How to keep your yard cat free – humanely
Most of us would agree that cats are wonderful pets but, to some, the trespassing of cats is a nuisance, the source of many complaints and the cause of much neighbourhood disharmony.
When a local cat uses your vegetable garden as a latrine, walks with muddy feet over your newly washed car or visits your yard to fight with your own cat, understandably you must be ‘feline’ mad.
Try the following methods to persuade cats to leave but, no matter how much you detest cats or any other pest animal, inhumane, cruel or harmful methods of control are not to be used.
A wee cleaning Job
The most common complaint against roaming cats is the smell they leave behind. If a cat has urinated or sprayed around your home, the smell can be removed by washing the area with a warm solution of an enzymatic laundry detergent such as Bio Attack.
Household smells that repel
There are various smelly household products that many folk claim will repel cats. However, if you own a cat yourself any malodorous product that will repel local cats is likely to have an equal effect on your own cats.
In my experience, none are routinely effective but try scattering naphthalene flakes, camphor balls or moth balls around the garden. Many of these products can be toxic if consumed so they need to be placed in a container such as a sealed tin can or milk carton with puncture holes to allow the odour to escape.
Cayenne pepper and paprika are also claimed to be effective. Citronella, ammonia, eucalyptus oil or Dettol mixed with biodegradable cat litter and scattered around the garden is useful. A similar effect can be had by soaking a tea bag or two or even some cotton balls in the same solutions and leaving the tea bags or cotton balls scattered around your garden.
Contents of the next page
2. Devious dastardly movement-activated devices
3. A water idea ideal to repel cats
4. The delights of sewerage soup