How to get cats to poo where I want them too...

[janeandmarysmum]

I have two cats and a small-ish garden. There is an area in the garden where I am happy for them to poo - it's behind some shrubs, great sandy soil for them to dig in etc. They have both used it in the past and I've picked up poo when I've spotted it. They've also got litter trays in the garage that they use occasionally. At the moment they are insisting on pooing in a flower bed. I pick up every time but I have grandchildren and don't want footballs in the pooey flowerbed. It also looks gross. How can I stop this? I've tried thise spikey mats, rose clippings, pepper dust and citrus spray. All these have had limited success. Both cats are torties and very stubborn. They actually seek out the citrus spray and haven't read the rule book about disliking orange peel.
Thanks.

Could you put large stones in the gaps between plants. We had this problem with someone else's cat who would poo in the flowerbed right by our front door. Putting large pieces of rock/stone down solved the problem.

I'd put their litter trays in the area you want them to poo in. That's how people teach their cats to use the actual toilet. They put a specially designed litter tray inside the toilet and gradually remove bits until they get the idea. I'm thinking of training my cats to use the downstairs loo becsuse I never go in there.

Thanks - you can't put cat poo down the toilet though. It has all sorts of bugs and parasites that our sewage systems can't cope with.

Thanks - I'll try this.

Can you put sticks in there so there's no space for them to squat? And maybe put litter tray near it. Gradually move tray further away from the plants until it's back where it was before. Or maybe it needs to stay outside somewhere shaded.

I'd leave a trowel here and just dig holes and bury it. Well, I DO leave trowels around and just bury them.

In our main newest flower bed which is nearest the house and obviously the most interesting to them, I have an old strawberry terracotta plant pot which I've dug into the ground, which I put kitchen peelings etc in, with a terracotta saucer as a lid. So all the deposits they leave get thrown into the pot. The worms will dispose of it all in time.

I have one bit of raised beds that I clear for them, add fresh compost etc & the rest I nust make sure that there are plants, stones, pots, solar lights - anything to stop them having space to dig!

I didn't know that. I'd better not do it then. Apparently they can smell their own litter from a long way away.

I use lots and lots of sticks so they can't squat. Or plastic cutlery.

Plastic cutlery is genius! Thanks.