A home-owner coping with the results of cat urine of their yard turned to the subreddit r/NativePlantGardening to ask for recommendation on rehabbing the unintentional “kitty toilet.”
They posted a photograph of the patch of pebble-strewn grime, saying that “nothing seems to grow here, and the street cats in my neighborhood [use] it as a litter box…I scoop the poop occasionally but maybe I should follow it with mulch? Seeding native plants?”
The neighborhood had a number of options. First, a number of folks talked about an vital security tip: put on gloves to keep away from getting ringworm or different parasites.
“Clean up the debris…and spray the whole area with undiluted concentrated white vinegar to mask some of the smell,” one person wrote, earlier than recommending laying down fabric soaked in coyote urine. “Using a scent as a deterrent is the most humane and often most cost-effective way to keep cats, rodents and other small mammals off of your property,” they concluded. Another Redditor had a scent-based tip however with one thing totally totally different: espresso grounds.
Another commenter instructed a special strategy. “Unless you want to buy [coyote urine] for the rest of your life, the better option is to cover the surface with large rocks. Cats like that area because it is easy to dig in. I would go baseball-sized rocks,” they wrote.
Another poster introduced up plant-based options. “I have similar areas. I have thyme going to seed and I’m going to spread it around. It’s in the mint family and a little rampant. It’s pretty drought tolerant and honey bees and others like the flowers.”
This seed-scattering strategy is fashionable, particularly with the recent upswing in rewilded yards and irrigation-free xeriscaping. Growing native crops — reminiscent of wildflowers, buffalo grass, or clover — is usually extra inexpensive than holding grass, due partially to low (or nonexistent) water payments for his or her repairs. Native crops additionally create a wholesome ecosystem for native pollinators, that are vital actors within the human meals provide chain.
These approaches additionally provide quite a few advantages for people and animals alike. Non-grass yards may even be used to feed their caretakers instantly, reminiscent of within the instance of this house owner who grew a “mini food-forest” that includes basil, zucchini, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, and extra.
And the perfect half? No extra cat pee.
Join our free e-newsletter for simple tricks to save extra, waste much less, and assist your self whereas serving to the planet.
