chip sanft wrote:What permacultural experience or advice do people have for deterring wandering domestic cats from coming into the garden?
I'd like to learn about non-harming ways to discourage cats from coming into our garden area and catching birds, snakes, skinks, etc. Those little predators help keep the pests down and the more, the merrier, as far as I'm concerned. "More snakes, more birds, more skinks" is my motto. "A skink on every rock" would be a political platform I'd vote for, simply because slugs annoy me, as do many beetles, some moths, and most caterpillars.
I'm not anti-cat. I am not interested in any way harming cats. Educating the humans involved is not practicable in all cases -- it's not in this one (except for educating myself). And getting the relevant authorities involved would mean live-trapping the cats and sending them to the pound. I don't want to do that either (see "not interested in any way harming cats" above). Our little dog is noisy enough for three. Cats dislike her. But she's not outside all the time.
Permaculture methods must offer some things that will deter cats. Anti-catnip? Counter-felid fengshui? Is this yet another problem that the right kind of compost can make go away???
I would prefer this not become a thread about the question of whether cats are harmful etc. Everyone knows some cats kill things when they're out and about. Not all cats kill and not all the time, but still. Some people don't mind that killing, some do. Fair enough. It's a big internet and there's space for many viewpoints. I'm interested in practical, practicable, non-harmful things I can do.
There are literally hundreds of ideas, devices, and techniques to keep those pesky felines out of your garden! I live in a city and have hundreds of cats in my local vicinity. I use lion dung and a water sprayer when set-off it sprays a quick burst of water!
Best Cat Deterrents I rarely see a cat in my garden and once and a while i see a poo..
