Neighbors don't like cats

[kev1949]

To one side of me is a couple in their 40/50s who are cat lovers and have one themselves, but the other side a different story. Got a couple in their late 70s who have a dislike for cats and try to deter them from going in their garden. At one time, they used to throw cat poo over the fence found in their garden, despite other cats, not only my four occasionally trespassing on their property.
They have recently attached to the other side of the fence, some old CD/DVD discs that bang on the fence when the wind blows. And properly bangs on the fence when a cat jumps on it? Looking over the fence some time back for something dropped their side, noticed CD/DVD discs fixed by string onto a stick in their flower pots. Curious as to why at the time, but never gave it another thought. On recently hearing banging noises from their side, I looked over, only to discover a few hanging on the fence mid beam banging away in the wind.
So is this a "tried and tested" cat deterrent, or an idea the old fogies have come up with? I'm 66 soon and never found cats in my garden a problem. In fact, I give them some treats!

[lilynmitz]

The absence if cats in their garden, or otherwise, will soon tell whether it works or not. At least it's harmless. I do sympathise with them though - I get really fed up with scorched patches on my lawn and poo in the path, lawn and beds from a neighbour's dog who they let wander freely between people's gardens. The poor thing will end up getting run over one day . I know it's harder to control with cats (unless you keep them in or cat-proof the garden), but that's no consolation to dedicated gardeners who just don't "get" cats.

[bobbys girl]

I use to be one of those gardeners! Over in England, in my pre-cat days, I was surrounded by folks with cats. I'll admit it, there have been many times I have threatened to landmine their kitty litter.

One immediate neighbour had a particularly unpleasant Persian called Suki, who not only took great delight in digging up any seeds I had sown and used my veg garden as a litter tray, but she would lie in wait under the shrubs and rake your ankles on the way past!

That's what happens when you don't have cats of your own - everyone in the neighbourhood uses your garden!

When Suki died the neighbours got a little tabby, Sparky and he melted my heart. He would sit and watch me. One day when I was digging a large hole to plant a tree he sat on the edge of the hole, looking in and then up at me, 'What's this then?' He was so nosey, I very nearly planted him!

Your neighbours CD's might be used to scare birds - they certainly don't bother cats. While I sympathise with your neighbours, not all hope is lost. I'm not the only gardener to have lost their hearts to a fuzzy feline.

[nannymcfee]

Yes old cd's are a way or scaring birds...many use them in allotments by me,because they have a mirror image that catches light and they move easily in wind..

i have a neighbour that hates cats, (next door but 1, ) and next door neighbour doesn't like them but would not harm them, but try telling the cats NOT to go in their garden....i tell the mogs not to venture but do they take any notice no......they put mothballs on their soil to try and deter them, but little hedgehogs started appearing ill,( i had to get them to hedgehog sanctuary quick) ! they didn't realise the mothballs would be nibbled, so after i told them , they now have a sonic deterrent,

I originally moved here as neighbours on both sides loved cats, but were elderly and since no longer with us....

[Crewella]

Several gardeners at the allotments near my old house used to use old CDs/DVDs as bird scarers, they used to look quite blingy all glinting in the sunshine!

My neighbour at the old house was lovely, but she did have a small child and though she was fine with Grumpy Nellie snoozing on her trampoline, she understandably wasn't keen on the fact that she also used to poo right in the middle of her lawn. I did squirt Nellie a couple of times with the hose when I caught her squatting, and we did find that scent repellers like 'Get of My Garden' crystals worked so I used to buy them for her every now and again.

[kev1949]

Never heard of the "get off my garden crystals"? The old folk have one of those sonic devices on the front of their house aimed at the front garden. Don't know if works though?
I bought "scary cat" plants for two other neighbors that were complaining. Apparently the plants give off a pungent smell that cats don't like and go away? But as the neighbors concerned are not the neighborly, wont be asking them if it works.
However, googled "get off my garden crystals" and seen Pets at Home stock it. So have try and bring the subject up if ever they decide to talk???

[Crewella]

Those sonic things don't tend to work in the long term as animals tend to just get used to the noise. The scent sprays and crystals don't always work, but as cats (and foxes) do tend to mark by scent themselves they do stand a better chance. There is also some stuff based on lion dung, working on the principle that a much bigger animal's scent should scare 'em off!

[Lilith]

Long story but my garden's secured so my lot can't roam - but of course curious cats can jump in so when my back door's closed some of the wire is bent down so that they can jump out again. However some neighbours' cats used to cover the place in errm you know what, which I got a bit sick of, and as my yard's L shaped, I had to invest in a couple of these -

http://www.amazon.co.uk/STV-STV610-Mega ... +deterrent" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And they work! I've only since had trouble a couple of times when the batteries ran out, although there is one cheeky little black and white who jumps down - and straight up on to the raised pond edge for a drink. I call her Maud (DON'T come into the garden Maud!) but she is polite and doesn't foul. If I jiggle the doorknob she hears and is straight out - and her owners keep her in a lot of the time.

