Gardeners reveal three simple tricks to stop cats from pooing in your flower beds this spring and summer
AS ADORABLE as cats are, they can cause havoc in gardens by pooing in flowerbeds.
Considering how much effort keen gardeners put into creating the perfect floral display for the warmer months, making sure cats do their business elsewhere is a must.
Posting in the Facebook group Gardening Tips For Beginners, one user asked for advice for avoiding cleaning up the mess.
Users were quick to share some of the best tips and tricks they’ve learnt and they’re really easy to try out.
Although you can’t really stop your neighbour’s cats from roaming around your garden altogether, users were quick to share some of the best tips and tricks they’ve learnt to keep your outdoor space foul-free.
Keep soil moist
Tonnes of gardeners suggested keeping soil as wet as possible, since cats generally prefer doing their business in dry spots.
“They like dry soil to poop it so keep it moist where they are pooping and it’ll deter the animals, it’s easy,” one gardening fan wrote.
A second agreed: “Water the soil, keep it wet and they will go to other gardens. Should keep them away long term too.”
Use strong scents
Cats aren’t big fans of certain strong scents, you can use this to your favour by planting specific plants and using oils.
Cats are said to hate the smell of lavender, so it’s a great option to add to your flowerbeds.
You can also leave orange, lemon or lime peel around your garden to keep cats at bay, as they can’t stand citrus scents either, according to the gardening fans.
Cinnamon is another good option for this, and the chances are you already have some in your cupboard making it a cheap and cheerful hack.
Cleaning your garden
Cats tend to return to the same place to poo, so cleaning up immediately after you notice they’ve paid a visit means they’re less likely to return.
If they leave a mess on the floor you can wash it down with soap and water, and if they poo in soil you can remove the surrounding dirt and put it directly into a compost bin.
The gardening fans also suggested using twigs, thought this might not be the best option if you take pride in the appearance of your flowerbeds.