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?

You can be angry as you like with me using oil but I expect the birds were very angry when their offspring were killed

I’m sure they were. I don’t think that makes cruelty to another animal ok.

Pouring oil over a cat is insane.

Stick to water, OP

You are causing cruelty to wildlife by letting your cat out

Automatic sprinklers I'm sure you can get one that comes on with movement!

Get those wheely things for the top of your fence and cut off any overhanging branches.
That should keep the bugger out!

Or, install/borrow a small dog.

Chilli powder sprinkled liberally where the cat shits.

Also, put citrus peel in your soil to stop him shitting in it.

I also think that the idea to ‘borrow someone’s dog / get a dog’ are mad. Why the hell should the OP do that?! She’s got young children. She just wants a garden that isn’t full of shit.

I actually thought it was quite a good idea because it would be pretty bloody effective, and quickly. Wish I'd thought of it when I had a cat problem!

The fact OP has to do anything is infuriating, but given the situation, needs must.

I was reading a thread yesterday about cat proofing garden to keep house cats in, and someone posted re doing tneir own cat proofing with netting and l shaped brackets. I think the cat proofing keeps others out too. Have a look on the cat threads - I think people will have more empathy and tips than you expect. My pro lem is pigeons - it takes 30 mins to clear the lawn before we can use the bloody garden 😠

Nothing will deter a bengal or cross-bengal cat. Nothing. Not water spray, sound frequencies, citrus peel, lion shit, spikes, anything. They attack anything that moves.

You have to physically keep the fuckers out.

Electric fencing??

If you have teenagers those electronic ones might be audible to them.

Ooh! Do you think it would deter them as well? Bonus!

<lighthearted - don’t really mean it, ds3!>

You could plant day lilies.

I think an air rifle would.

Because lilies are incredibly poisonous to cats is that your reasoning?

It would give the cat owner incentive to keep their cat away from the OPs garden. I don't mind cats per se, but I think the owners should keep them on their own property, and the law should be changed accordingly, just like any other pet.

Your logic is flawless, I congratulate you.

Get a cat. It will keep the enemy cat away. It won't poo on its own territory. And buy it a bell for its collar.

Lion shit is the only thing I've not tried here. NOTHING works.

My next door neighbour's cat loves lavender which is apparently a deterrent 🙄 I really sympathise. This cat destroyed a newly planted flowerbed in 30 seconds last year with its digging and shitting. I was so cross. The waste of money and time. I get it with my super soaker when I'm quick enough.

I need to go through this thread for new suggestions. Some kind of motion censor water thing would be ideal if it couldn't be set off by the birds.

Jesus - lilies will poison a cat to dreadful death. It's like leaving chocolate out for a dog.

Pointy twigs, no bare earth and a water pistol and less guilt perhaps in harming an animal.

It's poisonous to cats.

If the cat is sensible it will just avoid where they are planted and poo elsewhere.

My neighbours' cats are sensible so they avoid the deterrents that are targeted to stop squirrels and foxes digging.

Oddly a deterrent I tried to decrease my snail and slug population works on the cats. They are another creature who don't like garlic and onions, so I the garlic wash I use on my plants keep them away from them.