How To Stop Cats From Peeing In Plants

Past Jennifer Sellers, Petfinder correspondent

As a responsible, loving pet parent, you probably know that the safest, healthiest lifestyle for your true cat is ane that's indoors. Unfortunately, many of your neighbors may experience differently. As a consequence, your garden could be doubling every bit a neighborhood litter box. Not only is this unsanitary — especially if you're growing produce — it can exist destructive to your ingather and unhealthy for you if your neighborhood cats are carriers of certain leaner. Not to mention, digging can lead to potential root damage.

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Of form, from a cat's point of view, a bed with fresh mulch or turned soil is a welcoming spot to take care of business.[ane] Fortunately, there are a number of ways to make your garden a feline-gratuitous zone:

Keeping Cats Out of your Garden

There are several tried-and-true strategies homeowners apply for keeping cats and other critters out of their gardens. Here are some of the most constructive and humane:

• Ultrasonic devices. These products emit an unpleasant sound at a frequency cats can hear only humans can't. Many are motion-activated and simply go off when an brute is nearby.

• Movement-activated sprinklers. Like the ultrasonic devices, these sprinklers are merely activated when a cat comes near. An unexpected burst of water is a highly constructive deterrent for cats, as most felines dislike getting wet. But don't worry; it'southward not harmful, merely momentarily unpleasant.

• Chicken wire fencing. If you're merely starting a garden, lay chicken wire at ground level or just beneath the soil. You can create holes in the wire big enough for your plants to grow, but the texture of the fencing will make walking in your garden uncomfortable for cats. Just be sure there are no sharp edges jutting upward out of the soil!

• Unpleasant odors. Aisle Cat Allies recommends citrus scents such as from lemongrass, citronella, orange or lemon peels. Coffee grounds, vinegar, lavander oil, eucalyptus oil, and tobacco can also deter cats. Experiment with which scents or combinations of scents work. Merely remember that whatever you choose will have to be replaced from time to time equally the potency of the scent wears off. Also, be aware that some of these substances tin can harm your plants, so you should place them around, not in, your garden.

• Plant marigolds or rue. The jury'due south still out on whether or non marigolds are an constructive cat deterrent. Many gardeners swear by marigolds, merely if they don't piece of work for yous at least they'll be a lovely addition to your garden. And don't worry; they're not toxic to pets. Rue is recommended past Alley Cat Allies.
  

Create a Cat-Friendly Oasis Elsewhere

A clever fashion to go on cats out of your garden is to redirect them to an expanse of your yard where you lot don't mind their presence. Yous can practice this by creating a separate spot that'south highly-seasoned to cats. Fine-grained sand, catnip and catmint are irresistible to most felines. Simply be aware that cats like make clean areas, so if yous don't remove their waste product from time to time, they will eventually relocate to areas where they're unwelcome (like your garden).

Be a Good Influence on Your Neighbors

When possible, and without coming on besides strong, share with your neighbors why y'all go on your cats indoors. Mention to them the concerns you have most the health and safety of cats in your neighborhood. For case, if you saw their cat have a close encounter with an automobile, tell them! And, finally, permit them know that if they do decide to make their cat a full time indoor cat you lot have plenty of tips and advice you lot can share with them.

Additional Sources for Reference

http://www.aspca.org/Pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/cat-manufactures/keeping-cats-out-of-your-thousand

http://www.petplace.com/cats/keeping-your-cat-out-of-the-sandbox-or-garden/page1.aspx

http://www.petplace.com/cats/how-to-keep-cats-out-of-flower-bed-vets-advice-on-how-to-keep-cats-out-of-flower-beds/page1.aspx

http://gardening.wsu.edu/stewardship/compost/petpoop.htm

[1] http://www.petplace.com/cats/keeping-your-cat-out-of-the-sandbox-or-garden/page1.aspx

Source: https://www.petfinder.com/cats/cat-problems/how-to-stop-a-cat-from-using-the-garden-as-a-litter-box/

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