Pea Shingle cat issues! Resin coverings?

[lucass247]

Hi all,

As you can see in the image I am laying pea shingle around the outside of my paved area as a sort of border. I have only laid the first corner of this and already had plenty of issues with cats 'using the facilities' so to speak. I have tried cat repelant got from B&Q but this seems to do nothing. I was wondering if anyone knows of any form of clear resin that can be spread over the pea shingle once laid that will hold it all in place to stop cats digging it up etc?

Thanks in advance!

Luke

Garden in progress

• lucass247
• 27 Aug 2014
• 1

shingle edging

 

[Belboz]

Plant the below in a planter and stick it with the rest on the pea shingle.



http://the-plant-directory.co.uk/herbaceous-perennials/plectranthus-ornatus-scardy-cat-plant-11cm

 

[lucass247]

Maybe a good idea! not sure what the wife wants to do with regards the plants, not sure if they are staying there. This would be a relatively cheap solution though!

Plant the below in a planter and stick it with the rest on the pea shingle.



http://the-plant-directory.co.uk/herbaceous-perennials/plectranthus-ornatus-scardy-cat-plant-11cm

 

[lucass247]

As a backup does anyone know of any pour over type resin to 'solidify' the shingle?

Thanks

 

[Belboz]

I have 2 cats (I used to have 3 but we live near a dual-carriageway...)

Long story but they belonged to the kids and we 'inherited'.

Upshot is I know a lot about cats and gardens!

Cats like to find uncluttered areas of soil/shingle. They don't like doing their business in cluttered areas. Apart from liking to roll around in uncluttered areas of grass and soil, they also like those areas for going to the toilet.

Don't believe the hype about being nice to visiting cats so they don't use your garden as a toilet - They WILL.

Things like spraying them with a hose will work short-term but they will come back when they see there is no-one about to spray them.

Likewise, a barking dog may phase them initially but they will get used to it.

There are only really 3 [IMHO] ways to deter them...

(a) Ensure there are no uncluttered (planted) areas to use (impractical)
(b) Kep them out of your garden mechanically (impossible)
(c) Plant things they dislike in or near the areas they have been using for the toilet.

Plants can be in a pot or planter - they don't have to be in the ground.

Like opportunist burglars, if you make the venue unattractive, they will move on somewhere else.

B

 

[JBR]

When we were having our front porch re-built, a neighbour's cat would make a habit of using the area as a toilet. I bought a PIR ultrasonic device which worked well. The batteries don't last too long, thoug, what with visitors, the postman and ourselves setting it off regularly.

At the back of the house we had a similar problem of next doors cat pooing on my wife's herb garden. Not only did it stink to high heaven, but it put me right off eating herbs. The answer this time was one of these:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B003TLA4FS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

which, although a bit fiddly to get set up in just the right place, works very well. A distinct bonus was my mother-in-law receiving a drenching when she visited.

Edit: My God, I've just noticed. I paid £20 for it and look how much it has been reduced by!

 

[Belboz]

I've seen mixed reviews of those devices JBR - some good and some bad.

Suppose it's whatever works for you.

I will say, however, they are always more expensive to buy and run than planting a scaredy cat which only needs a bit of feeding and watering occasionally.

As I said, whatever floats yer boat and works!

BTW...my cats don't give a flying f**k about water spray. They actually like the rain as well.

Go figure!

B

 

[lucass247]

Thanks for all the options/info!

The plan was not to have any planting along that edge eventually (only there for storage during works in the pic). I have ordered one of the jet spray repellers to give that a bash, if no luck will bit the bullet so to speak and opt for planting in that area with the scaredy cat plant.

Thanks again!

 

[JBR]

Thanks for all the options/info!

The plan was not to have any planting along that edge eventually (only there for storage during works in the pic). I have ordered one of the jet spray repellers to give that a bash, if no luck will bit the bullet so to speak and opt for planting in that area with the scaredy cat plant.

Thanks again!

I hope that works for you, but it's likely you'll receive a few drenchings whilst getting it set up just perfectly. I did! Good luck.

 

[Belboz]

Come back and let us know how it goes please...

 

[JohnD]

use cobbles not shingle.

 

[lucass247]

Device should be arriving during the week so hopefully be setup by next weekend.

And shingle is the wife's choice and already purchased and half laid so wont be changing to cobbles unfortunately.

 

[JBR]

Device should be arriving during the week so hopefully be setup by next weekend.

And shingle is the wife's choice and already purchased and half laid so wont be changing to cobbles unfortunately.

Correct. Rule no. 1: the wife is always right!

 

[JohnD]

get new wife.

 

[JBR]

Have you set it up yet? Let us know how it goes.