These devices are easy to install and switch on and off - if I forget and a cat comes out with me she will freeze and run back in but as soon as I've apologised to her and turned the things off, no problems, so not too menacing to a cat.

I never used to begrudge other cats the use of my garden and still feel sad I've got to use these gismos but really, going out every day and cleaning up piles of the stuff...I've got enough s*** shovelling of my own to do. This is a very built up area; if people want cats they should provide trays, but they don't. I've seen cats weeing and fouling on the pavement like dogs. The house next door has been unoccupied all winter - and the yard has been covered - ugh!

It's awful to be so unwelcoming these days, but ...

[Crewella]

Glad to hear that works, Lilith. We had a local Burmese 'bully' cat that things like that didn't work for, but I don't think he was scared of anything .... ever! The ones that make a constant sound are the ones that animals usually get used to pretty quickly, but I'll bear that one in mind for the future.

"DON'T come into the garden Maud!"

[Lilith]

Glad to hear that works, Lilith. We had a local Burmese 'bully' cat that things like that didn't work for, but I don't think he was scared of anything .... ever! The ones that make a constant sound are the ones that animals usually get used to pretty quickly, but I'll bear that one in mind for the future.

"DON'T come into the garden Maud!"

Yeah lol she is a cheeky madam, yeah these things only activate if an animal crosses their path, so if she jumps up out of range it turns off. I can imagine animals adapt to the constant noise ones. They're supposed to work with dogs and foxes too. I've had them installed for a year and though the batteries (9v alkaline) are a bit pricey they do last - my only grumble is that the indicator light can still come on even when batteries are low so it's as well to do a battery change every six months or so.

[bobbys girl]

I used to do some gardening for a lady that had 2 of those sonic things. Trouble was I could hear one of them (I do have odd hearing) I don't know if it worked for the cats, but it drove me up the wall.

I did try the 'Get Off My Garden' stuff - but I didn't like the smell either!

The friend with the sonic thingies had some beautiful catmint plants. She kept them that way by soaking short canes in Jeyes Fluid, letting them dry, then poking them right into the plants. She said cats would make a bee-line for the catmint, stop, sniff the air then change their minds and go roll in someone elses catmint. You (human) had to get very close to pick up any hint of a scent.

Some say that a length of hose on the ground will deter cats - it is supposed to represent a snake. Trouble with that one is mine are Irish cats - there are no snakes in Ireland.

[nannymcfee]

Bobbys girl....if they don't have snakes don't they have large worms in Ireland,



I too have heard about things imitating snakes, old belts work , i know if someone leaves one lying around the cats tippy toe around it,if you make it move they jump sky high...

Cats don't like the smell of olbas oil either do they

[Mrs Kane]

So is this a "tried and tested" cat deterrent, or an idea the old fogies have come up with? I'm 66 soon and never found cats in my garden a problem. In fact, I give them some treats!

I admit, coming from parents that are VERY proud of their garden, I do sympathise. When we got Sofi a few weeks back... No before that, even when we were THINKING about buying a cat the first question out of my parents mouths was "You're not going to let it dirty other peoples gardens are you?"...

"Yes mum and dad, I live in the middle of a city where the only people that earn over a million a year (Stats quoted from moi) can afford a garden but I will purposefully bring my cat to their gardens so they can poop in them, just for kicks."

I joke and digress, the neighbours you speak of probably tend to their plants a lot, which means a lot of new, or broken soil, which is easy for a cat to dig in and do its business. It is a sad fact that cat urine kills plants quicker than Michael Bay kills franchises (RIP transformers ) So that's probably what they're trying to deter. I know that the lights that reflect off DVDs and CDs do deter birds such as magpies and pigeons, as they are scared of the erratic light and the reflections, but never cats.

If you wanted to try and break bread with your neighbour (if that is your intention) I think going over and apologising for the mess might be a good start. Now obviously your cats aren't causing all the problems, or even any of them, but just a simple, "I'm sorry for my cats, you know how they are, please understand they aren't dogs" kind of speech might be a good step forward. I'm speaking from experience in the fact that my parents LOATHE their neighbours for their cats mess, and they don't even know them. My dad even sprays any cats he finds on the lawn with water, which is just not on. Maybe just a little "Hi, I noticed you don't like cats and I do, maybe we can work something out without you dumping the whole streets cat poo over MY fence" type of thing might work out.

Or perhaps I'm just a naiive person that believes cat owners and non cat owners can get along in peace and harmony

Either that or you could get them to buy this: http://www.catnets.com.au/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Cussypat1974]

Oh dear oh dear...... I am getting more and more into gardening..... Will I soon turn against my cats and have to go on Jeremy Kyle to sort my dilemma out?

