Some advice if you can please.  I recently had my garden paved over, apart from two wide-ish borders either side of the patio which are just topsoil.  As Lennon is only 9 months, I decided not to put bedding plants in this year, and as he loves to dig, it was the right choice :).  However, cats are coming over my 8' fence and crapping on the borders.  Lennon then proceeds to bring these little cat turds into the house where he munches away on them merrily.  Sometimes he dines al fresco, sometimes he'll bring a takeaway home - my question is, does anyone know of a "dog safe" deterrent that I can put on my borders to deter the cats from using it as a toilet? 

Thanks for any help you can give :)

My neighbour used to swear by 2 litre lemonade/water bottles filled with water - the reflections these cause puts the cats off apparently....

Small sticks all over - I used wooden skewers broken in half but you could remove the points if you like.  The cats can't walk over them or squat so they go elsewhere.  Also pepper and mustard powder seems to keep them away.

CG

Buy a cheap garden hose......cut it up into about 12inch pieces  bend a little bit then lay around your borders..........my old dad swore by this, he used to say that the cats thought  the hose where snakes , so would not go near them.  .....spounds daft I know , but he said it was the only thing that kepy them off the border.........    

Vicki

The good news is that it wont do Lennon any harm. Our dogs regually 'clean' the litter tray and so I checked with the vet and since cats eat almost 100% protein and just get rid of any excess, what comes out the other end is probably a similar protein content to dog food! Worst issue is the possibility of picking up worms, but that is easily controlable.

Pepper or chilli powder over the boarder may help - buy it in bulk from a health food shop.   

Hi,
The pup will be quite safe!! If the cats have had there injections.
If not beware the pup could pick up some nasty viruses.
Betterware sell a black cat with bright green eyes, that you stick
in the boarder. My daughter brought one to stop cats coming over
the fence and messing in the little ones sand pit and it worked.
But ! she has a westie now so no cats come near.
Regards
Denese

Our new neighbours (of 6 weeks) have 3 or 4 cats and 2 kittens!!! And they are ALWAYS messing in our garden!! i have tried the black cat with the marble eyes too, but it hasnt stopped them! :-( I dont think anything will work with these cats!! They dont even seem bothered by my 5 1/2 stone puppy barking at them!!!! :D

Hi,
Sounds if you need to borrow the westie!!
People would not agree with what I would do.
As I am sure they wouldn't like your dog pooing in there
Garden. I am lucky as Nothing dare come in my garden with my Sammy
Bitches. They protect there territory, very well.
Regards
Denese

deleted

denese - what viruses can be transmitted from a cat to a dog? Just interested to know.  :)

This is probably the most unhelpful reply you'll get, but anyway............... :rolleyes:

We used to have a Zoo where we used to live and although cats didn't bother us (we didn't have any neighbours or cats for miles) they did bother our friends who lived in the locale.

They had a deal with the Zoo whereby they used to collect the Lion droppings and deposit it on their garden borders(he was a gardening fanatic, so presumably knew what he was on about ) He was doing it for years and it always worked. All the cats would congregate in their neighbours garden, but never theirs............:D

mmmmmm.....now, where to find a Lion???? :D :D :D :D

I did say it was the most "unhelpful reply" she'd get :P :D

Has anyone mentioned tin foil yet? Now there's another story, perhaps a bit more helpful than my previous reply........ :rolleyes: :P

If i could find a Lion, i would be willing to try it!!! :D :D :D

Tin foil?.........tell me, tell me!!! Please! I want rid of them!! :D :D

If you could find a Lion, you wouldn't need their c**p to offend the pussies :P

Before I impart this precious piece of information to you, I must make it clear that I have never had the
misfortune to have to use it, so basically.........don't know if it works :D

We used to have a gardener that swore by putting tin foil around the borders of the garden, weighed down with rocks. Apparently cats not only hate the feel of it on their paws but also hate the noise that it makes, and the reflection off it, when the sun is shining.................

