Don’t get me wrong I’m actually very fond of cats, I have two myself! But I love my garden too and when it was used like their personal litter box I was less then impressed. In fairness to them it may have been other neighbourhood kitties who would leave me smelly surprises, regardless it had to stop!

I try to keep my garden as organic as possible so many of the methods I will be recommending are natural. Depending on the persistence of your feline visitors a few methods may need to be attempted to find the one that works for you. I found that the combination of mulch, cayenne and coffee grounds made my garden a no cat zone.

Fight smell with smell

Eau de Poo is not anyone’s favourite aroma and cats also have certain aversions. Cinnamon, fresh coffee, garlic, cayenne and peels of citrus fruits like orange, lime and lemon are all purportedly such smells. Sprinkle them around flower beds or your veggie garden. Keep in mind that after a rain you should reapply as the materials will begin to biodegrade and lose their scent. Another option is to create home made repellent sprays, vinegar and water solution or essentials oils like lavender or eucalyptus oil mixed with water are both good options.

Make it uncomfortable

Fresh dirt is such a tempting toilet, make it less so by creating spiky surfaces. Though it seems unkind you can place plastic forks tine side up with their handles buried in the soil, keep them 6” – 8” apart. There are mats available for sale that replicate this same sort of surface but are much more expensive than a bag of cheap plastic forks. Plus if they’re clear you’ll never even notice them in your garden.

Adding mulch will also help to deter them. A good thick layer of mulch means a lot of digging about just to take a bathroom break and most cats just can’t be bothered.

Repellent Plants

There are several different types of plants that not only look nice but also help to repel unwanted visitors. Common Rue, Lavender, Marigolds, Lemon Balm, Coleus Canina, Rosemary are all suited for the task. The other group of repellent plants subscribe to the prickly method such as Hawthorn, Blackberries, Blackthorn, Berberis or Holly.

Commercial Solutions

There are a number of different pest control products that are safe and easy to use. One such product would be ChemFree Critter Ridder, which is available in our store.