Seriously though..... Annoyed neighbours are never a good thing to have. I had them when I lived in town, especially when Jimi Hendrix cat shredded the neighbours net curtains. I paid for replacements and apologised profusely. Jimi laughed his geriatric backside off.
I was recently the annoyed neighbour when farmer next door left his slurry tank open and 5 cats died in it. And he was supposed to warn me when he was doing slurry again so I could keep the cats in, but didn't. I rang his Mammy and complained about him.....

[nannymcfee]

I love gardening, and have a beautiful one, with wildlife areas for my bats/frogs/newts/toads/hedgehogs/...but if you love cats there is nothing really you can do to stop them digging, ....but they are no worse than hubby, who yet again is in bad book as he doesn't know biennials from weeds...i grow my plants from seeds and been tending them the last year ready for them to flower this year..... are they safe...are they heck, he blooming was 'tidying' and they have disappeared....yes he did get called every name under sun... but if i suggest going to his allotment and doing the same....( allotment = football banter, smoking, <----- he thinks i don't know, plonker, ,pub, etc )

[Cussypat1974]

PMSL Nannymcfee!
I hatched a plan today.... We are building a new run for the chickens. Currently they have one of those large dog pens (but get to roam free range too). I am going to use the dog pen to grow my veggies in! It will stop cats from doing their business in my veggies! To be honest, I don't mind if they dig up the odd flower patch. They do flatten some of the daffodils by lying on them when they are small, but the dills seem to survive for the most part! I just really don't want poop on my carrots and broccoli when I do get around to growing some of my own veg!

I plan to have an herb garden in a variety of hanging baskets. Clever eh?

[Crewella]

That's a brilliant idea - we might have to do something similar when we get round to growing veggies - it should also keep the bunnies out!

[Cussypat1974]

The bunnies here have vacated the premises, mainly due to the fact that the cats eat them (!). The little birds will still get in through the mesh, but I am happy to scatter seeds for them, and chicken pellets. They gave lice to the chickens by sharing their pellets through the dog run (safe face-stuffing with no cat threat!) so I would rather they stopped sharing with the hens eh? I'll only plant plants, not seeds, or the robin will have them lol. It will also keep he hens out of the veggies, cos they are worse than any cat or slug or wild bird!!!!!

[bobbys girl]

I plan to have an herb garden in a variety of hanging baskets. Clever eh?

I have some catmint in a hanging basket - ever since my sister told me her cat, Lysander, got into her secret stash of catmint and got totally stoned - I kid you not.

Today I bought a wire hanging basket. I plan to put it over my other catmint (in the border). The cats can then crop it as it grows through and not destroy the plant. It is doing Tommy a power of good. A daily munch on the catmint seems to give him an appetite (plus the fact he is so laid back he is almost horizontal )

I LOVE my garden. I've been a gardener for more than 40 years (WHAT a scary thought ) But since cats took over my life I have to take them and their welfare into consideration when it comes to my garden. It can be quite a juggling act. I love lillies so the first job every summer's morning is to cut the pollen-laden stamens out of the newly opened flowers. Is it worth it? 'cause it flippin' is!

So, yes, I do sympathise with your neighbours.

[Cussypat1974]

Maybe you can answer a question that has been puzzling me for years! Why do people put plastic bottles of water in their gardens? Is it to deter cats? Slugs? Birds?

BTW, I am not the OP here. My current neighbours are cattle! Mind you, the dairy ones don't like cats either. there was a big Limoisin bull last year though, and a load of Limousine calves, and Scarlett O'Hara cat tamed them and slept with them!

[nannymcfee]

Some use the plastic bottles if they are half filled with water as it is ' cough cough ' supposed to deter cats, by light or street lighting reflecting off the water and when wind catches them, moves....do they think cats are not that intelligent or do you mean pushed (lid first) in soil as can use plastic bottles as irrigation if you put small holes in them, then it trickles out over time...they can be used in hanging baskets too if going away...

or if you cut them down fill with beer to be a slug trap....

[Cussypat1974]

I meant the ones half-filled with water, left lying on lawns and flower beds etc. Thank you for enlightening me! I found one left by the previous owners here when I cleared some of the garden. They would have spent their time controlling the ivy better if you ask me! I LIKE ivy, but it does need controlling because it tries to murder me lol!

I have no idea why anyone would think a bottle of water would deter a cat?!? Sure if anything, they would be attracted to the shiny thing no???

[bobbys girl]

Yes it is supposed to deter cats due to sunlight reflecting off the water.

I thought you might like to see my latest, futile attempt to stop my lot from destroying my cat mint completely!

rsz_023.jpg

R2D2 catmint protection device

(245.71 KiB) Not downloaded yet

[Mrs Kane]

Looking good bobby! Hopefully it'll keep them out

[Crewella]

Blimey - I'd have thought they'd have to be pretty committed to get through that!!

It does look like R2D2!

[bobbys girl]

Blimey - I'd have thought they'd have to be pretty committed to get through that!

Oh they are! Tommy guards it like it is his personal stash!

[Cussypat1974]

Ha ha! Great ingenuity, and basically it is a mini-version of my big doggy-vegetable-cage!