h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

There are chemical repellents that are supposed to deter cats, foxes, all sorts of things. They claim to be non-toxic. They are effective; but they are quite expensive (repeat applications are necessary), and they sometimes repel people too (they're a bit stinky).

Why don't you just get a dog to chase the cats away? Water pistols work fine also - cats hate being squirted with water! (I know, I have 5 cats and 2 dogs). My dad hates cats also, had wood bark in his garden (which is his pride 'n' joy, etc) and had the same problem with cats, foxes and squirrels! He won't get a dog though as he hates clearing up doggie poop!

Why don't you just get a dog to chase the cats away? Water pistols work fine also - cats hate being squirted with water! (I know, I have 5 cats and 2 dogs). My dad hates cats also, had wood bark in his garden (which is his pride 'n' joy, etc) and had the same problem with cats, foxes and squirrels! He won't get a dog though as he hates clearing up doggie poop!

Why don't you just get a dog to chase the cats away? Water pistols work fine also - cats hate being squirted with water! (I know, I have 5 cats and 2 dogs). My dad hates cats also, had wood bark in his garden (which is his pride 'n' joy, etc) and had the same problem with cats, foxes and squirrels! He won't get a dog though as he hates clearing up doggie poop!

You seem to be repeating yourself. Anyway the problem is the crap and I believe dogs crap too.

They smell even worse, they're much bigger and require more food, they make more noise AND their owners inevitably become the sorts of people that look fondly on large swathes of dogs**t covering the pavement rather than the normal sort of person that shouts hysterically at dog-owners letting their animals s**t all over the pavement until the owner sees reason and picks it up and puts it in the bin. many a fun sunday afternoon can be spent wandering round the park, looking for dog-owners that were hoping to let their dog's s**t rest on the ground unremoved. Begin by standing in their path glaring at them - this sorts out those that really enjoy laving dogs**t on pavements and those that were just trying it the once. WIth the hardcore people you must be firmer, which basically involves getting some of the dogs**t on the end of a stick and flicking it at the perpetrator's head.

I couldn't agree with you more (though this is probably getting off the point). I can't stand dog owners!! We live near the sea and whenever we go out for a walk as a family we are constantly avoiding dog s**t all over the ground. The children are always stepping in it and bringing the smell back home. When we get to the beach all the bloody dogs are there with their ignorant owners but now they have let them off the leash so that they can chase people and terrorise children, stopping occasionally to crap in the sand. Why do people keep dogs?? What are they for?? And if they really must keep them can they please keep them inside their own gardens so that only they have to suffer all the crap.

Rose cuttings (should you have any to hand) work pretty well scattered on the ground and a sprinkling of chilli powder helps. Plus you get a fashionably minimalist spiky red garden into the bargain. If that doesn't appeal, then get some vigorous ground cover plants and don't leave a square inch of bare earth. A powerful water pistol is more fun than either of the above though...

Here's my suggestions:
1. knock a few off and let them lay in the garden, not only will they serve as fertilizer, but the other cats may just get the point.
2. Animal traps - it's easy - capture and "relocate" (overseas air ship the buggers. Other wise they might pull one of those "incredible journey" stunts, and be back the next week. No cat would dare swim the atlantic.)
3. Electric-Razor Wire
4. Elephant gun and a trip wire ('nuff said)
5. LARGE MEAN DOG (hungry is even better)
give 'em a try, and see what happens.

My suggestion is to give up. What's the problem with a few cat poos anyway? Good fertiliser for the garden. Probably OK for the kiddie as well. In order to grow up happy and healthy, kids need to develop "gut flora" i.e. bacteria needs to grow in their guts. The gut flora is essential for digestion and absorption of nutrients from the food supply. what better way to give the gut flora a boost than eating s**t? Tastes better than Yakult

Sadly contact with cat and dog s**t has potentially fatal consequences for small people.

It also stinks really badly. I don't want it spread all over my shoes and therefore my house thanks very much.

A friend of mine has pairs of tights filled with human hair in unobtrusive places in his garden. He swears that it keeps pests away. He gets the hair from the local hairdresser by the way, not by scalping his guests or anything.....

planting lemongrass could help too - cats hate the smell and humans usually don't.

gopher-purge?

What on earth is 'Gopher Purge'? We don't get a lot of Gophers here in the UK so that is probably why I don't know what it is.

It's a plant, and I don't know where it's native from, nor what the latin name for it is, but it's rumoured to drive away pests, including but not limited to gophers.

I much prefer dogs to cats.

Hmmm... depends how they're cooked.

JTG

well, this thread certainly brought out the milk of human kindness...

anyone who hates cats to the extent of wishing them harm deserves all the cat sh*t they get.


cats will usually toilet in earth that is easy for them to dig. they prefer to bury their faeces. so designate such a place in your garden, and then cover the rest of the garden, with growing groundcover as someone suggested, or with mulch (peastraw etc) - its better for the garden anyway.


dogs, btw, can be taught to toilet in specific places, so any dog that is sh*tting indiscriminately has an owner that needs a talking to.