Very disheartened .........

[Ann]

Spent most of the day putting replacement petunias in large front border of garden where the storms of Thursday had flooded them out and ripped them to shreds by the hail. Watered them in, sat down for a rest aching all over as did lots more gardening too, clearing up storm mess in the garden. Just popped out for couple of hours, got back and to my horror lots of the petunias have been scratched up by neighbourhood cats while I have been out!!! Honestly I could weep .... all that effort! I know it was cats as there are huge dollops of mess there too - ugh. I have some cayenne pepper to sprinkle around when I have summoned up the motivation to put them back in.......... will that deter the hateful creatures?

[tenrec]

Oh Ann how awful. The cats are just doing what comes naturally unfortunately.

[Ann]

Just wish they would foul in their owners lovely well-kept garden tenrec! :(

[shaneystar2]

The only thing I've found to deter the little b's is a sharp burst of the hosepipe .
Try putting some sticks into the ground round the plants until they are established .They won't foul then or they'll get scratched bums !!

[Tilly2]

Oh, Ann. What a shame. You have had a horrible time over the last two days.
I hope that you manage to deter the cats. I don't know if cayenne pepper works but good luck with it.

[bilko56]

cats are the biggest pests in the garden

[tinkerbell23]

I remember a neighbout having a pretend cat with reflective eyes .....is that to deter cats mabye?? Was just on a cane in his flowers xx

[Ann]

I know Tilly, my garden really suffers, if its not storms .... hail ....... or snails........ its now cats which ruin my garden, I don't know why I bother, except I love garden flowers and plenty of colour.

[pusskin]

i know the feeling Ann86, we've got 3 cats next door so I fully understand the mess they can make --mainly in our front garden x

[Tilly2]

Get a dog. Ann. There's a little staffie looking for a home on firewatch's thread.
I don't have trouble with cats.

[Ann]

LOL Tinks, my neighbour also used to have a mock evil looking cat with glassy eyes stuck on his front lawn and the real cats totally ignored it and messed right near it. He has now given up and even has a real cat of his own (they ignore their own property) but don't ask me to have one, I would not - even if you paid me £1000!!!! We love our garden birds too much. I honestly cannot see what the attraction is in keeping cats as pets .........I hate them but could never hurt one.

[shaneystar2]

Next door to me has concreted everywhere back and front so you can guess where his darling cat comes for a poop ! And it murders all the birds it can get hold of .I'm forever sweeping up bits of beak and bones .
I can't stand ruddy cats and wish we could have another dog .
Old Shaney would have given this one a run for it's money .

[woofgang]

I don't mind cats, we had cats when I was a child but i don't want a cat now and I don't want to share other people's

[gness]

Ann. Disheartened must be putting it mildly. I have a cat deterrent from RSPB which works on some cats. My mum put a clear plastic bottle, half filled with water in her garden. Also a three or four foot length of hose to look like a snake.
Mothballs are supposed to work.
Chris Packham would sympathise. Dislikes domestic cats as they wreak havoc.:-)

[Ann]

Why the clear plastic bottle half full of water gness??

[gness]

I have no idea Ann but it seemed to work. Maybe someone has a theory but I can think of no reason why it would.

[Ann]

I know they hate water being squirted at them via the hosepipe, trouble is they have moved before I can get it set up!!

[tinkerbell23]

Ive seen rows of string with bows etc tied on....is that to deter birds?

I bet a cat would loooove to play with that haha x

[Ann]

Well, I have just been outside (in the dark!) and sprinkled a whole sachet of cayenne pepper and half a pepper mill of crushed garlic around the plants, we'll see if they like that!!!!

[sir.prize]

Fill water bottles (the plastic ones, not the small ones but the large ones) with water and set them outside on its side so that it sparkles. Cats don't like things that sparkle and they stay away. It's very effective.

[gness]

Well Ann. Sir.Prize has given us the answer!