Keeping Cats Out of Our Gardens

We've been asked literally thousands of times for ways to humanely keep the neighbor's cats or ferals out of flower and vegetable beds.  And as you know from reading our website, the number one trigger for cats peeing outside the box is the presence of cats in your yard.

We've tried all kinds of battery operated gizmos to keep cats out of our rose garden and vegetable beds.  Some worked pretty well, and others failed.  Some work for awhile then seem to malfunction.

A very astute Biodynamic gardener told us of something which has worked beautifully for us.  We are avid organic gardeners and frankly we were getting fed up with finding cat poop among the lettuces.

Here's what you do - it's going to sound crazy, but read it and try it.

This is an old country Italian trick - fill glass bottles with water and place them around your garden.  Specifically, we have found that the pale green color of white wine bottles filled with water give the most shimmer in sunlight. It's the shimmer from the glass and water which seems to annoy cats and make them not want to hang around and do their business!

We use empty white wine bottles with screw caps.  First, soak off the label, then fill the bottle with water, put the cap on tightly, then stick the bottle neck down in dirt.  This gives the collection of bottles in your garden a rather arty appearance.  And for added shimmer, and for some cosmic fun, we put a crystal in the dimple of the bottle's bottom.

Yes, it may sound crazy, but it's working for us. It's been well over a year, and we've not found a single "feline calling card" in with the roses or the greens.  And other than the wine, it's practically a free solution!  And it's the most economical, humane, and non toxic feline garden abatement we know of.

A long time friend of Cat Faeries is an Italian countess and she wrote to tell us that you see water filled wine bottles in gardens all over Italy. Many are near or under key plants. Thank you Contessa dearest for sharing that with us!