Keeping Cats Out of the Garden

I have been inundated with requests for tips on keeping cats out of the garden. Here are my personal favorites:

For some years, I had big problems with cats in the flowerbeds. These days our dog, Harry, takes care of the problem, but before he decided to come live with us I developed some guerrilla warfare tactics that worked for me.

Cover A Cat's Favorite Hideouts

If you watch the areas that are disturbed (ravaged is more like it), they are often in a sheltered spot where the dirt is exposed. Cover the area with mulch, the pokier the better. Eucalyptus mulch has a bitter smell that cats dislike, so it's a good choice.

You can also try laying a piece of bubble wrap on the spot. When the cat steps on the bubble wrap it crackles and sometimes pops. That gets his attention.

Use Smell Against Them – Keeping Cats out of your Yard

Cats hate citrus. Using aversion as a tactic, I save my orange and lemon peels and sprinkle them around the garden. I select spots that I know cats like and entry points to the yard. I score the peels to expose the aromatic oils, sometimes even zesting some peels and sprinkling the zest around. I prefer this to using commercially available animal repellents.

Another good tactic is to splash vinegar around the edges of your flowerbeds and repeat after every heavy rain.

Make the Point Stick

I also like is to lay strips of painter's tape (The blue kind is economical and the least sticky – you want him to be able to pull the tape off once he leaves.) along the ground, sticky side up. I use a number of lengths of about six inches to a foot long. When the cat walks in that area, the tape sticks to his fur or feet and that's usually the end of the problem. With rain and dew creating damaging moisture, the strips have to be replaced regularly. If wind is a problem, tack the ends down with a little soil.

Going Out With a Bang

If there's a feline nemesis that has a favorite spot in your flowerbeds, you can lay a trap for him. I've never done this, but I've heard that if it works, it's very, very effective.

Dig a hole where the offending cat usually beds down for a nap. Blow up a balloon and place it in the hole. Cover the balloon with soil. . .not too deeply; less than an inch of dirt over the top should do it. When the cat starts his scratching routine, he pops the balloon and scares the holy, jumping Moses out of himself.

The good news is that once a cat gets the idea that he's not welcome, he's gone for a while, maybe even the whole season.

These are gentle measures that work if you give them time. I love cats and feel that there are enough hazards out there for them without getting rough. Screaming at them and waving your arms doesn't help either (I know). They just wait to strike until you're not around.

Special Note: If you are growing catnip, build a mesh cage for it. In my experience, there is no measure that will keep cats out. They will take a stroll through perdition itself to get to it.