The biggest factor in what will be effective against critters is the density of their population. I live by two large wild life preserves and have a neighbor next door who feeds the deer, so the population is very large and completely unafraid of humans. Rabbits also have come to love the diversity of plants in our yard, and because we have several acres of woods (why don't they just stay there???), their population is abundant as well. I have used sprays containing bitters, peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil, and any other smelly thing you can imagine, have gotten hair from the barbers, used fox and coyote urine (expensive as all get out and so nasty to use), even went so far as to use mothballs before I found out how toxic they are, had the men in my family run out in the early morning and pee around the plants, tried interplanting with mint, garlic, etc., and nothing worked for more than a short period. And I don't think I have a single plant out of the hundreds I grow that has not been browsed at one time or another, regardless of how many Pest Resistant lists they may be on. Soaps are effective if your critter population is not too large; contrary to what most folks think, it is not the perfumy smell of Irish Spring that repels, it is the tallow (fat) content of the soap. A friend who runs a commercial apple orchard tried it over the winter with absolutely NO success and felt it was actually detrimental in keeping pollinating bees away the following spring. Pepper sprays are a taste repellant--if you have a lot of deer or rabbits, they each need to take a bite of the plant to realize it's been sprayed as they don't tell each other that what you've sprayed tastes nasty, which means if you have lots of pests, they will still eat down your plants before they all become aware they've been sprayed. Actually, the one time I used a pepper-based spray, the rabbits ate everything I'd sprayed overnight--I think they thought it was a flavor enhancer. Several years ago I used a garlic based spray but there were certain things such as zinnias and sunflowers that were eaten off despite it. By early August the critters were used to it and ate anything and everything I had sprayed, and the only thing it continued to do was give me a huge craving for garlic bread every time I applied it. I have heard that Milorganite does work well as a repellant; however, it is not considered organic (it contains sludge), so I've never tried it. One of the great things about the 20% egg spray is that if you whir it up in a blender and spray it immediately, it will not clog up your sprayer. There is no need to ferment egg sprays--it is not the stink that keeps animals away, it is the smell of the protein from the eggs (if stinky smells kept rabbits/deer away, I'd simply drape my husband's socks around the yard). And at a concentration of 20% eggs, the spray does not wash away as quickly as one with a lesser content which means applications can be less frequent (you will need to experiment to determine what is necessary with your garden). Plants (such as lilies) which are deer and rabbit magnets I spray after every hard rain; other things get sprayed I would guess maybe every six weeks. The best testimonial I've had for this spray is from a friend of mine who lives on an island. Years ago a rabbit farmer on the island gave up his business and released dozens of rabbits, which, well, bred like rabbits. There are no natural predators on the island so the rabbits have destroyed almost every plant, even girdling large trees. I gave her the recipe for the egg spray and she has a garden again. She makes up several gallons of the stuff and sprays EVERYTHING. She even uses it over the winter, spraying in late fall and on days in the winter when the temperature reaches above freezing. The neighbors she has passed the recipe on to have had great success as well, and she kids me that they are going to erect a "St. Kate" statue in my honor, lol. I have also not seen any effect on wanted wildlife, such as bees, butterflies, frogs, toads, walking sticks, etc. I spray it on the plants next to the water garden and it has no effect on the tadpoles, polywogs, and dragon fly larvae. Of course, this means it will not be harmful to bad bugs either--you'll still have to use something to control insect damage (I use organic products with Neem oil for that). Forgive me if I sound overly enthusiastic about this, but it has worked so well for me and has made gardening fun again. I can go outside in the morning and look forward to seeing what is in bloom, NOT what has been eaten off during the night. Here's to a great gardening season! Kate

Together forever

Opener player

One of the most difficult decisions for a pet owner/lover is when to say goodbye. It's a responsibilty we have though as responsible pet owners. It's heartbreaking and difficult and easy to second guess. Just listen to what your heart and mind tell you. I'm sure you'll do the right thing. There is no exact "right" time. It's interesting how, when many/most animals know their time has come they go off to be by themselves. I've seen the reaction in multi-pet homes and it's really interesting. When one is sick, often the other comes and checks on them, even if they didn't get along otherwise. I've seen my two check on each other when they weren't 100% and leave them alone but still check. However when the time came, the ill one will go find a hiding spot to be alone and peaceful. The other then stays away until they've passed. It's interesting how humans feel a need to drag the world around someone who is dying. Someone in a bed, probably nervous, in pain, possibly scared but we have to have the world watch them in their discomfort and embarrassment and indignity. Some may want it, some wouldn't. But the differences are rather striking. I sense a big part of it is we humans as survivors have to make ourselves feel good that we were there when they died. Maybe we need to take a lesson from animals. The bathroom incident I would agree is anxiety and in this case a separation anxiety. It's not unusual for animals to experience anxiety of many forms more as they get older. Often that can be the root of their trouble with bladder control. They get excited and wet. Often our pets are used to getting what they want, right? We often spoil them. As they age, there's certainly memory loss and they don't really understand the concept of "time". They don't eat because it's a certain time, they eat when there's food available and/or when they're hungry or bored. They often have a routine that after eating they'll get some water. Normally when they feel the urge to go out they'll let you know but as they age, they have trouble telling what it is. Some say they can't feel it. I tend to wonder if it's just they don't remember what that feeling means. Either way the result is the same. Clearly you are aware of the situation. I know you'll make the right decision. I've seen a few people who just couldn't part with their long-time friends and put them through too much. I think that's selfish and hope I don't do that should my critters need me to make the ultimate decision for them. Don't forget the happy times with your companion. Best wishes to you all.