As I say, don't know if it works but it's got to be worth a try, even if your neighbours (and their cats) think you're barkin' mad, pardon the pun :D :D :D

Good idea! :D I might give the tin foil a go, although my pup does like to eat ANYTHING lying around....so i would have to keep a close eye on it. I was hoping that he might be able to scare the cats away by himself!!! But it seems to be the other way about!!! :D Very funny to see a 5 1/2 stone Mastiff and a little kitten face to face, and the pup is the one that runs away!!!!!! :D :D :D

Not as unhelpful as you thought!! :D :D

I expect OP's dog could get a taste for lion poo - and there'd be more of it too!

(No offence, Vicki :-))

Hi Smudgley,

Cats can carry Tapeworm, Roundworm, Hookworms,
Feline leukemia virus, FIP (feline Infectious Peritonitus)Leptospirosis,
Hepatitis, Toxocariasis, Toxoplasmosis, Compylobacter.ect; ect;
As you know if children come into contact with the poo. it can course,
Liver and lung damage, skin rashes, even blindness, and permanent neurologicl damage.
As a lot of cat owners donot have them injected, and let them roam, and eat out of
bins, mice, rats, ect; We have  that problem in the bins, were we live, with cats. Like dogs not
every one looks after them!! and if you look after your dog, and love it, and don't let it roam,
it isn't fair they should put your puppy under any risk.
Don't you agree?
Regards
Denese

Denese, Yes I agree that it's unfair to put your puppy at risk, but I'm not sure I agree that it would make any difference if the cat was vaccinted.
From the things you have listed, as far as I'm aware non are "viruses" that can be transmitted to dogs via cats faeces. FLV & FIP & FIV can not be transmitted to dogs at all & are unique to felines.  :)

Now we have a nice large garden, with a nice "cat friendly" area, where we would prefer that our cats "went" - and which we don't use for veggies, didn't let children play there and we keep the dogs away from this area.   (I would add at this stage that at all times my cats are fully wormed, frontlined, etc etc so shouldn't be carrying any parasites. ) However, at one time, two (or maybe three of our cats discovered luxury cat loos - the sand bunker on the 14th green of the golf course       This did not endear them to the golfers, nor to the green staff, who tried all sorts of things to keep them off - eventually settling on fox repellant - Renardine, I think it was - it worked!!!  

Margot

>eventually settling on fox repellant - Renardine, I think it was - it worked!!!  

Margot, I've been looking online to buy some (we have problems with foxes and cats) but have just read that it's been banned as from March 24th this year. :-(

http://www.badgerland.co.uk/shops/renardine/renardine.html

"Renardine can not be bought from any shop, wholesaler, mail order, agricultural supplies merchants, internet or by private sale".

Also if anyone has any be aware that it...

" *may no longer be supplied, sold, given away or swapped.
*may no longer by used.
*may no longer be stored (so any stocks you have must be disposed of)."

Kath. x

Tut tut Denese - that's a bit 'catist' LOL.  When we had our pup two weeks ago, cross-infection was something that worried me - I have 3 lovely cats (it is possible to love cats and dogs you know!).  My vet assured me that infections/viruses, etc cannot cross from cats to dogs - also I think apart from worms - there's not much anyone can catch from a cat - unlike dogs.  Whilst you would want to keep children away from any animal mess, good personal hygiene will guard against anything nasty from cats.  Their waste doesn't carry the same risks as dog mess.

Also, by law cats have the freedom of the land - I think it dates back to the time of the plague......and to be honest it's virtually impossible to stop them roaming!!

The best way to stop other peoples cats coming into your garden OP is to get a cat of your own!!!

Please don't take offence Denese, none intended - your post just made me smile!
Nx

JG - thanks for the link - I've now ordered Lion Poo !!!  I even got it on offer for £8.99 instead of £11.95, so well pleased.  Let's hope it works.  The logic is there so fingers crossed.

