Hi,
I have an area under my bedroom window that I am wanting to plant bulbs. I already have bought the bulbs and everything I need, the only problem is I have a neighborhood cat that comes through the privacy fence to use this area as his or her litter box!! How do I stop this?!!
Thanks so much for any suggestions,
Kathy in Alabama

Do you have any thorny bushes you can lay across the area? Also, I have heard of cayenne pepper works. But after it rains you would have to re-apply.

They were going near my pond area picking out the fish. I clipped some rose bush limbs and laid it in the path and they stopped coming near the pond.

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/audwoman/

If you want the rainbow you have to put up with the rain!!

Plant some moth balls under your mulch. Cats avoid the smell more than you avoid the smell the cats leave behind.
Please don't do anything that could injure any critters... they are just doing what comes naturally! Pepper your neighbors instead!

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What about a really big dog?

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Mike Maier
aka
The Plant Doc

The moth balls really do work - I tried them this season for the same reason - a stray cat was coming in my yard and using it as a litter box. I have two of my own who to outdoors in the yard, but use the litter box inside. Once the stray started using the backyard, I was concerned that my own would find it acceptable as well and I did not want to put my hands in the plants, and come up with ****!!
Anyway - it solved my problem
Ellen

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I have done the moth balls before with great success...this summer in the gardening dept of Wally World there was a plant they had for sale that they called "cat away"...does anyone have any idea what it is? Should have looked at the tag on it, this is the first year I have seen them!

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Happiness, like a dessert so sweet.
May life give you more than you can ever eat...
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Thanks you guys for all the help!!!
4Ruddy, I LOVE your signature about hot flashes, that's fantastic!!!!
Kathy

Can't help you with your question, but Norman - my mom puts mothballs in her vacuum cleaner - she loves the smell!!! I refuse to go to her house the day of/following cleaning because I cannot stand the smell, let alone how toxic it is! No amount of explaining gets her to stop using them!

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Lynne's knitting journal
"I'm spayed, declawed, and housebound - how's YOUR day going???"

...hey palies.

Great topic!...........the cat poop issue has always made me see red.
ewwwwww........the smell, and getting it on your hands,really gross!!

I used cayenne pepper for a lot of years.But I read an article about a cat getting it in its eyes and ..............
In my own defense....I've never had a cat as a pet.(I was clueless)

I'm an organic gardener.But I also use mothballs.
It works for me.

I use 3 inches of pine bark mulch on all of my perennial beds.So I just tuck some mothballs in the first inch of mulch.

Usually,depending on the amount of rain we get,I toss the old ones.Put in some new ones.

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That idea about the moth balls is good. I used moth balls to chase some copperheads away. The smell interferes with their natural sense of smell. I never used moth balls to keep cats away. I had cats bothering my flower gardens. killing some plants (some other plants can tolerate the cats.) I used medium sized rocks around the plants. The cats are looking for nice soft soil similar to cat litter to go in. So make it hard for the cat to dig and he/she will find someplace to go.

Thanks Catlover and Oui, I really appreciate the help! I had snakes one time in my yard, at another house, and you're right, the mothballs do work for that. Whew, I'm glad, I hate snakes!!!
Thanks Everybody!
Kathy

I thought Mothballs were organic??? They are made out of cedar aren't they?

A quick Google search shows numerous pages addressing the toxicity of mothballs. They ARE poisonous, though not often lethal. Inhalation of the fumes is hazardous, and skin contact can cause rash, irritation and absorption into the bloodstream. When used to protect clothes, the clothes should be left to air before wearing, and the fumes dissipate quickly.

Flycats,
Thanks so much for a great suggestion! I'll look for one on ebay asap!
Thanks again,
Kathy

LOL!! ROFL!! LOL!! OUI!!!

Slug in the nose!! I am dying here!!!

Oh my goodness that is the funniest thing I have ever heard!

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i have used the moth balls and they did work for our neighbour hood cats, they seemed to like my bed the best, and i thought of looking into one of those sprinklers to give him a soak, but no need after the moth balls, and we have a big dog in the back so they skip our house all together now .
Penny

Maybe all the mothball fumes killed the olfactory nerves in your mom's nose, Rockland?

Try aluminum foil buried just under the ground of their potty place - it'll scare them. They don't like the crackling. I've heard it's a great training tool to teach cats to stay off the counter, etc.

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Love As Thou Wilt

i have almost the same problem.but i have dogs that come around and dig holes and leave tons of presents.i can't afford to build a fence so i just scare them away alllll the time!

Thanks Heidi! That sounds like a wonderful idea. I'll have to look into it. Is it alot more expensive?
Thanks again!
Kathy

Thanks so much for getting back to me. I really do appreciate it! I'll go to Lowes and see if they have it.
Kathy

amigatec
Several yrs ago we took in a stray dog. When it got sick and took it to the vet, they
x-rayed her. There were bb's embedded all through her. Sooo sad.
You could get a good water gun instead. Cats don't like being squirted and it wont harm them.(or be part of them for life).
Just a suggestion. I know cats can be a menace. I've got several outside and they can really can get on your nerves, and they're mine.
Diane

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buzz buzz buzz

http://s86.photobucket.com/albums/k103/Di_06/

buzylady,
That is great idea! How did you overwinter your hydrangea? Did you place it in a garage? Water it? Or just let it be? I would love to know more about how you did this.
Thanks!
Kathy