camibami Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 I know, keep your **** cat inside. Well, I would, but we have a serious rat problem here- like, 12 inch suckers. SHe's gotten out against my will 3 times, and is 3 for 3 with the rats. After the last time, I decided she would be outside as much as she wanted! But, one neighbor has a newly planted, daily-attended flower patch in front of her apartment. I don't want Rocko pooping in it. I have no idea *where* Rocko poops, I've never, ever seen her go. In 11 years! But I would liek to pre-empt any incidents by putting something (cayenne pepper?) in the flower patch. Neighbor says its fine, and also she doesn't care if the cat *does* poo in there (she hasn't seen any evidence of it yet) if the cat continues to kill rats.I would like best of both worlds, though- cat out to get rats, flower bed protected. SO give me your best remedies for this problem, please! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber in AUS Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 Honestly i wouldn't worry, the cat will burry its business and if the neighbour isn't concerned then just go with it, but if you must put something there i have heard that citronella is a deterrent for cats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda1951 Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 have a spray you use it works, I had to do it with a neighbors cat, thank God the people have since moved. Just tell them what you want and they will show you where it is.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyS/FL Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 have a spray you use it works, I had to do it with a neighbors cat, thank God the people have since moved.Just tell them what you want and they will show you where it is.:001_smile: I"m not guessing she can run out at get some in her neck of the woods! (she's in Asia) I think you have done all you should right now - the neighbor knows you are worried about it since you have mentioned it. That opens up her being able to talk to you about it if it does become a problem. And, yuck. Rats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secular_mom Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 cocoa mulch from Home Depot. The cats don't like the smell or the texture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 Moth balls work with keeping cats out of flower beds. If they get wet though, replace them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammy Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 and get a rat trap.....they work great! . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hornblower Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 Motion detected sprinklers work very well for this. http://www.amazon.com/Contech-Electronics-CRO101-Scarecrow-Motion-Activated/dp/B000071NUS They only put out a small squirt of water so even in areas with water rationing it shouldn't be a problem. BUT - If she's going to be an inside/outside cat & you know she hunts be extra, extra rigorous about making sure all her shots are UTD and she's wormed regularly. I'd worm her twice a year at least. (I'm assuming she's spayed....) I'm really conservative about vaccinating indoor cats & once they've done their kitten shots & 1 yr boost, I personally will not vax again. Feral cats that are tnr (trap/neuter/release) get one set of shots & dewormed/deflead and usually nobody catches them again so they're kind of on their own. But the indoor/outdoor cat is really a different problem, esp in an area with a large rodent population. You need to keep her utd on shots & yeah, I'd be worried about parasites. Full flea control & deworming, the works. I myself would lean towards keeping her indoors because the health probs & vet bills can be significant. Big rats can put up a big fight & she may end up with wounds etc. I foster fancy rats & they can bite and scratch hard. They're also fast & they're hunters. One foster foolishly let out her budgie and rat out at the same time. Budgie got killed. I'd ditto the rat trap & keep her inside because you want her catching any rats that make it indoors (bleh! I like fancies but the wild ones, not so much!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 Try sprinkling blood meal. TraceyS/FL said you're in Asia, so I don't know where you'd get it, but here I've found it at Home Depot and Walmart. You'll find it in the garden center. It's really stinky, and has kept rabbits out of my garden this year, and the neighbor cat away from my front windows (sprays the ground there), and the chipmunk from digging in the front landscaped area. After it rains you may need to reapply. Our chipmunk came back, so I've reapplied, but I haven't seen (or smelled) the cat and the rabbit has left my garden alone after just one application. How to keep cats out of flower beds--vet's advice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennC Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 A simple long or short term solution is to cut a piece of chicken wire (or whatever is comparable where you are and set it in the open space of the flower bed. Cover or not with an inch of dirt or mulch, whatever is there. It would help to hold it down with bent wire or landscaped staples. ps - I wish my neighbors cared whether their cats were a problem to the neighbors. If that was the norm, I bet other cat non-lovers wouldn't be so visceral about it. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 You've gotten good advice, but I just wanted to chime in to say that pepper in a cat's mucus membranes would feel like pepper spray to a human, so please don't use cayenne as a deterrent. There are lots of other options that won't harm your sweet little huntress! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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