To ask for ideas to stop my neighbours cat from destroying my garden and attacking all the birds

[startrek90]

So I have a garden, a lovely big one with lots of trees and every year we get lots and lots of song birds nesting in the shrubs and trees. It's really lovely watching them and I love it. Last year however my neighbours got a cat. The cat has a very good hunting instinct, unfortunately that has meant that last year he attacked every single bird in the garden, ate the lizards and attacked the hedgehogs that were living here. It's has also now taken to digging up my strawberry plants and pooing and peeing-but just in my vegetable beds.😓😜
I tried covering the plant beds but the cat has just torn through them. As for the birds I have tried to place the birds nest up high and I got rid of the feeders as it was just staking it out. Tbh at this point I am at my wit's end so I was hoping I could lean on the collective wisdom of Mumsnet. I didn't want to go to the litter box board as I think they would just tell me to get over it. I don't want to hurt that cat but I am genuinely getting really upset and irritated at having to clean up dead animals and cat poo. I just need some suggestions as to dissuade it from coming here.

I did try asking about the cat to my neighbour
he told me that he has just got rid of his own garden beds. He seemed pretty annoyed that it's my garden his cat got the birds from. I don't want to start a row but it was pretty clear that they wouldn't consider putting a bell on the cat.

So please Mumsnet do you have any ideas?

Your garden has lizards?

Get a dog such as a greyhound and greyhound proof fences for your garden.

Get a couple of the sonar anti-cat things. I’ve got one, it stopped them pooing on my lawn.

Cat proof your garden , it keeps them out more effectively than it keeps them in

Mine does too (Shropshire).

OP cat proofing your garden seems to be the best approach but I am having difficulty finding products to keep cats out. Lots to keep cats in!

https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-cat-dog-repellent-granules-500g/p/0330910

https://www.onlinediystore.co.uk/pest-stop-cat-repeller-rods-3568-p.asp

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pestbye%C2%AE-Battery-Operated-Activated-Repellent/dp/B004YCUT4W/ref=sr_1_4?crid=LQIEOHY89L5D&keywords=cat+water+spray+deterrent&qid=1681993609&s=outdoors&sprefix=cat+water+%2Coutdoor%2C169&sr=1-4

These work - citrus scents work for some cats other's aren't bothered - there are gels and powers with citrus scents spike are better for veg patches as deter pooing as well but Wilkinson granules were cheapest option that worked.

If you have an out door tap water scarrow is best bet.

What is strange about that?

When growing up there were always small lizards in my parents garden (very large and opened out onto open countryside and a watercourse) and yes, the cat did sometimes catch them and yes, this is in the UK.
Although numbers have dropped massively over the years there was still the odd one to be seen when we were (briefly) living there a couple of years ago (along with foxes, small deer, hedgehogs, mice, grass snakes etc).

I thought cat proofing was to keep cats in - and can mean that "not your cats" get trapped in your garden.

They suggest some planting ideas - and wet soil but I don't think personally it will have that much impact.
https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/cats/environment/gardens

I would like lizards - will swap for spiders!

In response, have you tried anything to repel cats like citrus /citronella?

If you have teenagers those electronic ones might be audible to them. Had to send mine back but the huge cat just sat and looked at it anyway while pooing in my garden.

Yes I have lizards, they are pretty common in our part of Europe.

We can't have a dog as my husband and son have allergies (unfortunately!)

I looked into getting cat proof fencing but we cannot afford the thousands it would cost to tear down the hedges, break down the wall and install a fence with cat proofing and replant the hedges. We are also on a corner lot so there is lot of boundaries. Also not being funny I don't want to completely tear up my garden for a cat that isn't even mine.

More planting suggestions: -

Cats dislike the smell of rue, lavender and pennyroyal, Coleus canina and lemon thyme. Plant a few of these throughout the garden. (Interplanting can attract pollinators and other beneficial insects too.)
https://davidsuzuki.org/living-green/keep-cats-garden/#:~:text=Cats%20dislike%20the%20smell%20of,clear%20of%20strong%20citrus%20scents.

Have you tried a supersoaker?

We used Ring cameras to work out the route the cats took into our garden and then set up one of those sensors attached to a hose pipe. Even if the water missed them the noise scared them off so it was a win win.

We had tried the sonic things, the stuff you scatter but none of it worked, the above did.

Was literally about to say this.

On the cat crapping - put down holly branches or something thorny. Cats like bare earth and so you can place the holly branches down until the plants grow and cover the ground.

We have exactly the same problem here. It never fails to amaze me that we are meant to be a nature loving country and yet we allow, and in some cases even actively encourage, cats to destroy wildlife. The neighbour's cat is always pooing in my netting covered veg boxes and being a bird lover, when I find dead birds, I get very upset. We have tried all sorts of deterrents but they keep coming. The only thing we haven't tried is getting a dog. The expense puts us off, but really I see no other option

The cat thinks it is its territory, you need to inform it otherwise. An effective way is to get DH to urinate into a watering can (DH as logistically easier) and then fill with water. Use that to mark your territory. Do it enough to stand your ground but not enough that your garden stinks of wee. Its very effective. ...and a super soaker to fire water at the cat to help your frustration/anger.

I have a cat by the way.

Rope in some schoolchildren> You might get chased out of town, though! https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-65320162

These sonic things....will the upset the birds/other wildlife? Our garden is a bit of an oasis for the local wildlife as most people have cuts down/paved over etc. That's probably why the cat comes to us lol. I don't want to scare of the other animals but I also don't want to allow a massacre every year.

Last year kitty had every single one of the little robin families baby, he even climbed up the tree and got into the nest!

Will a supersoaker hurt the cat? I don't want to injure them/inadvertently poison it.

I was not a cat person before and tbh I am even less of one now. I am getting properly annoyed with it to tell the truth.

Cat Owners absolve themselves of all responsibility, once the cat has left the house … you’ll find it’s your own fault, and should just accept (without question), cat shit & dead birds. It’s the “natural instinct” of the cat .. and this will be used as an excuse. They want a pet, so you have to suffer

if the cat was to come to any harm on your property, this will also be your fault.

I know @ExtraOnions the neighbours basically told me to stop gardening or encouraging the birds

My parents used to live in an area where zoning regulation actually prohibited fences. They cut down on cat traffic from next door tremendously by systematically barring every conceivable point of entry with nice thorny cuttings set aside from pruning. Remember, it's all about making your garden less attractive to the fuckers than going in the other direction.

Also, you can put cat barriers on trees that house besting birds. Don't know what to do about hedges except, again, thorns.

These sonic things....will the upset the birds/other wildlife?

Don't think so but then we found the didn't upset the cats either.

Will a supersoaker hurt the cat?

You are just frightening with water - only issue is catching the cat going though the garden - was an issue in our last house as two doors to get through. We were only house in entire block with neither cats or dogs and our garden was fought over - over in cat poo which was awful with toddlers.

At time money was very tight and it was frustrating having to pay out for deterrents - and MN often insisted it must be foxes even when I said I'd literally see a cat crapping.

I like cats - now have two - they don't roam - but it was very annoying dealing with other people's cat crap at the time.

Not strange per se, just surprising.
I've lived rurally in thr uk all my life and never had lizards in my garden, so i'm just curious.