Gardening ..... with cats

Well, the digging over, fertilising and raking season's here again.....

Lovely little seedlings are appearing in the greenhouse, all fresh and hopeful and getting reading to be planted out when they're bigger, so there's hope for them.
Woe betide those seeds that have to be planted straight into the ground though when the cats are delighting in the assumption that we've dug a new lavatory for them

The neatly prepared top bed's a shambles, the lower one is developing some worrying holes and I won't even begin to tell you what they've done in my carrot trench.

Thing is they are my own 3 moggies and I adore them.

Shall have to spend another happy few spring weeks persuading the heavy-side gardener (OH) to attach some netting in appropriate places.

Gardening eh?

Re: Gardening ..... with cats

There is no answer-I have had cats for over 25 years and one who peed in my greenhouse if he was in there when I did. Also a cat who thought he could help when I was digging a spud trench-yes mad digging and a drop of pee to help.

But with cunning they do learn you know-not that your neighbour will thank you though

Re: Gardening ..... with cats

Nice idea.

Re: Gardening ..... with cats

My cat is very timid and will only do her 'toileting' in our garden.
What we have done is to give her a patch just for herself and we use "Get Off" cat repellent crystals on the rest of the garden when the soil is turned over. This works very well and we/she has trained herself to keep to the one area. My hubby is the regular "poo-cleaner upper" every day!

My plants are never ruined and my neighbours do not get the opportunity to moan about my "bl***y" cat digging up their garden

Re: Gardening ..... with cats

A dog might do the trick ...but then you have to deal with the dog peeing and killing things

Maybe those repellent crystals that Mags mentioned are worth a shot? Or one of those sensor operated water jet thingies?

Re: Gardening ..... with cats

I heard\read a tip on another site
When you've raked and tidied a seed bed and sown and labelled your seeds, use nylon netting pegged down over the area to deter the cats. They hate it, apparently. Seedlings can grow through it. I don't know if you leave it till you crop or if you carefully peel it off when the seedlings are big enough not to be bothered by cats and the earth has lost that irresistable 'dig here - freshly turned earth' small.

Re: Gardening ..... with cats

Some good ideas here thanks.

We did try to allocate an area for them to use, but all 3 are different and only 1 of them is inclined to be guided in ANY direction. The other 2 stroppy sorts will continue to destroy whatever they can get their paws on, just to show us I think.

May well give the crystals another go though.

I was only joking about the neighbours and wouldn't dream of encouraging any of our cats to make use of their garden.

Re: Gardening ..... with cats

Cats dislike the scent of citrus; you might try a spray or leaving orange peels in the bed; that wouldn't be practical if you have a large plot, however. Mine are indoor cats so I've never had that problem.