# Tips on how to keep neighbour's cats out of my garden



## dee73 (31 May 2009)

One of my neighbours, three doors away, has approximately 6 to 7 cats (it's hard to say exactly how many) and the cats have been using my back garden as the place of choice to leave their litter. I would say this has been going on for some months now, but I have only noticed this recently because I have started cutting the grass after the winter months. My garden is full of litter and i can't even walk out to my clothes line without stepping in litter. The smell from this is horrendous. Also, I recently noticed more litter along the footpath at the side of my house. I have cleaned up the litter as best I could thinking this might deter them from coming back but to no avail. Not to mind the inconvenience of this, I am aware that cat litter is extremely dangerous especially where there are children playing. Please help!


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## cleverclogs7 (31 May 2009)

yup know the feeling.i post a thread some time ago about simular problem.i tried moth balls,plastic bottles and so on.now i use the garden hose  my daughter has a bad cat allergy .


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## ninsaga (31 May 2009)

Get a dog!


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## Gondola (31 May 2009)

Try washing  the path with Thick Bleach or Jay liquid. It should keep the cats away and also disinfect and deep clean your path. No smell either.


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## allthedoyles (31 May 2009)

We bought a cat repellent from a door salesman . He is agent for betterware.co.uk

It is a steel frame in the shape of a cat , and cost 6.89 euro

Dont know if it works , but hav'nt seen cats anywhere near it yet .


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## cleverclogs7 (31 May 2009)

my dad got 2 of the cats (speel shaped like a cat)didnt work


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## roker (31 May 2009)

Try watering with Jays Fluid,


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## PyritePete (1 Jun 2009)

there is a product in most garden centres called Dog/Cat Off and deters unwanted cats, its green crystalised balls that you scatter whereever and the smell confuses cats and therefore after a while dont visit...


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## Jopeoc (1 Jun 2009)

Very unusual for cats just to drop their litter. Most cats find a place and then cover their litter. Unlike dogs who will drop anywhere.Are you sure it is cats who are doing this?


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## AgathaC (2 Jun 2009)

I think there is a device you can buy also that emits a noise that deters them, try Woodies/ B&Q or those type of shops. I believe Jeyes Fluid works quite well also.


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## Rigoletto (2 Jun 2009)

you can buy a small single jet sprinkler that is activated by a PIR sensor. this will keep them out.
it can be bought from some pet stores but it is quite expensive if memory serves me. 

the sprays do not work i am afraid.


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## Sherman (2 Jun 2009)

OP, are you sure it's your neighbours' cats that are doing this? Cats will nearly always seek to cover over their poo and rarely just do it on a pavement and walk away. This is why newly-dug soil is a favourite with them as the soft material can be used to cover over their poo. Could dogs be getting in to your garden? I'd be surprised if cats were going out in the open and then just leaving it without covering it over. 

If you know for sure it is cats, you should mention it to your neighbours - when a cat doesn't cover its poo it can be sign of illness in the cat - you could use this 'concern' as a pretext for raising the issue with your neighbours.


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## JERRY321 (2 Jun 2009)

I agree with Sherman. Cats are fastidious creatures and cannot abide their doings left out in the open. Freshly dug soil is their preference so flowerbeds are a preference. They excavate a little hollow for themselves and ALWAYS cover it over!
Dogs, on the other hand, don't appear to have this ability built in and will quite happily defecate anywhere! The first lawnmowing of my front garden threw up loads of doggy doings!!!
One thing all animals seem to hate is citrus peelings. Try (if you can!) to remove the offending objects, spray the area with an anti-bacterial and put down some orange peelings where the message was left. 
Also, some pepper on your perimeter walls should deter any visitors, or at least make them think twice. It's not a particularly animal-friendly thing to do, but it won't kill them and really gets the message home when they're sneezing or licking their paws!!


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## Setanta12 (2 Jun 2009)

I heard if you bury bottles of water strategically around your garden, they won't disturb you or foul the area as they can smell the water and won't want to pollute what appears to them to be a fresh drinking spot.


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## Mpsox (2 Jun 2009)

Setanta12 said:


> I heard if you bury bottles of water strategically around your garden, they won't disturb you or foul the area as they can smell the water and won't want to pollute what appears to them to be a fresh drinking spot.


