Cat repellent?

brewerpaul · Post by **brewerpaul** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 7:02 am

Our neighbor's outdoor cat has decided to use my veggie garden as a litter box. While this might be a significant source of nitrogen for the garden, it's also pretty gross.
I love cats (we have three) and have no desire to harm this critter who is otherwise a nice animal
Has anyone tried the commercial animal repellents and found one that works well? It obviously needs to be non-toxic since we plan on eating lots of tomatoes and other goodies. Thanks

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 7:28 am

Tobasco sauce. Put it in a spray bottle. You have to re-apply it when it rains, though.

And tell your neighbors that outdoor cats are at higher risk for all sorts of problems.

Craig Stuntz · Post by **Craig Stuntz** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 7:48 am

Also consider a decoy. Plant catnip / catmint next to your garden and the cat will probably go there instead. It's a nice-looking shrub, too.

BrassBlower · Post by **BrassBlower** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 9:13 am

Cranberry wrote: Tobasco sauce. Put it in a spray bottle. You have to re-apply it when it rains, though.

You can also go to your local hunting/fishing store and pick up a bottle of red fox urine. Also works for skunks.

Cranberry wrote: And tell your neighbors that outdoor cats are at higher risk for all sorts of problems.

Very true. We have three cats, all of whom are indoor cats. I rarely have to take them to the vet (except for "annuals"), never have to treat them for fleas, and the oldest one is 15 years old and has very few problems for her age. They are also all spayed/neutered.

If I want to repel these cats, all I have to do is pull out a whistle!

Random notes · Post by **Random notes** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 11:07 am

brewerpaul wrote:Our neighbor's outdoor cat has decided to use my veggie garden as a litter box. While this might be a significant source of nitrogen for the garden, it's also pretty gross.

I don't know about the quality of cat whiz as a fertilizer - my neghbor's cat pees on the lawn right in front of my apartment (my dog and "Snowflake" have had words before) and it leaves burnt out brown spots - the grass is completely dead.

I have had cats, loved some and respected all, but for many reasons I am no fan of cats allowed to run loose. Personally, I'd consider trying to rig up something using, say, a mouse trap to trigger a small land mine.

Roger

(Cran: Just kidding!!!)

fearfaoin · Post by **fearfaoin** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 11:19 am

My wife (a vet) says that folks report success with <a href="http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... Felaway</a>
But since you'd be using this outside, Your Mileage May Vary.

brewerpaul · Post by **brewerpaul** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 11:19 am

I've tried various predator urines before to deter deer and they work fairly well. However, they STINK, and I have to work in this garden. Also, I hate to think how they gather the urine: either hunt the animals, or keep them in captivity-- neither of which is a great option.

chas · Post by **chas** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 11:32 am

I've tried a few urines, and they haven't worked for cats. I try to keep neighbors' cats out of my yard, and my cats IN -- it hasn't worked in either direction.

Another issue with cats sh*t in a vegetable garden is the transmissability of parasites -- there are a few, including nasty ones, that cats can transmit to people. That's why I've never composted the stuff from the litterbox. See if your neighbors will trade their cat for a rabbit -- no parasite problem, best fertilizer I've ever found.

springrobin · Post by **springrobin** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 11:51 am

If you use an irrigation system that can be manually operated (i.e. garden hose) and catch the cat in the act, you could try that. In college my cats (now long dead of old age) used to like to balance on the top edge of our drawing boards so we had cheapo squirt guns all over the house to use when they encroached. In the kitchen, we used the built in sprayer (ok I did say we were in college). They eventually got the message.

Post by **Nanohedron** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 12:31 pm

Water cannon.

fearfaoin · Post by **fearfaoin** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 12:54 pm

brewerpaul wrote:I've tried various predator urines before to deter deer and they work fairly well. However, they STINK, and I have to work in this garden.

That's why I suggested the Felaway. It is just a synthetic pheramone, meant to be used indoors, so it
doesn't reek, and synthetic = no cruelty.

Denny · Post by **Denny** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 1:29 pm

Nanohedron wrote:Water cannon.

with a tincture of ammonia

a motion sensor...

mvhplank · Post by **mvhplank** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 2:05 pm

springrobin wrote:If you use an irrigation system that can be manually operated (i.e. garden hose) and catch the cat in the act, you could try that. In college my cats (now long dead of old age) used to like to balance on the top edge of our drawing boards so we had cheapo squirt guns all over the house to use when they encroached. In the kitchen, we used the built in sprayer (ok I did say we were in college). They eventually got the message.

Take it one more step and rig the sprinkler up to a motion sensor. I think that was the remedy on "This Old House" to deter a great blue heron from eating the expensive koi in an outdoor pond.

M
(back after a work-driven hiatus)

seisflutes · Post by **seisflutes** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 2:08 pm

This stuff works pretty well, from this website: http://hartz.com/Our%20Products/Browse.asp

DESCRIPTION
Hartz® LIVING™ Stay Off Training Aid™ Keeps pets away from furniture, carpets, trees, shrubs, garbage, cans/bags, and other "forbidden areas" this product repels dogs and cats for up to 24 hours. Use indoors to break your pet of undesirable habits such as sleeping on furniture and rugs or to keep out of forbidden areas. Always use with consistent training. Praise your pet for good behavior and scold your pet for bad behavior.

WHERE TO BUY
This product is available in grocery stores, mass merchandisers and major drug stores.

You're not supposed to put it directly on food crops, but you can spray some on a piece of cloth and affix the cloth in the area to be protected. It has a faint smell, but not an unpleasent one, at least not to people. Cats don't like it. We use it to keep new cats from *going* under the stairs, before they get the hang of the litter box.

Lambchop · Post by **Lambchop** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 8:25 pm

Ground cayenne pepper is a fantastic deterrent (Tabasco sauce, only less expensive). When they step on it, it burns their paw pads slightly. You can sprinkle it straight (good for carpets and furniture) or whip up a solution of the stuff and spray it. Should you feel so motivated, such a concoction should perhaps include some lovely blenderized Scotch bonnets and habaneros. Your grocery may let you have some that have gotten a little old.

I think a couple-foot wide swatch all around the garden would do the trick, and you could also cover the garden completely.

We have a free-roaming cat ordinance here. I adore kitties, but believe they should be indoor pets.