Thanks to everyone else also for their suggestions.  One problem is that the cats only come in the garden when my two dogs are safely indoors!  Cats are smart cookies! :D :D :D

Let's hope you don't have to take a whip and chair with you when you venture down the garden! :D :D

Is that just a westie thing then? My olderst hates cats abd I have not had much bother from them since he started patrolling the garden chasing them. The puppy hasn't come across any yet but will learn from bailey to dislike them.

Hi bailey,
It isn't a bad thing. Cats can stay in there own garden and poo ect;
Just like dogs. Westie's just do not like cats, I think it is born in them.
Regards
Denese

I had the same problem , but i don't let the dogs into the garden anymore i take them out back.

Some things I've heard work:  broken eggshells or other sharp stuff as mulch - unpleasant under foot and is biodegradable and needs to be constantly replaced.  Citrus peelings - most cats don't like citrus.  Commercial "cat off" stuff.  Cotton balls soaked in oil of peppermint (expensive) and placed about.  All these need replacing after time or rain.  NOT pepper - can get in eyes and be very painful - assume you mean "cat-friendly" as well as dog- friendly deterrant.  A covering of cheap chicken wire fencing prevents them from digging.  Your own, bigger, cat.  We have three cats who keep the others away.  A sand box in an inconspicuous place where the cats CAN dig also helps but you have to clean it out periodically.

And your tinfoil borders may win the novelty section of the best garden competion! :-D

Thanks to everyone for their replies.  I shall invest in lion poo, tin foil, lemonade bottles filled with water, wooden skewers broken in half, egg shells, black cat thingy and failing ALL that, a gun and some night vision goggles ;) - I'm joking, I'm joking....don't flame me LOL :D :D

Ha ha ha The cats near me seem to be acrobats they poo in my planters!!! They must balance on the side of the terracotta pots and poo, its a nightmare cos they smell and the dog goes hunting in the pots for poo and pulls them all over.

I use the water bottles with water under the trees Im gonna get some stay off for the planters!

My mum had that problem and put down some lovely slate chippings on all of her borders, not a little pile in site :D
Although failing that they will probably leave it on the grass instead!!

Ali

Hi Vicki,

I've got 3 cats and I can tell you for sure that none of the suggestions you've been given will work.  None of the products sold in the shops work either, so don't waste your money.

A couple of things they don't like - a strong disinfectant smell, either Armilotox or Jeyes Fluid, both will kill any germs left behind from the poop - BUT please read the labels first, we've only had our puppy a couple of weeks and not used any outside disinfectant, so you'd need to check what strength to use to keep your pup safe.  I'd suggest washing the area down and keeping pup out of the way until it dries.  The problem is you have to keep doing it - so a bit of a pain and not the best smell either to be fair!

Cats have the law on their side, so you shouldn't do anything to harm them but one fail safe way of stopping them coming on your garden is to chuck water over them a couple of times, it's a tough task but if you can have a hose pipe from an upstairs window - you might just succeed before they realise what you're up to and leg it!!

Good luck!  Don't worry your pup will chase them off once her realises they run!!!!

Nx

Nice high pressure water pistols do the trick quite well.  We gave one to our neighbour who has a baby and doesn't want our cat in their garden.  She kept it loaded by the back door and would blast towards the cat each time he approached! :-)

It sounds cruel in a way, but doesn't hurt the cat, just freaks him temporarily!  After just a few days, the cat didn't venture near to their house again!

So you've tested the Lion Poo theory then Nx?..........:D

Hi hairy Pooch!

Not tested the Lion 'dung' (think it'sa bit too large to be described as Poop LOL) - but I know a man who did - and it didn't work.  Only solution I'm afraid is to get a cat - or a lion perhaps!!!! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Nx

This is not much help either but we have foxes in the back garden - in Surrey - not a big garden either.  Been there for about six years and had various litters themselves of two or three at a time.  Do not bother the dog or the cat or vice versa.  Cat confronted the adult about six years ago and now observes them from the safe side of the catflap. Only see them between 5am and 7am in the morning and the dog sniffs near their den entrance and that is it.  No cat poop in my garden though.  Domestic and wild in harmony - ish.