexpensive flexible plastic or fiberglass netting used to keep deer off, and just fence it, fastening the netting to simple thin stakes, the kind you buy in bundles from a garden store... they won't go in there if the fence is high enough. And it wouldn't be expensive...
Janet hello, You have well trained felines :) Mine see it as an open invite fence or no in they go. Liz
I can share some experience as I planted a new lawn last year that the neighbourhood cats constantly would dig up. You can lay down wire mesh/chicken wire and it will peel up without a problem. I found the cats were determined with their digging. I originally only laid down mesh on their usual entry to the yard. They then found other paths of entry. The mesh I bought was under $20 at the local big box, but it would have been expensive to cover the entire lawn with it. The best solution I found was a motion activated sprinkler which is sold at Lee Valley. The sprinkler is costly, I think it was close to $100 but it worked like magic. It runs through a cycle every time motion is detected. It not only kept the cats off the lawn, but also birds and the skunk that would visit from time to time. Once the seed had sprouted, I simply removed the sprinkler. On a side note, I should mention that the cats then began digging up some of my garden beds. I was told to mulch the bed with holly leaves and I found that worked like a charm as well.
