Do you require recommendations on how to stop cats from pooping in your garden? Cats naturally like to stroll, however it can be annoying when they utilize our flower beds as toilets, collect borders and precede on wildlife.
Whether you wish to keep cats off specific locations in your garden or stop them scratching your garden furniture sets, there are great deals of natural methods to guarantee they keep away for good. Some cats might roam into your garden out of interest, while others may be wanting to mate or hunt.
It is very important to keep in mind:
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Always utilize certified cat deterrent items
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The RSPCA encourage homes to prevent utilizing ‘DO IT YOURSELF’ deterrents that might possibly be hazardous to cats
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If you understand the owner of the cat, talk to them initially. They might be able to find out why their cat keeps pooping in your garden
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Causing unnecessary suffering to a cat is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006
On that note, keep reading for all the effective ways you can stop cats pooping in your garden…
1. Don’t offer them food
Don’t leave food out for stray or neighbouring cats, as they are more likely to return. Ensure you clean up properly after a BBQ or garden party, picking up any scraps that may have fallen on the ground. Cats will relish the chance to eat your leftovers, but may also injure themselves walking on broken bones from cooked meat.
2. Keep flower beds watered
You really don’t want cat poop in your soil, especially if you’re growing edible produce. Cats dislike wet soil, so keeping those flowerbeds well watered will stop them pooping in your garden and crushing your plants. According to the RHS, cats prefer loose, dry earth, mulch and compost.
3. Install an automatic spray
Designed for outdoor use, water repellers are a humane way to deter cats and other animals from hanging around your garden. They are safe and effective, gently shooting out bursts of water for a few seconds in the general direction of the animal. It’s a known fact that cats hate water, so they’ll be gone on the first spray.
Simply connect the repeller to a standard garden hose and then turn it on. It won’t spray any water until the sensor is triggered, meaning you won’t waste any water.
4. Make it difficult to enter the garden
From close-boarded fences to privacy-giving shrubs, keep nosey cats away by making it difficult for them to enter your garden. If they are still finding their way in, the RSPB suggest surrounding an area with a fence (such as chicken wire) that leans in the direction from which the cat will approach. Alternatively, flimsy plastic roll-up fencing placed on top of a fence will prevent cats climbing over it.
5. Use scent deterrents
Cats are sensitive when it comes to smells, but there are a few scents they hate that might surprise you (and you probably have them in your kitchen). Try orange and lemon peels, cayenne pepper, coffee grounds, lavender oil, lemon grass oil, citronella oil, peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil, and mustard oil. You can either sprinkle drops directly onto your flower beds or soak a cotton wool around it and place at entry points. One sniff and they’ll be gone.
Top tip: Consider growing coleus canina (Plectranthus caninus) in your garden. Marketed under the names Pee-off and Scaredy-cat, it has a pungent odour that is famed for repelling cats and other invasive animals.
6. Install an ultrasonic deterrent
Much like water-based deterrents, invest in an ultrasonic cat repellent that emits a high-pitched frequency to scare cats. While it may take up to four weeks to put them off coming into your garden, cats will find the piercing sound uncomfortable and leave – it is inaudible to humans.
Ultrasonic deterrents available to buy include the RSPCA-endorsed CATwatch deterrent (£55.99), Pestbye’s more affordable version which can easily be propped in the soil (£21.99), and this one from Argos (£22).
‘This is the first time independent research has shown that an ultrasonic device can have a deterrent effect on cats. CATWatch offers a pragmatic partial solution for non-cat owners who wish to deter cats from entering their gardens,’ says Andy Evans from the RSPB.
‘Gardens are becoming increasingly essential to many birds, such as the house sparrow, song thrush and starling. All of these birds are regular visitors to gardens and CATWatch can help to deter cats from entering gardens.’
7. Cover parts of your garden with pebbles and rocks
Cats prefer smooth and soft surfaces to walk on than bristly ones, so why not try covering parts of your garden with stone chippings, rocks, small pebbles or netting. As soon as their paw touches the scratchy surface, they are sure to leave.
8. Build a cat-safe area
And if you don’t mind having cats in your garden, why not build a cat-safe area to keep them away from your prized plants.
Build a litter tray utilizing sand, wood chip or loose earth, include a few climbing objects, and ensure you add a small enclosed area where they can rest. If you are still wanting to stop cats pooping in your garden, offering their very own space might be simply the response.
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