Spraying hostas with 10% ammonia/90% water keeps the slugs away. I read that it also kills slug eggs. I have read mixed reviews of slug bait like sluggo. Besides, ammonia is cheaper. Ammonia can encourage mold growth, so I don't spray the wall behind the hostas. I don't mind a few nibbled leaves on my established green monster hostas (I don't know the cultivar, so I call them "Hulk"). I have a couple new 'fancy" hostas that I don't want bothered.
Any plant that does well for me in PA could easily get carried away in Ca, zuzu. Marigolds are annuals here, but the African variety can get over 1' tall. Would creeping thyme harm the plants in your "hospital bed"? My cat doesn't like thyme, but she loves garlic chives. She is an indoor cat, but she loves her potted plants - and usually leaves mine alone. If you brush your cats frequently, you can save the hair and put it in the garden.
The xbf/bff had troubles with a groundhog digging near his house. He tried all sorts of things. Eventually, he started peeing in the spot. The groundhog moved on. He has also been known to "water the hostas". Whatever. Anything that keeps the bathroom clean is fine with me. This could be complicated for those of us without y chromosomes.
I realize that moth balls are potentially carcinogenic and harmful to animals, but I still bury a few among my bulbs and keep a closet sachet in the outdoor utility closet to ward off chipmunks and mice. I also bury a few near the gutter where chipmunks used to get into the house. I had troubles with rodents getting inside when I first moved here. One little box of moth balls lasts me a couple of years. It has made a difference with the voles and skunks by my bulbs. Of course, I don't use it where I grow veggies or strawberries.
Zuzu, you could always find a young dog to keep your cats company - assuming they don't mind. My late Westie, Tiffany, liked cats and chased rodents. A Jack Russel, Westie, Cairn, etc may help get your rodents under control. Tiffany would chase them to ground and start scratching, barking and digging. It was a terrible racket, but you knew where the rodents were and how they were getting inside. She left the garden alone (except for soybeans for some reason). The only time she would damage plants or potted plants was when she was in pursuit of a rodent.
Winston ignores the rodents, but keeps the evil Pomeranians away. For some reason, he HATES Pomeranians.
I hurt my shoulder again. I have spent the week visiting doctors and resting. Winston didn't mind. He likes snuggling and reading or napping.
