Always finding your neighbour’s cats in your garden?
Even though we all love animals, we are not always fans of other people’s cats doing their business in our gardens. Luckily, there is a handy, and animal-friendly, trick for this!
Cats are wonderful and cute animals, of course, but they’re a bit less cute when they pee, poo and dig all over our garden. This can cause a lot of trouble for you and your garden, so you might be looking for some tips to help prevent this! Because we are animal lovers, we don’t like the idea of scaring off cats with chemicals or nasty methods that aren’t animal friendly. We believe keeping cats out of your garden can also be done in a natural way.
There are several ways to discourage cats from coming into your garden that are in no way harmful to the cat but do give the required result. For instance, cats don’t like certain scents, which means you can use those to keep them out.
After asking around for a bit, we found out that a lot of people have trouble with neighbourhood cats in their garden. Some people love seeing those cute animals wandering around their garden, but other people would rather chase them away immediately. Everybody has their own methods for this as well. The most common method seems to be trying to scare the cat by yelling and waving your arms. Others go outside with a glass of water to try to pour over the cat. Of course, these methods don’t have the desired result. Some people get so frustrated that they end up in the newspaper because they tried shooting at the cats! That’s not what we want, so we’ve got a few tips for you instead.
Cats don’t like the smells of vinegar and citrus peel.
So, you can keep cats out of your garden pretty easily by putting bowls of vinegar or citrus peel in various places around the garden (in particular those places the cat likes to visit). The cat will then definitely stay away from those places. Another thing cats hate is cayenne pepper. So, it may be worth scattering a generous amount of cayenne pepper in places the cats like to visit. Then again, this may cause the cat to start sneezing violently, which make us feel a bit sorry for it.
If you don’t have any of these products at home and don’t feel like going to the supermarket, you could also try using garlic, ground coffee or chili pepper. Did you know about these natural, cat-resistant tips? Share them with your friends!
Poll: Is it rude to talk on the phone on a bus?
Buses can be a relaxing way to get home if you have a seat and enough space. However, it can be off-putting when someone is taking a phone call next to you.
Do you think it's inconsiderate for people to have lengthy phone calls on a bus? Vote in the poll, and add your comments below.
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64.3% Yes
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33.3% No
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2.4% Other - I'll share below
Become an SPCA Foster Hero!
Kitten season has arrived, and over the next six months, over 8,000 cats and kittens will come into SPCA’s care. Please help us give these babies the best start in life and sign up to be a foster parent today! It's not just cats and kittens - we are also urgently seeking foster homes for dogs and small animals.
Fostering saves lives and helps these tiny babies grow into healthy, well-adjusted adults, ready for adoption. We cover all training and costs. All you need is time and love to spare!
Sign up today and save a life!
What's your favourite recipe for gooseberry?
Love gooseberries? Share your favourite way to enjoy them. We're looking for our readers' favourite family recipes for this delicious crop. Send yours to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the magazine, you will receive a free copy of our December 2024 issue.