Stopping the cats from pooing in raised beds

[SpeedbirdFoxtrot]

Hello all!

I recently moved in with DP. I’m freelancing from home for the time being and gardening to break up the day. Due to his busy work schedule, his raised herb beds have become a little bit delapidated. I’ve taken out the weeds, planted some stuff, and I am currently fumbling through.

Anyway, our (very much loved) cats are fully committing themselves to pooing in the thing. Neither of us wants to use any chemicals that put cats off...they’re rescue cats who were shut inside a house for weeks on end, so we want them to feel happy in the garden.

I guess my questions are:

1. How can I stop them from doing this without making them feel uneasy?

2. Am I fighting a losing battle here?

I’m up for covering the bed with stuff and potentially planting herbs they don’t want to go near (Nothing that’s toxic to them, it seems a bit kinder than using deterrent pellets...tell me if that’s wrong, though) This is my first time planting in general (aside from when I worked at a garden centre), so I’m feeling like a bit of a novice & would appreciate advice based on experience.

Thanks in advance! (And sorry for the babble).

Keeping the beds well watered helps. They're more likely to dig if it's drier and dusty like a litter tray. Not such fans of mud.

If you can get a load of short twigs (about 6", clippings from pruning something) and stick these upright or at angles in all the gaps it helps. Also perhaps provide an alternative, a well dug over soil in a tray (with drainage) or patch somewhere else in the garden which you clear regularly.

We put a wire netting cage over the seedlings, until they develop. I’ll also second the twig method, both approaches keep off cats and pigeons that like eating the new plant shoots.

Buy a bag of plastic forks. Plant them densely, prongs skyward, in your raised bed.
I have three much lived cats who love an al fresco poo. I guarantee this works.

Short twigs, plastic forks, 'planted' quite close together in the border should stop them.

Thanks all :) I shall start implementing my anti-poo strategy later.

Love the phrase ‘al fresco poo’ as well

Someone suggested these on another thread,
www.primrose.co.uk/set-pestbye-battery-operated-cat-repellers-p-66468.html

Satay sticks. Pointy end down.

2 litre bottle of water put on the soil might put them off too. May just be an old wives tale though 😂

do you have any spiky/thorny hedgerows in your garden or nearby? Cut some branches and lay them over the beds while you wait for your plants to seed or grow.

Mine don't like orange peel.

My cat never goes anywhere near the holly tree!