linda~lou
Pearl Clutcher
Keep calm and eat crumpets
Posts: 2,744
Location: Motown but my heart is in San Francisco
Jun 25, 2014 21:57:08 GMT
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Post by linda~lou on Jun 28, 2014 19:00:23 GMT
I ripped out my nasty shrubs and planted ornamental grasses. Apparently there is a neighborhood cat that has been spraying, peeing and pooping in my grasses! I know I can sprinkle cayenne pepper around, however since they are newly planted, I water every day.
Won't the pepper wash away each time I water? That's a lot of pepper to keep reapplying.
Is is there at more permanent solution? I googled and found things like a fence or netting but this is in front of my house and I don't want to put up a barricade!
Any suggestions?
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scorpeao
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,524
Location: NorCal USA
Jun 25, 2014 21:04:54 GMT
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Post by scorpeao on Jun 28, 2014 19:04:56 GMT
You can try tinfoil. I guess cats don't like walking on it, but it didn't phase my cat. I think you can also put out little dishes with moth balls. They hate the smell.
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linda~lou
Pearl Clutcher
Keep calm and eat crumpets
Posts: 2,744
Location: Motown but my heart is in San Francisco
Jun 25, 2014 21:57:08 GMT
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Post by linda~lou on Jun 28, 2014 19:06:45 GMT
Moth balls! Good idea. I can remove the dish when I water then just put it back. Brilliant.
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oldcrow
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,828 
Location: Ontario,Canada
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Post by oldcrow on Jun 28, 2014 19:10:47 GMT
Personally, I would consider getting a big dog. But then I would have to contend with dog poop everywhere. Guess that would not be a good answer to your problem.
Actually I would try to trap it and send it wherever you send stray cats. Oh, and I mean live trap.
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Post by BeckyTech on Jun 28, 2014 19:13:32 GMT
If you use mothballs, most sites suggest putting them in a container of some type as they are poisonous to kids and dogs. Googleing reveals a plethora of methods, including laying down a bed of pine cones flush with the ground (I don't know where you live, but those would be easily attainable here.) |
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oldcrow
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,828
Location: Ontario,Canada
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Post by oldcrow on Jun 28, 2014 19:15:02 GMT
Moth balls! Good idea. I can remove the dish when I water then just put it back. Brilliant. Better check with your town or city before doing the moth balls. In my area it is not allowed. They are poisonous and we are not allowed to put out poison. My fear would be that a child might put one in their mouth. |
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Post by petenthusiast on Jun 28, 2014 19:21:54 GMT
Moth balls are DEADLY to cats, and the worst "viral" piece of internet "knowledge" ever (not to mention leeches toxins into your soil & pollutes the air).
There are plenty of cat repellents on the market at places like Ace Hardware, Home Depot, Lowe's.
I know one hot pepper spray is particularly useful.
Many people are putting wire netting ("fence") just below the soil or much around certain plants with great success.
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scorpeao
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,524
Location: NorCal USA
Jun 25, 2014 21:04:54 GMT
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Post by scorpeao on Jun 28, 2014 19:26:59 GMT
that's why I said a small dish. I have to put moth balls in my garage for rats...rats that are chewing the wiring in my car. It's not killing the rats it's only making them not want to hang out in my garage.
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linda~lou
Pearl Clutcher
Keep calm and eat crumpets
Posts: 2,744
Location: Motown but my heart is in San Francisco
Jun 25, 2014 21:57:08 GMT
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Post by linda~lou on Jun 28, 2014 19:29:15 GMT
Ok so no moth balls. Check.
I'll go to $ store and stock up on cayenne pepper and hopefully they will get the hint and bugger off my grasses.
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Post by petenthusiast on Jun 28, 2014 19:30:24 GMT
that's why I said a small dish.  |
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Post by mama2three on Jun 28, 2014 19:33:55 GMT
Citrus peels and used coffee grounds will usually keep cats away. put them around your plants. The coffee grounds blend into the soil or mulch and don't look bad - eventually they will compost as with other organic matter and improve soil. Cats apparently don't like the smell. You can get huge bags of them for free at starbucks.
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scorpeao
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,524
Location: NorCal USA
Jun 25, 2014 21:04:54 GMT
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Post by scorpeao on Jun 28, 2014 19:36:40 GMT
Not sure what the "smiley" is supposed to mean. I wasn't suggesting she kill the cat. I didn't suggest she feed the cat mothballs. I merely suggested something that would deter cats from hanging out in her bushes. My first suggestion was going to be cayenne pepper, but she already said that wasn't an option. You have delightfully informed us that moth balls are not a good alternative. We, and all the stray cats, thank you for that.
