How to keep cats from using garden beds as a litter box?

[mschrisgo2]

Food, flowers, empty, doesn't matter. Any where we have dirt the neighborhood cats are using the beds as litter boxes. It's gross and disgusting! Any one have any ideas on how to keep them out? Someone told me to sprinkle black pepper liberally on the dirt, didn't work.

[razz]

I believe that it was cayenne pepper that the cats didn't like. I saw a water hose that was triggered at any motion by cats or dogs and seemed to work well. It made a circular spray in the yard.
It is in this list of deterrents http://bugspray.com/articles98/cats.html#nuisance-cat-problem under:
Scare Crow: http://www.bugspraycart.com/repellents/visual/scare-crow

Very aggravating problem so you have my empathy and support in dealing with roaming cats.

[Jilly]

Any substance you put on the soil surface will be ineffective or expensive. Some cats do not like the smell of citrus, but that fades very quickly, often the same day.

There are motion sensors that will turn on a water source, like a sprinkler, or ultrasonic (think I have the right term), that make noise, but I do not know anyone who has used them successfully.

If you are willing to have an unsightly appearance, you could do something like laying chicken wire on the surface, or perhaps someone has old berry canes/branches/whatever they are called, that are prickly.

Or, you could create a nice, inviting environment in another part of the yard. You know, sandy soil, plant some catmint, soft music, gentle lighting, a little after-poop buffet of herring and asparagus tips. Because, I am sure that you have plenty of room in your schedule to clean the darn thing every day. More often when word gets around about your convenient facilities, especially the buffet.

Good luck. This has been a problem since, well, since there were cats. You would think that someone might have found a solution by now.

[sweetana3]

Go to the following website and scroll down with a number of ideas and resources from Best Friends, Alley Cat Allies, and others on cat deterents.

http://indyferal.org/index.php?page=education_mediation

[ctg492]

I tried everything at a home that had this problem. I am sorry for your situation. It is a terrible gardening issue to have.>:(