How to stop cats from relieving themselves in flowerbed?

[Love my Critters!]

Does anyone know what I could try to get my cats from going potty in my flowerbed. It is one little spot of loose dirt by the back door and the smell of urine is horrible. There was also some loose dirt from a gopher by a little evergreen and the cats started using that spot and it killed the tree! I have scraped up all the loose dirt but they won't stop. I have 2 neutered male cats that are about 14 years old. They just started this about 4 months ago. Any ideas are greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[paddock36]

There is some stuff that you can put in flower beds to deter animals. You can get it a the pet store but I can not remember for the life of me what it is called. I'll try and find it.

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

I used to have a cat that LOVED the corner of the neighbors yard; nice mulch. Spots like that are kitty potty paradise. But in general, to get a cat to go somewhere else -

Remove the smell of the pee from before. Dig up the dirt, spray some Eeew (cat pee odor eliminator, petsmart carries this stuff, other places should too. Big black spraybottle).

Another idea is to keep the area well moistened. Cats generally don't like getting their paws wet and should look for somewhere drier to do their business.

Good luck though. We never could get Demi to stop using that spot.

 

[HHandbasket]

You can buy that very, very expensive and pricey spray (runs about $5-$7 a can, lasts about 15 or 20 uses at most) that keeps animals out of your garden or off furniture. Mind you, you have to re-spray every time you water, and it cannot be used on certain flowers because it will ruin the petals. It also eventually seeps into the soil and ruins it.

The long and short of it is that the only way to keep animals out of your flower beds is by creating a barrier, such as using chicken wire to cover your garden. Otherwise, there are tons of chemicals you can use which, again, are effective at keeping out the animals but will ruin your garden.

 

[Imp]

This may sound crazy, but it worked for a neighbor of mine. She had heard that just putting bottled water in the flower beds would keep the cats out. Not watering the ground, but the actual bottles of water. She put about 4 bottles across the front of the house and swore it worked. Her only problem were people like me who would pick up the bottles.

Imp

 

[dewey]

Forks. Just put clear plastic forks, handles in the ground, points up, and they will not walk there.

Really.

 

[Jamie_Dog_Trainer]

Get one of these:

 

[Love my Critters!]

Thanks for the quick replies. I was thinking about exchanging the soil and them planting grass seed and covering with chicken wire so the cats can't dig. Removing the wire when the grass came in nice and thick. This flowerbed type of area is really in a weird spot. The only thing there is a nice rose bush at the other end of it that I don't want to hurt. I also hate the thought of putting chemicals in the ground because of all the animals and kids, but MAN... that urine smell is waaaayyy bad!

 

[Love my Critters!]

Ha Ha dog trainer! looks good to me but I don't think hubby would appreciate it. It's already agree over the cats putting a dog that might dig up his precious grass would put him over the edge.

 

[windtryst]

You could lay chicken wire down and cover with just a bit of mulch, not much just enough so you don't have to look at it. Cats like to dig...wire will deter digging...good luck!