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Cat droppings in the home garden are a smelly nuisance. In this article you will find out what you can do against the legacies of your four-legged friends and which "tips" you should better keep your hands off.
Was it really the cat?
But before you accuse the neighbor's cat and start all sorts of unsuccessful measures against the supposed cat faeces, you should first check which faeces it actually is. The droppings of hedgehogs or martens look very similar to that of a cat, so confusion can quickly arise. This is how you can distinguish the excrements of the animals:
- Marten droppings are often slightly twisted
- Martens defecate directly on the ground
- Cats bury their droppings (but not always!)
- Marten droppings can contain residues of plant food (e.g. fruit)
- Cats do not eat fruit, therefore no vegetable residues
The droppings of a hedgehog, on the other hand, are often not collected in one place, but can be spread over a longer distance. The cute animals defecate as they walk and therefore gradually deposit their faeces over a certain distance.
Notice: But it doesn't matter whose excrement it is: animal feces - even that of a domestic cat - is dangerous. If you come into contact with it, for example when digging up the bed, pathogens or worm eggs can be transmitted. For this reason alone, it makes sense to put a stop to the feline activity. Wash your hands thoroughly after contact!
This helps against cat droppings in the garden
Many people think cats won't defecate in their own yard. That's not entirely true, as some cat owners will surely confirm. If the four-legged friend finds a suitable place, he will of course make do with the beds of his owner. However, female cats in particular mark their territory by dropping their faeces, which is why the neighbor's garden has to suffer as well. But that is dangerous, because where a free roamer marks her territory, imitators will soon be found. So often not just one cat defecates in your garden, but at least two - or even more.
Quite apart from that, the defecating cat should not assume that it "owns" someone else's garden. Animals tend to defecate in the same places over and over again, so the only way to get rid of the problem is to specifically address it. This includes disposing of the found cat feces again and again. With suitable measures, you can also prevent the stray four-legged friends from continuing to abuse your beds and borders as a toilet.
Tip: Talk to your neighbors and ask them politely to offer the cat a toilet in their own garden. This can consist of a sandbox transplanted with catnip, which is easy to clean. If the cat does its business there, your garden is safe.
Catnip, cat balm, Nepeta faassenii
1. Plant a thorn hedge
Cats are practically unstoppable and will climb any wall or fence. But with a high thorn hedge you keep the four-legged friends and thus the cat droppings out of your garden. In addition, barberries or hawthorn are very suitable as privacy screens and also offer insects and birds both food and hiding places. Just make sure there are no gaps in the hedge - a close-meshed chain-link fence installed in front of or behind will prevent you from getting through here.
2. Cover beds and borders
Cat droppings are usually found in soft, dry soil or sand, which is why the finely worked soil in vegetable beds and flower borders is particularly attractive for four-legged friends as a toilet. The best way to prevent defecation in these places is to make them as unattractive as possible to four-legged friends or deny them access. A good option is to cover beds and borders with different materials. The following are particularly suitable:
- larger pebbles, e.g. B. in stone beds
- a bed cover by means of a wire mesh fence stretched over a wooden framework
- mulching the bed with rose cuttings or other thorny clippings
- Coffee, for example a mulch with dried coffee grounds
The latter is particularly suitable for plants with a preference for acidic soil, as coffee acidifies the soil. Rhododendrons, azaleas, blueberries or ferns feel at home on such a substrate.
3. Cats don't like these plants
Cats also have a sensitive nose and stay away from beds with plants that they find smelly. Therefore, surround your vegetable beds with a low hedge of these plants or plant them at regular intervals in the decorative bed. These species are particularly unpopular with four-legged friends:
- Piss off plant or harp bush (Plectranthus caninus)
- Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
- Peppermint and other mints (Mentha × piperita)
- Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus)
- Rue (Ruta graveolens)
In particular, the "piss off plant" is very unpopular with many cats, but not with all. Some cats aren't bothered by the smell, and so are other cat repellents - ultimately you just have to experiment with what works and what doesn't work for your particular specimen. Incidentally, freshly cut grass is often recommended as a repellent. However, there are many cats who feel magically attracted to this scent. So it's best to steer clear of this idea, even though grass clippings are great for mulching vegetable beds.
Notice: Conversely, there are some plants whose scent is irresistible to cats. If you want to avoid cat droppings in the garden, you should avoid catnip (Nepeta cataria), valerian (Valeriana officinalis), speedwell (Veronica officinalis), Germander (Teucrium) and the Amur ray pen (Actinidia kolomikta).
4. Home remedies to repel cats
Other smells from the household or medicine chest also help to drive cats out of the garden. For example:
- coffee
- essential oils, in particular with a menthol or citrus scent
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- garlic
- pepper
- chili
Once you have discovered the cat's preferred places to defecate, prepare the spots with the selected means:
- bring out dried coffee grounds
- spray the soil with apple cider vinegar
- or an essential oil
- mince garlic and scatter
- sprinkle pepper or chili powder on the bottom
However, all of these funds have one disadvantage: they do not last particularly long and therefore have to be renewed regularly. Therefore, it is better to prioritize the measures described above and use the scent effect only as a further deterrent. Furthermore, a well-aimed splash from a water hose or water gun will drive most cats away.
Notice: It doesn't matter how much the cat droppings in the garden annoy you: You can scare away the polluters, but you can't injure or even kill them.