Question
Oops, I misdirected this question to a different expert.  Sorry 'bout that.


Hello Stephen,

I saw your answer from 8/3/06 regarding keeping cats out of the garden.  We have a really bad problem with feral cats.  Our neighbors, who are cat lovers, insist upon feeding feral cats, which could number as much as a dozen.  Not surprisingly, they often stray into our yard and use our flower garden and woodchip mulch as a gigantic litter box.

Of the various repellents that you mentioned, which would be the safest yet most effective to use?  We have two young children who like to dig in the garden and play in the mulch, so we're looking for nontoxic solutions.  Also, where do you find those oils that you mentioned?

Thanks in advance!

Answer
I am not really in favor of any of them. I am not aware of any that really "work" the way people want. My suggestion is aggressive population reduction. Unfortunately, the laws are vague and the cat lobby is extraordinarily powerful. They block any attempt to ban free-roaming cats and cause politicians to quiver in their boots at the sound of their marching. Yes, I am angry at the cat lobby.

Cats are a major menace to wildlife and the public frankly doesn't care. By the way, I own two cats, both indoor.

I would suggest fencing your yard to keep the cats out. There are fencing products available. Or you can read our feral cat info at http://icwdm.org/wildlife/housecat.asp

There is a lot of information through links there. Read it carefully. There is no magic to this cat problem. Hopefully citizens and politicians will see cats as a major environmental threat and allow them to be controlled with an intensity we reserve for mice and rats.