I feel your pain. I have a new neighbor who has an outdoor cat that is causing problems in my garden and running in my house when it gets an opportunity. Grrr. I don't know why people think it's ok to have an outdoor animal when you live in close quarters with neighbors. I just found a dead bird by my bird bath, which makes me sad. I've worked hard to provide a haven for wildlife and now I've got a predator taking up residence.

I did some reading and one idea I particularly favor because it sounds like a fun way to vent my frustration is to use a super soaker type water gun to scare the cat away. Another option is a motion-activated sprinkler ("scarecrow sprinkler"). I also saw a suggestion to sprinkle red pepper flakes, mothballs or bloodmeal to discourage cats.

Good luck with it and let us know how if you find anything that works.

Lisa

I have several barn kitties and the only "casualty" has been one of the catmint plants. I made the mistake of breaking one of the stems, as I was planting it and the fragrance brought the kitties over. Since I moved it to the potager, they haven't seemed to notice it.

They love the fairy garden, because it's on the east side of the house and in the afternoon shade. I like the company while I garden...and one (Jasmine, a sweet little black kitty someone dumped) like to sit in one of the chairs and visit with me :)

I know cats can be a problem for those who don't own them and some aren't very well behaved. Not all cats are good hunters and make themselves useful chasing out unwanted mice, moles, voles, gophers, etc. (just about everything but the deer) from the garden. LOL

Lisa, sorry about your bird being killed...that is so disappointing. Can you talk to your neighbor and explain the cat is trying to come into your house? Maybe they can keep the cat in their own yard...there are fences made especially for cats. My sister-in-law has one to keep her cats in the yard and away from the busy street nearby.

Thanks for the ideas...I don't mind them in the garden, sleeping there, snacking on the blue fescue.I do like their company. We live on a farm in the country and there are several that wander through, plus our own outside cat, Midnite.

Sometimes they snag a bird, but that is balanced by all the mice and moles they bring as gifts.

What I do mind when they use it for a bathroom!

I'll try the pepper flakes. Someone told me they don't like citrus, especially orange. We'll see.

Lily- Do you have a bark mulch in that area of the garden? One reason I stopped using it was the cats thought it was their personal outhouse! LOL

Also, the mulch almost retains too much water, with our clay soil. Now, I only use bark under the shrubs, but fill in with alyssum and lobelia in between the larger plants :)

There was a short article on the subject in the most recent Organic Gardening magazine. (I checked on line and don't see the article.) Some of the recommendations were to make sure the beds are watered - cats like a dry place to eliminate. Scatter orange and other citrus peels in the beds (they don't like them). Also, giving the cats an outdoor sandbox, and regularly scooping it, can keep them from elininating in your beds. I'm sure there were other suggestions, but I don't have the issue with me.