Caring for a healthy community cat colony is as much about cat care as it is pubic relations. Keeping neighbors happy and onboard with the program is critical to the success and livelihood of the cats. Addressing neighbor complaints quickly is imperative.
One common complaint that we receive relates to flower beds and gardens. With Spring around the corner, and new plantings in the ground, you might begin to hear rumblings as well.
Cats like to dig in loose soft dirt and hide in plants, so potters and gardens can be cat magnets. There are several approaches to help deter them from these areas. You may need to try several in order to be effective, and also consider asking neighbors to compromise given cats natural desire to dig.
Texture Solutions
Cats prefer to dig in loose, soft dirt. So changing the texture can deter them from digging.
- Place some pebbles or rocks in garden beds.
- Try adding some pine cones to your mulch and spread around flowerbeds to keep cats away.
- Try Cat Scat – a nonchemical repellent consisting of plastic mats that are cut into smaller pieces and pressed into soil.
- Place chicken wire or netting on the ground, especially in areas where there is freshly turned over soil or seedlings.
Scent Repellents
There are many scents that cats find unpleasant which can be used to repel cats from the area.
- Put orange, grapefruit and lemon peel in the area.
- Spread chicken manure (doubles as fertilizer!).
- Plant Coleus Canina, or herbs such as rue, lavendar, or pennyroyal.
- Scatter coffee grounds or pipe tobacco.
Scare Tactics
Use motion, sound, and predator avoidance to scare cats away from the desired area.
- Try motion activated sprinklers – such as Scarecrow or Spray Away.
- Try ultrasound approaches such as Cat Stop which operate at high frequency.
- Place some fake rubber wriggly snakes at the base of your plants (cats are wary of snakes).
- Commercial cat repellents such as Shake-Away, Renardine or Silent Roar imitate predator urine.
Consider Compromise!
Whether you’ve tried the other deterrents and they’re not working, or you’re willing to share the space with community cats, consider creating a welcoming space for them.
How to do it?
Plant catnip patch and make a sandbox near the catnip. Yes, you will need to clean the sandbox regularly, but at least you know where it is.
