I have raised vegetable gardens that all of the neighborhood's cats seem to think is their litter box. I eat these veggies, people! Or I would, if they weren't being defiled on a regular basis. Ewww. Anyway, in my efforts towards good health and sanitation, I have come up with a new, double-pronged and potentially lethal defense:
My first line of defense is to make use of Infrared Transparent plastic mulch, otherwise known as IRT. Not only will this physically deter cats from digging in my freshly-tilled beds, it will also help warm the soil while inhibiting weed growth. I have my doubts when it comes to slug prevention as some have claimed, but we'll see what happens.
My second line of defense was the procurement of a Ground Utility Sentinel, also known as GUS. This highly trained operative has been charged with patrolling the territory's perimeter and deterring intruders by growling, barking, and/or chasing. I wouldn't mind a mouthful of fur or two if the assailant deserves it.
Mere minutes after this picture was taken, Gus spotted a cat in the yard and promptly growled and chased the thing away. My plans are coming to fruition...
This gardener will not go quietly into the night! 2011 Feline Turf Wars: It's on!! BRING IT!
If you are still having problems I would either sprinkle the area or hang a bag of cayenne pepper. Works like magic.
ReplyDeleteI've tried cayenne. Unfortunately it didn't work at all :-( Apparently the kitties in my area like things a little spicey!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE it! Gus, and GUS! So fabulous. We don't have cat problems, but bunnies who eat everything, birds who eat anything they leave, and neighbor kids who RIDE THEIR BIKES across our newly-seeded lawns. I feel the grumpitude, too. :)
ReplyDeleteAlso, thank you for the pics of your garden boxes! I'm going to share them with my husband as we plan...er, re-plan...our garden.
Love the pics of your garden and of course, Gus. I too have tried to deter the sneaky, not-so-little neighborhood cats from defiling my vegetable garden. Ugh! My first line of defense is my border collie. If he's outside, watch out felines looking for a place to poop. Good luck in your efforts. And I tried cayenne, as well as some other supposedly sure cure fixes, with no luck either. Nope, nothing works better than my border collie!
ReplyDeleteCali Girl - so glad to hear I'm not the only who gets fed up with felines! Thanks for the moral support. So far Gus has been phenomenal as a cat deterrent, so it must be built into border collie DNA.
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