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BarbaraUK
Drama Llama
Surrounded by my yarn stash on the NE coast of England...............!! Refupea 1702
Posts: 5,961
Location: England UK
Jun 27, 2014 12:47:11 GMT
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Post by BarbaraUK on Jun 28, 2014 19:40:05 GMT
Citrus peels and used coffee grounds will usually keep cats away. put them around your plants. The coffee grounds blend into the soil or mulch and don't look bad - eventually they will compost as with other organic matter and improve soil. Cats apparently don't like the smell. You can get huge bags of them for free at starbucks. These worked really well for us when we had the same problem!  |
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linda~lou
Pearl Clutcher
Keep calm and eat crumpets
Posts: 2,744
Location: Motown but my heart is in San Francisco
Jun 25, 2014 21:57:08 GMT
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Post by linda~lou on Jun 28, 2014 19:46:13 GMT
Citrus peels and used coffee grounds will usually keep cats away. Cats apparently don't like the smell. You can get huge bags of them for free at starbucks. Wow Starbucks gives you coffee grinds. Who knew. Since I don't drink coffee, that is another brilliant idea. God I'm glad this board is back. |
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Post by mama2three on Jun 28, 2014 22:10:40 GMT
Yep. Around here they put them out for the taking in bags labeled "grounds for your garden", but only in the early spring. At other times of the year, I go in when the store isn't busy and ask and they're more than happy to give me as much as I want. One time they even carried the heavy bags out to my car for me. You might have to remove coffee filters if you're adding grounds to an ornamental garden.(I don't worry about that if I'm just mixing the grounds into my compost pile)
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Post by kckckc on Jun 28, 2014 23:01:49 GMT
We have a large flower bed that a neighbor's cat was using for a litter box. I tried a lot of things that didn't work. We ended up having to cover the ground with chicken wire, which I then covered with mulch. It wasn't very expensive, but it was quite a bit of work.
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linda~lou
Pearl Clutcher
Keep calm and eat crumpets
Posts: 2,744
Location: Motown but my heart is in San Francisco
Jun 25, 2014 21:57:08 GMT
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Post by linda~lou on Jun 28, 2014 23:12:13 GMT
We have a large flower bed that a neighbor's cat was using for a litter box. I tried a lot of things that didn't work. We ended up having to cover the ground with chicken wire, which I then covered with mulch. It wasn't very expensive, but it was quite a bit of work. Yeah no, that is way too much work! I read sticking chop sticks in the ground. Maybe I can buy them in bulk at amazon, but this is in front of my house. Not sure how attractive a bunch of sticks will look in my landscaping! |
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Post by SockMonkey on Jun 28, 2014 23:17:50 GMT
I suggest posting a strongly worded sign. Cats are very literate, though not generally cooperative. Perhaps you could also send a cease and desist letter.
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Post by Basket1lady on Jun 28, 2014 23:18:53 GMT
We have a HUGE feral cat problem here, thanks to my next door neighbor who feeds the cats. Ugh. My flower beds are the greatest litter box ever found to these cats. I went to Costco and bought large containers of red pepper flakes and scattered them around in the flower beds. I didn't work them into the soil--I just left them laying on top of the mulch. It really helps a lot and the cats have moved on to my other neighbor's house. I sprinkled them pretty heavily--a light layer didn't work as well.
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linda~lou
Pearl Clutcher
Keep calm and eat crumpets
Posts: 2,744
Location: Motown but my heart is in San Francisco
Jun 25, 2014 21:57:08 GMT
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Post by linda~lou on Jun 28, 2014 23:37:39 GMT
Sock, I will be contacting my attorney and have papers drawn up. Best idea ever.
Costco, there's another idea to buy pepper in bulk. Problem though, I just planted them so I water every day. Wouldn't I have to keep reapplying?
Gah! I love animals, I don't want to hurt them, I just want them to stay the hell off my grasses!
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Post by Basket1lady on Jun 28, 2014 23:57:48 GMT
I haven't reapplied and we put the mulch down at the end of April. They are the flakes, not the powder, so they don't dissolve or wash away.
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linda~lou
Pearl Clutcher
Keep calm and eat crumpets
Posts: 2,744
Location: Motown but my heart is in San Francisco
Jun 25, 2014 21:57:08 GMT
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Post by linda~lou on Jun 29, 2014 0:00:39 GMT
I haven't reapplied and we put the mulch down at the end of April. They are the flakes, not the powder, so they don't dissolve or wash away. Awesome! I needed to go to Costco anyway. Are they in with spices? Can? Box? Brand?  |
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Post by Basket1lady on Jun 29, 2014 1:28:44 GMT
I got them by the spices. They are in a large, clear plastic shaker.
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Post by SockMonkey on Jun 29, 2014 1:35:33 GMT
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linda~lou
Pearl Clutcher
Keep calm and eat crumpets
Posts: 2,744
Location: Motown but my heart is in San Francisco
Jun 25, 2014 21:57:08 GMT
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Post by linda~lou on Jun 29, 2014 1:38:49 GMT
Thanks ms lady!
Great sock, I always wanted a tiger.
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