 
I've also heard that if you put a small amount of ammonia in the water, they can't stand the smell


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## LauraLu (2 Jun 2009)

Please dont use jeyes fluid as its poisonous to cats- if they walk on it they'll lick their paws to clean themselves and ingest the poison. If you google cat repellent you will find some sprays that work well. If you spray them on your wall it will repel them. You can also get plastic spikes that sit on your wall and prevent them from climbing onto it.


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## roker (3 Jun 2009)

The ultrasonic device can be purchased in Maplin. The trouble with that is, you have to see them first. I was thinking of buying one to chase the dogs outside making noises in the early hours.


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## TheBear (4 Jun 2009)

I've been told that paprika works, at least for dogs and maybe for cats.  As they smell the area before they do their business, the paprika gets up their nose and irritates them.

Also, try not to leave newly dug ground uncovered, as they're fond of that type of surface.

Apart from that, we've been plugging the gaps in our fences with prickly branches and with some rocks, in an attempt to get rid of our cat problem.


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## corkgal (4 Jun 2009)

I've seen people use garden sprinklers to get rid of cats and teenagers (sitting on the wall). Might be worth trying. I wonder if you can get one with a sensor that would go on if a cat came near it!


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## mathepac (4 Jun 2009)

Jopeoc said:


> Very unusual for cats just to drop their litter. Most cats find a place and then cover their litter. ...


Very unusual behaviour for cats. Are you sure there aren't  other animals in the area like badgers, weasels, stoats, foxes, grey squirrels, pole-cats, pine-martens, otters or whatever?


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## johnd (6 Jun 2009)

We bought a sonioc cat deterrant. It runs by battery so can be left on all the time. We were regularly visted by a cat who liked to sit in the sun but since we bought it he has disappeared.


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## alaskaonline (8 Jun 2009)

I agree with Ms T - I have a litter box for my cat outside as well and he is only using that one and not wandering off to my neighbor's garden. Also in regards to the bad smell, my doctor reconfirmed last Friday that when they're neutered their smell isn't even half as bad - so might be that your neighbor cats aren't neutered which is why they freely run around spraying along, marking everything.  apart from buying stuff against it, I would bring it to the attention of the neighbor - it's their responsibility!


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## amtc (8 Jun 2009)

Spray it with water a couple of times and it'll get the message. Worked for me


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## Bonaparte (8 Jun 2009)

I agree that this is most unusual behaviour for cats, have you actually seen them offending? this http://www.ehow.com/how_2213645_stop-cats-pooping-garden-flowerbeds.html might help


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## Jopeoc (8 Jun 2009)

Why have we not heard back from Dee...?????


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## Zippy (8 Jun 2009)

Cat got her tongue !


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## Ancutza (8 Jun 2009)

.22 rifle with telescopic sights.  Yer only man for cat control.  Hate the little buggers myself since, like cleverclogs daughter, I'm highly allergic to them.

A dog seems like the best (and legally acceptable) solution.


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## dee73 (9 Jun 2009)

Thanks for all the information. I've tried putting garlic. citrus fruit and bleach in the garden and it has had no effect. I'm annoyed enough to use pepper or other irritants but i won't. My next step is the ultrasonic repeller but I wonder about the battery life and weather proofing of the machine. Also there is a product called Prikka strips that can be put on top of fences or walls that stop cats, squirrels etc. from walking along them. It's made from tough plastic and shaped like pyramids or cones. Although since I live in an estate I'll have to get permission from the neighbours to put the strips on the fences. So I'll try the sonic repeller from maplins or amazon first.Thanks again to everyone who replied with suggestions and advice.


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## LLDLY (11 Jun 2009)

Try sonic cats deterrents, worked for me!

[broken link removed]

P.s you plug this one in and place it on the windowsill


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## kleini (1 May 2010)

*to dee*

i have the same problem and understand u very well. thats why i am going to get lots of jeyes fluid that if they lick their paws then they will never return. if i were u i would do the same thing. sorry if i hurt someones feelings!


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## scotlash (18 Jul 2010)

I have similar problem (even though I have a dog!).  I've just been told that sprinkling coffee grounds will deter cats as they hate the smell.


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## VOR (19 Jul 2010)

Bear Grylls pees around his camp at night to keep animals away. He says it only works with male urine. I was watching it one night and wondered what the neighbours would make of me piddling along the wall where their cat jumps in to my garden. I'm sure if it works on big cats, rats and other nasties it must work on domestic cats.
One of these nights, perhaps after a few glasses of wine while I sit outside smoking a cuban...


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