Cat repelling mulch?

16 years ago

Does anyone have any experience with a veggie garden mulch that cats don't like? My cat and several neighborhood cats just loved my compost mulch last year. They considered it a wonderful addition to their outdoor cat box. I put down straw mulch in the fall, and naturally, this blocks the cats from the dirt, but I'm finding slug eggs everywhere in the straw mulch and fear for anything I plant in the garden this year. Also, I'm wondering, can rain get through the straw? It's pretty thick, and seems rather matted.

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Comments (4)

greengardener07
16 years ago
I do not have any experience with theis thankfully. But, do you have an area away from the garden beds that you can plant catnip or catmint? That might work. Other than that, maybe pinwheels or aluminum pie plates tied up to scare them?
marlingardener
16 years ago
I have used pantyhose toes filled with dog fur and tied to plants to repel/discourage cats (and other intruders). Wonder if dog fur mixed into your mulch would have the same result? Not having a dog, I go to a groomer who saves fur for me (and probably thinks I'm really weird!). The only other thing I have heard of, and this IS weird, is using lion manure. Having walked by big cat enclosures at the zoo, that should repel anything! Maybe a little sprinkled around the plants?
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kayhh
16 years ago
A cat doesn't know the difference between compost and fresh turned soil. It's all a litter box to them. They won't dig into grass clippings, straw or wood chips, but they do make for a slug-fest.

I put coffee grounds around the base of the plants that slugs love most and that does a great job of keeping slugs away - just make sure no leaves or stems are otherwise touching the ground. A study not very long ago showed that slugs hate caffiene. Not much of a stretch to figure they would feel the same about coffee grounds. It really does work.

I find that cats won't disturb established plants. If you plant closely, and litter the ground with sticks (stuck into the ground randomly and at angles) until the plants fill in and cover open space, it really helps. Cats would rather go find a new place than to bother with the sticks.

Kay.
yfchoice
16 years ago
I wad and twist different sizes of chicken wire and then cut them in numerous places and lay the wire, cut pieces up. This works some of the time. I also spread a lot of cayenne pepper (buy at a bulk store) on top of the soil. It doesn't take too long for the cats to decide to go elsewhere. Home Depot also has a pepper-like product but it's a little pricey.

Last year, one stubborn cat kept coming over anyway. I knew where it lived, so I went to the owners and told them I was going to get a humane trap and capture their pet and take it to the humane society. I explained that I spent a lot of time and money on my garden and wasn't going to let their irresponsibilty cost me any more. Never saw the cat again.