I think this fits. If you want outdoor cats, then you'd better put up with your garden being a cat litter box. It is, after all, used as a litter box by all the other outdoor creatures there. Yes, Toxoplasmosis is often carried by feral cats, but it's also carried by the majority of farm animals, and lots of rodents and birds. How much squirrel poop do you have in your garden? Cook your meat, and wash your hands and your veggies. Just because your cats aren't using your garden as a litter box doesn't mean that your garden is sterile.

I've tried orange peels and rose cuttings at the same time(chopped up and spread around the garden) and that seems to keep them from using it as a litter box, they still come by and chase birds and squirrels! Next year I would like to add some gardens to attract song birds so if the neighbors don't take them in, we'll have them trapped and call "Animal Control" to pick them up... it's sad to think they'll be outdoors in the bitter cold all winter. :( *Bee*

or you could get them clear plastic forks and put them all around in there, she'll get into there a few times and that will be the end of that, handle end down, clear for your convienience. sp. but i guess some say it works wonders. for me, it'd be the painball gun, just for fun!! Hee Hee, or the bbgun!! but then when your not looking they MIGHT be right back there. also they don't like lemon. so you could start out with lemon. and the clear plastic forks. IF it was ME, that's what i'd do. then if they went back in, then the paintball gun. ya that's what it'd be!! just to make hubs happy i'd start out nice!! **onery grinn/wink** LOL ~Medo

Wow - I was surprised to see this old post rise up to the top. As long as it's here I'll share an update. This old cat is still hanging in there but I think he is nearing his final days. He is getting more frail and eating less. He has some anemia and deteriorating kidneys but we have decided not to put him through more vet visits when he seems to be comfortable, peaceful and enjoying the heat registers and his basket by the heat duct. I have only seen evidence of peeing outside the box a couple times since I last posted but I do keep him in the bathroom at night now. It got to the point where he would just go in there himself and curl up in his basket so I decided he kind of liked it. Also, this gives him a chance to have a bowl of food to himself all night. He eats just a little at a time so the other cats would always get his food if they weren't kept away from it. This poor old guy has had a lot of health problems over the years and several times I didn't think he was going to make it. I think he truly is winding down now but it still warms my heart to see him curled up in his basket or on the heat registers or next to us on the sofa or next to the other cats on the bed. I would really like him to go peacefully on his own, at home, if possible if he isn't suffering. Here's a recent picture of him enjoying one of his heat ducts.