| Is there a good non-toxic method of keeping the neighbor's cat from pooping in my soil? |
| Cats will often visit garden areas because the soil is soft and easy to dig in. Once they've found a suitable place, they'll just keep coming back. The best course of action for you is to make their visits as uncomfortable as possible, and eventually they'll break the habit of visiting. If you can put a barrier over the soil, such as crumpled poultry netting, it will stop the cats from digging. They don't like the feel of the wire under their feet. I just lay chicken wire over my beds and plant annual seeds right in the holes. When the plants come up, they hide the wire. Or, you can cut larger planting spaces in the wire and plant perennials. Try not to use the garden area for vegetables or soft fruits like strawberries until you're sure the animal waste has completely decomposed. There are also commercial preparations available, such as "Get Away" and "REPEL". You can order either one by mail or via the web from DeerBusters (www.deerbusters.com; ph# 800/248-3337). |
