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Gardening

Find tips and tricks to make your garden or allotment flourish on our Gardening forum.

Original poster

What can I plant in my garden that will deter cats

37 replies

beinglikedisoverrated · 04/08/2021 18:54

My garden is full of cat poo. I planted a rose hoping the thorns would deter them. But no. I've tried putting lemon juice and orange peel down too. What else can I use?

OP posts:
clickychicky · 04/08/2021 19:17

Curry plant

PurpleParrotfish · 04/08/2021 19:30

Ground cover plants are your friend. Don’t leave any bare earth, and if you have to (to plant seeds or little plantlings) cover it with a network of spiky sticks. I use twigs from my pyracantha bush which are very thorny. Make sure to remove once no longer needed so you don’t spike yourself.

Annoyedandirritated · 04/08/2021 19:32

Barbed wire

Reallyreallyborednow · 04/08/2021 19:34

Wonder if reverse psychology works- plant shit loads of catnip. Yes you’ll get loads of cats, but they’ll either be too stoned to remember to shit, or they won’t want to shit near their drug supply….

Any cats it doesn’t affect will steer well clear of the stoner’s garden…

Lellochip · 04/08/2021 19:39

I've not had any luck unless I've completely covered the bare earth - either with stone chippings, ground cover plants, or nets (while the plants were filling in)

Lellochip · 04/08/2021 19:41

People have mentioned motion activated sprinklers on here, may be a non-gardening solution? I have my own cat and neighbours with right of way through my garden so not one I've personally tried Grin

Greenmarmalade · 04/08/2021 19:46

The only thing that’s ever worked for me (before getting a dog) is to sprinkle cat treats around the garden. They don’t like to poo where they eat, it seems. Works wonders.

Katefoster · 04/08/2021 22:19

I've heard orange peel is supposed to deter cats. Nothing bothers my cat tho so I don't know how reliable that is

Katefoster · 04/08/2021 22:20

Oh so sorry didn't see you'd tried it. Another thing is when it was hot he slept in the soil all the time. He did it in our garden but I don't know about any others, so maybe planing soemtbing will encourage them? Get a water pistol then they won't be back

ErrolTheDragon · 05/08/2021 00:13

There was a thread recently where pretty much everyone - including cat owners - was recommending water pistols. Seriously, they don't take polite hints.

Original poster
beinglikedisoverrated · 05/08/2021 12:32

Errol and Kate- I don't see when they do it ( maybe when I'm out or asleep? ) so I can't really use the water pistol idea. Thanks though

OP posts:
Neveranynamesleft · 05/08/2021 12:42

Lavender worked for me, not had any cats since planting. Just put a few random spots around the garden. Not expensive, grows well and smells lovely.

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 05/08/2021 12:42

Water pistols? Seriously? I know cats are territorial but surely they won't use water pistols on each other?
Anyway how would they hold them in their paws? And pull the trigger? Confused

summersolstice43 · 05/08/2021 12:48

The cat nip idea is spot on. I have a cat nip plant in my garden as I have a cat myself and the neighborhood cats use my garden as a stoners den and dont poo in it at all. Its funny when I look out the window and see a few cats scattered over my lawn high on nip

ErrolTheDragon · 05/08/2021 12:49

If cats had thumbs...Grin

asdhelp123 · 05/08/2021 12:51

I bought some deterents from Argos and they seem to be doing the job.

www.argos.co.uk/product/9219139

Original poster
beinglikedisoverrated · 05/08/2021 13:34

I've just sprayed some zoflora there for now. So, Kary ( curry) plant, lavender or catnip?

OP posts:
TheWayTheLightFalls · 05/08/2021 13:36

A dog? You’ll get cuddles out of it, at least.

Fancymice · 05/08/2021 13:40

Water pistols, definately. Or a sprinkler.

Water won't hurt the cat, but the cat will remember the indignity of being sprayed that it will not want to linger in your garden.

I'm a cat owner and have told neighbours to do this if they see dcat attempting to curl one out in their garden.

Love the idea of planting loads of nip so the cats are too stoned to poo!

TipseyTorvey · 05/08/2021 13:44

Definitely the automatic water spray things. They are a bit of a faff to set up as they need to be connected to a hose, and god forbid you forget and step outside 😂. But they only need to be on a few days every month to remind visitors they're not wanted. They don't hurt, it's just a shock to get machine gunned with water when not expecting it.

Original poster
beinglikedisoverrated · 06/08/2021 12:19

( title says what can I PLANT )

Where can I get water pistol and sprinkler seeds please?

Sorry - could resist

OP posts:
Fancymice · 06/08/2021 12:22

Just had a brainwave - plant cucumbers! Cats get freaked out by them as they think they are snakes.

delilahbucket · 06/08/2021 12:37

This is the only stuff that works for us
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B073Q12GM5/ref=cm_sw_r_u_apa_glt_fabc_KXVG1P8GCKWFAKKR7PP2?psc=1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=mumsnetforu03-21
We have one offender who just goes on the grass, doesn't even bury it. She doesn't like this stuff at all though. We have another cat who visits a lot but if we've put this down he will only walk on the footpath not the grass.

summersolstice43 · 06/08/2021 12:56

@fancymice I love it, however, I tried the cucumber thing on my cat and she just looked at it and wandered off

ErrolTheDragon · 06/08/2021 13:32

@Fancymice

Just had a brainwave - plant cucumbers! Cats get freaked out by them as they think they are snakes.
When I was a kid, DF had to rescue a grass snake from our cat.Confused