Cat Repulsion

[Rod]

Recently the number of local moggies has risen - and at least two have become regular habitués of our garden. And most especially, our borders when they have a need for a toilet.

Searching around for an answer, a relative recommended one of the Cat Guard devices. (They suggested a specific one that we have been unable to find.)

I found several ultrasonic devices here:

Any opinions on effectiveness?

The area we need to control is fairly small. Any reason not to go for the cheapest?

In general they seem to be incredibly expensive for a fairly simple set up. (Not just the devices but the mains power supplies.) And I am deeply sceptical as so many devices like this (e.g. against mosquitoes) have been flogged without any proof that they work. And if the noise they make is audible (as some people report), maybe it would annoy us and/or neighbours?

[R]

Several choices.....

Shotgun, effective but noisy, has the side effect of alienating the neighbours who own the moggies. Air rifle, also effective, quieter, ditto, Electric fence, great for other small animal deterrent such as rabbit and fox, cheap to use and quite effective until you come to weed the garden and lean on it, Pepper dust, OK when dampened down, makes yer nose and eyes run if the wind blows, Dog, fun to keep, need frequent feeding, shit a lot, makes noise to deter unwanted visitors, Tiger shit, available if a good circus is in town or from the zoo, effective but stinks worse than the morning after a curry and 8 Guinness, Netting, very effective against other predators as well, won't stop elephants but neither would I if one were marauding around my back garden looking for food, and lastly Get your very own cat, kill it, stuff it and mount on a pole in the garden using a recording of it yowling to deter other moggies.

[Invisible Man]

Mothballs are supposed to be quite effective if you can stand the smell. Need to be replaced from time to time. When I had a pond I set up a hose to cover the area where a cat sat and turned it on when the cat appeared. Cat soon got the hint. Will not work in current weather.

[ARWadsworth]

Another water method here

[Owain]

"scaredy cat" plants

Owain

[MikeS]

This honestly worked for me.

Get some old 2ltr clear plastic bottles. Fill half with water and place on side. Apparently they dont like water and / or their reflection. Also a cheap toy plastic snake. Garden looks a bit silly for a while - but it works.

I haven't had a cat shit on my front garden since.

[ARWadsworth]

Of course they shit in your garden. They just cover it up afterwards so that you do not know.

And they probably pissed/sprayed on the water bottles whilst you were asleep.

Adam

[Rod]

If I could get them to do that (cover it up), I'd be a little bit happier. Our visitors leave it largely uncovered and stinking.

[mark]

but what about the cats?

mark

[Rod]

Ha! :-)

We don't have human visitors - have to make do with felines, squirrels, birds, etc. :-)

[ARWadsworth]

That is one of the reasons I will never have a fence with a gravel boards around my garden. I like hedgehogs, frogs, etc. The squirrels, foxes and cats would just go over the fence.

Adam

[Matty F]

Connect a car windscreen sprayer to a sensor. That most definitely works.

[mark]

How about a CATapult?

mark

[dennis]

So do the hedgehogs.

[Bill]

In message , mark writes

A scaled up version of this would remove them from your garden.

[Cod Roe]

I have that one and I have found it to be useless. Next door's cat just stands and looks at it and then carries on with her business. Also it gets stuck on occasionally letting out a high pitched whale that annoys nothing but humans: only switching off and on resets it. Strong winds often trigger it to.

[Micky Savage]

Hi Group,

let a ferret piss on your garden. No more cats.

regards

micky Leeds U.K.

[The Medway Handyman]

Especially if you use a large catapult :-)

[The Medway Handyman]

I did hear that you can mark it as 'your' teritory by urinating in the corners - best done at night of course.

[Peter Scott]

See wiki message below for one idea