My cats dig in my neighbour's gardens!

[Lesley Frankie]

Thank you everyone for your replies. I'm going to try giving my neighbours some pebbles to put around their plants. I never thought of providing an outdoor area for the cats although there is a huge olive grove beside us which they could use without bothering anyone. I suspect the containers are more fun!

[Kay and Penny]

I have worked away at the problem of the ideal outdoor facilities for years now, and have now got:

*one deep pit in the patio filled with John Innes 2 compost

*one outdoor covered litter tray with Catsan, for when pit gets waterlogged

*slate dressing on all containers and flower beds

and it works - no undesirable leavings anywhere, although third cat still prefers indoor litter tray

[dabs]

I find a grow bag usually works, pop it in a quiet corner of the garden and hopefully they will use that. You may have to build some kind of a shelter over it though so it does not become too muddy.

[madamcat (Edd)]

Hi

Could you buy them some small to medium pebbles to place on top of the soil in the containers - that may stop them from digging them up.

But of course they will find somewhere else to go

[Mark]

I remember a stupid, selfish woman I collected a cat from that she wanted rehomed (as she liked to party at the weekend and the cat spoiled her fun). She complained that all the local Toms were congregating outside her bedroom window to get at her unspayed female  - She said although She had covered the area with neat Jeyes fluid, they still kept coming  - I told her how poisonous it was and spaying her cat would probably stopped it anyway  - the point is, some people will feel quite justified putting out poisonous "deterrents" to protect their prize begonias 

[Rosella moggy]

Try to make sure you always have a couple of clear dug up areas in your own garden if you don't already and scoop them out to try and encourage them to keep toileting in their own garden.  Afraid it won't stop them using neighbours but might reduce the problem.  Glad your neighbours are not too upset

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

Cats will always go to the neighbours, i had the same problem 

I don't know what you can do to stop them......what I did was offer to go and clear it up

[Lesley Frankie]

This may have already been dealt with elsewhere but, can anyone suggest a kind but effective deterrent to cats digging in the garden and plant containers? My neighbours have remarked that my 3 boys dig up their containers. The neigbours are being amazingly calm about it but I'd like to put a stop to it before it becomes a real issue. Most of the flower beds have a layer of tree bark or stones on them but the containers don't.  Needless to say,  my little darlings don't do this in their own garden!