I do not know about in a vegetable bed, but we had a neighbor's cat using a planter box near our front porch as a kitty-box. I am a cat lover, have three myself, but that was just gross and over the line. I went to TLC (an OKC garden store) and got some cat/dog deterrent granules. I don't know if it was safe for vegetable garden use, you may need to ask at the garden store or read the directions. It was a granule that was strongly lemon scented, and came in a shaker container. Just shake it over the bed at the frequency it said (I remember if it rained you needed to reapply) and within a few weeks, no more cat deposits. I also used it when all my neighbors were walking their dogs along our corner lot and not cleaning up after them - just sprinkled it in the grass to deter the little beasts. May be organic methods that work on the same principles that would be safe for edibles. It's not the type of thing to use in the house. They do sell bitter-apple type stuff to train your cats not to chew or whatever (one of ours loves to gnaw on the cable line) but I think she thought I was just adding seasonings. We spray-trained all of our cats. Keep water-filled spray bottles at hand and when they did stuff we didn't like, you just spray them. Worked to train them off the Christmas tree, clawing the carpet, etc. Like anything, takes consistency to see results. If you don't want the cat on the furniture, you might look into spray training. P.S., after the outdoor cat stopped using the planter box, I still couldn't shake the grossness, so shoveled out the top 5-6 inches of dirt and disposed of it and refilled with fresh dirt. I'm often gardening bare-handed and couldn't shake the feeling I might be bare-handing cat pee!

If the back pain/spasms continues with any regularity, I wanted to put in 2c on going to the doctor and making them pay attention to the problem. I say making because doctors don't like back pain. A lot of the time it does resolve on its own, and if it doesn't there aren't a lot of great options, though there are some. After years of periodic pain (not spasms like you describe) hurting for a month or three then it going away for a while, I went through another long stretch of pain that was seemingly endless. I'd had enough, and I went to the doctor and refused to take the "if it is still bothering you in X weeks call back" or "Here have a few pain pills", and insisted we do something. It turns out I have a degenerated disc (arthritis) in my spine ... I eventually found a decent physical therapist, and I have exercises that I do several times a week to keep pain at bay, and I also have some "good" painkillers for when I've had enough. The sad thing is that I went through more than 10 years of extended pain episodes before finally getting help. Back pain is tough -- sometimes there isn't a real cure, but stabilization exercises, knowing your options, having access to good pain control can help. Knowing it is not all in my head helps a ton. There were many times when I wondered when I was in my 20s and early 30s why I was having pain like that -- if I was just a whiner or if there was something actually wrong. Jean Marie

Hi wantoretire, and how are you? I remember you from a plant exchange with Dawn a few years ago in Schenectady and from the Upstate Forum. I remember your struggles with the garden from h...! We are now in Maine. Anyway, if the owner has not left the cat's brushes with you, you can get a wire brush or a comb. Would she let you groom her? I am sure she would feel better. As for the litter box (a more serious issue), did you show her where it was and put her in when she came so she would know? Cats are very attached to their own surroundings, and it takes them a while to adjust. Can you get in touch with her 'parents'? Also, has she been eating?? Any change in food? SHe may be missing her parents... but she has to eat and use the box! You may want to restrict her to ONE nice room (with windows and ways for her to look out and find a snug place to hide), so that she familiarizes herself with her new place more quickly. It is often easier on cats to go to their own place a couple of times a day than have them come to the caregiver. How long will you have her for? Well take care, Anne-Marie

Hi Jimmy's Girl: So glad to hear your cat's ok. Please don't let obnoxious losers - who have nothing better to do than hide behind their computer and be a negative a$$ - deter you from visiting this site. Best just to ignore that type of person. You'll find that the number of kind people here more than make up for that sad type of individual. I agree that vet bills are, at times, ridiculous. I've found that you really need to shop around. I have a vet 10 minutes from me, but I drive 45-60 mins across town to go to a vet that is much less expensive and also much more caring and knowledgeable. If you need to, try several different vets as various issues arise until you find one you like. To get some good referrals, check with some cat rescue organizations in your area. They will know. It's such a relief for me now to have such a good vet, and to know that if I have to take one of my cats there, it's not going to break the bank. Also, do some reading, either on here or get some books from the library, so that you know which symptoms are the most urgent. To scope out which books are the best, use the reviews posted on Amazon. And, yes, please get your kitty spayed. Not only just in case she gets out again, but for behavioral purposes overall. You don't want her going into heat. Plus, if she's not spayed, that is definitely a driving force for her wanting to get out. And, and this is my opinion, please don't declaw her. When I was young, I declawed my first set of cats w/o realizing what a horrible thing it was. If you decide that you need to declaw her, it's your decision, but do educate yourself first. I know that money's tight, but you may want to consider adopting another kitty to be a friend for the one you have - especially while she's young, so they will definitely get along. If you adopt one from the Humane Society, you most likely won't have to pay much, if anything, for the cat; and they will provide a coupon for free spaying. And, again, your kitty may not be so keen to get out if she has a friend to play with. Another good source for cat info is Cats Int'l - I've provided the link below. I hope this post hasn't come across as preachy - I guess I'm assuming that you are young and/or new to cat ownership. ;) Best of luck, and please don't hesitate to come back again for help if you need to. Betsy Here is a link that might be useful: Cats International