How would you feel waking up every morning to find mounds of disturbed dirt in your yard/garden? It’s not a pretty sight nor enjoyable. This is exactly what I endured for at least 2 years. Most of them were vicious stray and feral cats, malnourished and I am sure carried diseases (such as toxoplasmosis as well as other health risks associated with cat feces).
The morning my son, who was learning to walk then, tripped and fell next to a pile of covered cat feces changed everything. It was obvious that I had to handle the situation on my own.
After contacting the Animal Control Department, I picked up a Humane trap and for the next two weeks, we caught at least six cats. Prior to getting the traps I tried a few remedies as well as cat repellents:
» Chicken wire
» Rocks & stones
» Mr. McGregor’s Fence
» Motion sensor sprinkler
» CatStop Ultrasonic (doesn’t always work)
» Mulching (didn’t work for me)
» Damped Soil (doesn’t always work)
» Coffee Grounds<
» Rosemary (worked for a while …)
» Coleus Canina or ‘Scaredy Cat Plant’
» Find the pet owner if you can and if there’s one.
We all know that cats have sensitive noses and dislike scented plants. We also know that cats don’t know boundaries and are unpredictable, which means that if they can, they will turn any unfortunate situation in their favor. The most effective remedies are costly. This is a never-ending problem which some of us will endure as long as irresponsible pet owners allow their cats to roam.
In summary, if cats love your yard they will find a way to get in as it is difficult to confine an outdoor animal. Pet owners who truly care about their pets keep them indoor. I do not hate animals but I get very upset when they use my yard/garden as a litter box and I don’t have to put up with that.
Click here to learn about the difference between Feral and Stray Cats.
By JM Perez
