I have a problem with stray cats getting into my raised beds. They scratched out some of my little lettuces and beets using it as their litter box. grrrr. Any suggestions on how to keep them out of there? Thanks in advance.

Put spent rose canes, blackberry canes, or smilax vines on the surface of your bed. The cats will quickly learn that it is inhospitable place for them!

You could also roll out chicken wire fencing across the newly planted beds.
I use small pieces of cattle panel fencing and lay over the raised beds. I have also used that grid pattern for planting in the beds.
When I set out smaller plants, I also have some egg gathering baskets and wire hanging baskets that I will turn upside down over the newly planted herbs and vegies. That offers temporary protection.
I've found that when things begin to grow, the cats do not dig in the beds any longer.

My cats leave things alone once I have a good layer of mulch down -- I use grass clippings, but I would think straw would work equally as well. And I think I've read that spreading orange peels around will deter them, they apparently don't like the odor (if you happen to have a lot of orange peels lying around).

Lemon peels worked for me. I don't know if its the citrus smell, or the texture of the dried peel, but the cats abandoned that area.

That's good to know, Carol -- I've never actually tried it myself so wasn't sure if it would work; maybe any citrus fruit peel would do the trick? How much did you actually use?

Gosh, I don't remember now. I think I just peeled 2 or three (they're huge lemons) and scattered them around an area that is about 4 sq ft. Oddly, that area is under my seedless lime tree, where there is always some fruit on the ground. Appearently whole limes don't deter cats.

The neighborhood cats used my flower bed as a giant litter box. I used black pepper as a deterrent. Just went to the dollar store and bought a bunch. It worked great until it rained.

Me, too. I hate the big "presents" the neighborhood cats leave. Why couldn't they fixate on my compost heap?

I bought a bag of cheap, hot "pizza peppers" - Thai chili peppers? Small, bright red, hot.

Then I ground them up with a coffee grinder and sprinkled hevaily. That worked ... until rain. I thoguht I might get volunteer peppers, but either the seeds were chopped or its much too cool here.

I hear that cayenne pepper can be cheap.

Only one thing I know stands up to rain: chicken wire!