Keeping Cats Out of Beds!

[WLeClair]

Hi, everyone. We have three cats and they notoriously use our beds (especially the raised ones) for litter boxes -- right after I loosen it up and plant the seedlings, of course. I have tried pest deterrents (I'm currently trying Bonide Repels-All) and none of them have kept them out. Are there any tried and true methods out there? Maybe a sensor sprayer?

[brownrexx]

I would think that the best thing to do would be to place something like chicken wire flat on the surface of the soil to keep them from digging.

Many people think that doing things like sprinkling hot pepper on the soil will keep them out but they will get this on their paws and then when they bathe or rub their eyes later it will burn. They will NOT know where it came from, it will just hurt.

Something that they don't like the smell of might work but I don't know what that would be. Sorry.

[hoefarmer]

Several mousetraps. They generally do not come back after they snap a couple.

[Deborah]

That's a vet bill for an injured paw. And cruel. Shame on you.

[AlittleSalt]

We have both raised beds and a regular garden. Our cats prefer the raised beds too. Last year, I did notice that they quite using the raised beds after we planted out tomatoes and peppers in them - I also used oak leaves as a mulch. That's when they quit using the raised beds as a litter box.

[Down_South]

Motion detector water sprinkler.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jHYV6nJksw

[ddsack]

I've used pieces of chicken wire weighed down by rocks to keep my cat from digging over freshly planted dahlia rootballs. I remove it when the sprouts start coming up, by that time the cat has lost interest in the spot. Black plastic for mulch could also help.

[Worth1]

This is complicated but I know it would work.
Get an air compressor and wire the valves to motion detectors.
Then pipe air nozzles to the garden spots.
When the cat or other critter triggers the device it will hiss like a snake.
Guaranteed to run off any critter around.

Worth

[My Foot Smells]

i had some welded wire I put over a few beds and it worked.

[brownrexx]

Originally Posted by hoefarmer

Several mousetraps. They generally do not come back after they snap a couple.

I can't believe that anyone would even suggest such a cruel thing for an animal just performing a natural bodily function.

Whether you like cats or not is no excuse for such behavior.

[BigVanVader]

Just cover them with burlap/plastic/thick mulch etc. My neighbors cats used to poop in my beds till I started covering them with plastic mulch. Now Idh to worry about it.

[Cole_Robbie]

My mom is a cat-lover and has 6-8 of them at any given time. The last time they left to go out of town, I noticed they left mouse traps on the counters. I asked if they had mice, and she said it was to keep the cats off the counters. So far, so good, regarding cat injuries. It would take a freak event to injure a cat from them, I think. Also, you can bend the bar that snaps down so that it won't close all the way and trap a paw.

[Worth1]

I read in a dog training book it was also a good way to train dogs the stay out of the trash to put mouse traps in the trash can.

I always had good luck just smacking them on the rear and yelling, NO BAD DOG!!!!
Soon NO BAD DOG is all you need.
Cats can be trained to respond to words to.
Smokey is.

Worth

[BigVanVader]

Unless you have hounds, then you realize resistance is futile and just let em eat the trash if they want. (This is sarcasm)

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by BigVanVader

Unless you have hounds, then you realize resistance is futile and just let em eat the trash if they want. (This is sarcasm)

There are several breeds I would never own hounds are one of them.
Stock dogs like border collies are the other.
Not that I dislike them they are what they are and I cant give them what they are bred for.
I have owned both on the farm.
Worth