animal problem, mainly cats

Is there anything I can do to keep cats out of my garden? I just planted garlic and for some reason they just had to use it as there new bathroom, what can I do?

i've seen products in magazines that show plastic boards with nails sticking out of them thats supposed to keep cats out but i doubt they will work.

no they do work. i made a paper with thumb tacs on it to keep the cat off places i do not want them to go in the house and it does work. but, i'm sure you will need a bunch to keep the cats out of the gardens.
maybe you can plant catnip they do not use the bathroom where they sleep and hangout. i have cut down my catnip and spread it around where i don;t want to cats to use the potty and it works.

Rose bush cuttings. If/when you trim your roses keep the cuttings and lay them in the beds. That'll work!

Local stores carry varieties of 'pet away' products but they don't last long and aren't terribly great for the environment. They disappear when it rains too. However you might try one for several days in succession to -move- the cats out of that particular area. I have had some success with Barberry cuttings though! Probably very similar to Rose bush cutting Horseshoe! They hurt bad enough cutting them off, I can't imagine stepping on one!!

I've found that keeping the soil moist helps, they like dry, loose, dusty dirt.
A good blast from the garden hose seems to leave an impression on'em too =)

I use red pepper flakes (buy big jars at Costco). This seems to get them to move on--usually somewhere else in my yard.

We welcome the friendly kitties that frequent our yard as they like a nice petting once in a while (don't we all! *smile*) and are good grasshopper eaters and mousers and thus feed themselves!

We've also found that the thick layer of straw we use in our veggie garden and strawberry plot deter them from entering there (except perhaps at the fringes, and only sometimes, then). Not an option for everyone, but it might spark further ideas. :)

Donna/TuttiFrutti

I have a big problem with my 2 cats digging in the garden, too - I think I replanted my onions at least 3 times this spring! But I use grass clippings for a mulch layer, and once I got things covered up with the grass they quit digging. Plus, of course, it holds the moisture in the soil, keeps the plants cleaner when it rains, and has really helped improve my heavy soil. Depending on the size of garden, tho, it takes lots of clippings - fortunately we have a big lawn and not too big of garden (about 30 x 60)! Good luck!

Do you have Olbas oil in the US? Anything with a strong scent of Eucalyptus, Citrus or Mint such as essential oils, can send cats, dogs (and some insects) scurrying away. It does need replenishing and something absorbant (dried up tea bag for instance) but they do find the smell offensive.