I love cats. In fact, I live with three, and in the garden there are six more. They are all of the common European breed, and they are all neutered. But although you end up getting used to having them relieve themselves where you are growing plants (we cannot forget that, as animals that they are, they also need to get rid of organic waste that their body will not use), they do not like to see excrement among them.
And like it even less when those felines are not yours. So that sometimes it can be urgent to know how to prevent cats from relieving themselves in the garden. If that’s your case, try these tricks so you don’t have to be picking up their waste, or at least, not so often.
7 tricks to prevent cats from entering the garden
There are several things that can be done to stop cats from relieving themselves in the garden, or in some corners, such as:
Put a net
If what you want is to protect a specific area of the garden, setting up a network is the fastest and cheapest solution, as well as efficient. It is true that it will not be very beautiful visually, but it will keep the plants in that corner safe from the felines.
Pointy objects (but not dangerous)
Cats, like any animal sensitive to touch, do not like objects that poke. Taking this into account, it is interesting to place pine cones, egg shells, long nails or screws, plastic forks, or holly cuttings for example in the areas where they walk, and / or in the pots of plants.
Natural repellants
One way to prevent them from going to the garden is to take advantage of the fact that they do not like certain smells to dissuade them. For instance, they really dislike strong smells like citrus (oranges, lemons, tangerines, etc.), so you can extract the liquid from these and spray it on the areas where they pass.
Another option is to place the peels of those fruits scattered around the garden. It is an easy solution, which will also serve to fertilize the soil.
Water spray
When the garden is large it is a bit difficult to keep it clean at all. One way is by placing a water spray that detects movementlike this one that they sell here!. Therefore, it is not only useful to avoid cats, but any other animal. After a few times, they will stop going.
Metal animal figure with glowing eyes
For a common cat, with an average weight of about 4-5 kilos, seeing an animal bigger than him with eyes that shine is an uncomfortable experience, especially if it is an owl or similar. Therefore, placing some metal figures in the shape of an animal and with the eyes that sparkle, it will discourage you from approaching the garden. But yes, you will have to move it around so that it does not get used to it.
Cat proof fence
It is a more expensive, but durable solution. Prevent both the neighbors’ cats from entering, and your cats from leaving the garden. What is done is put up a net barrier, or blunt-shaped anti-cat spikes on top of the fence.
Deterrent with ultrasonic sound
Ultrasonic sound is audible to cats, but almost nothing to humans. For them, it is a loud noise, and therefore unpleasant. These deterrents they are perfect for covering specific areasso it may take a little time to figure out where to place them. You can buy one from here!.
Tips for plants and cats to coexist well
We have seen how to repel or deter cats, but it is also possible to create attractive areas for them. And, let’s face it, sometimes it is very difficult to avoid having them as visitors. Either because you live in a town where the neighbors let their cats go outside, or because you yourself take care of a colony of cats in your garden.
So why not get down to work and create a place where they can be without harming the plants, or you? Trust me, it’s not impossible. Follow these tips and you will see it:
Identify the entry and exit area of the cats to the garden
This is essential, especially if you have potted plants and they are on a piece of furniture. Many people complain that cats drop them on the ground or that they remove the dirt from the containers, but that will not happen more if you know where they enter and where they exit.
Those who go to my garden always arrive jumping the wall and from there to my patio, always in the same corner. In the past I had a table with pots, and there were few times that I found myself on the floor. Well, tired of that situation being repeated, what I did was put a chair with nothing on it. Since then I have not seen any flower pot on the ground, since they use that chair.
And it is that often the simplest solutions are the ones that give the best results. A chair, a table. Anything that makes it easier for cats to get in and out of the garden will make the plants look better.
Create a cat toilet
In other words: fill an area with sand. It does not have to be very large, with one or two square meters is more than enough. Cats love to relieve themselves on sandy grounds, as these allow them to poke their holes and then cover their droppings with great ease.
The downside to this is that you will have to clean it often. But at least you will know that they only defecate in that area, and not in any other. Help them get there by planting catnip on the perimeter of the area, they will love it!
Don’t leave food out
If you have a colony in the garden, you may want to make food available to them. I do it myself. But that, although it can be very good, can attract other cats, and those other cats will relieve themselves. So if you don’t want this to happen, It is recommended that you take them to eat about 3 times a day (Better if there are 4 or more, since these animals eat between 4 and 6 times a day), or that you leave their food for the day but take it away at night.
Talk to the neighbors
Tired of neighborhood cats going to your garden? Then The ideal is to talk with their caregivers so that both of you can find solutions that benefit you. Not everyone will be willing to help, and they may even be unaware of the problem, but at least they should know what is going on.
In any case, it is important to know that the well-being of the cat also counts, and therefore, under no circumstances should it be harmed (indeed, doing so would be committing a crime of animal abuse).
How to prevent my cat from going to the garden of others?
The shortest answer is: not letting him leave the house. A cat that has always been with people inside a home, even if it goes out from time to time, can get used to not going out. All you have to do is keep him entertained during those waking moments, for example by playing with him and a small ball (the size of a golf ball) made of aluminum foil, or with a string. If you use up energy at home, you won’t want to go outside – you’ll be too tired for it.
In addition, it is important that he is neutered (NOT sterilized). With castration, the reproductive glands are removed, and with this, the cat is prevented from having heat and the cat from going in search of a mate; sterilization only prevents the eggs and sperm from leaving the body of the cat and the cat, respectively, but the heat and the behaviors associated with it are maintained.
The recovery time is quite fast: more or less after 7 days the cat will be almost completely recovered, and the cat after 3 days. So it is very worth it.
If you still want it to go out, but only to your garden, do not hesitate to try the tricks that we have commented at the beginning of the articlesuch as putting up a cat-proof fence.
Last but not least, for what might happen, it is advisable to identify the cat. Not only with the microchip, which is mandatory, but also with a necklace with a plate that bears your phone number, or one with GPS. Likewise, it does not hurt to talk to the neighbors, so that they see that you are willing to help in case problems arise.
We hope that with these tips both you and cats can be calm.
