How can I keep cats from digging up the bulbs in my flower bed?

I am planning on planting bulbs for spring flowers in my flower beds. However, there are neighborhood cats who would most certainly dig them up when they use the flower bed as a toilet. Any idea how I can keep the cats out of there? Does garlic really work? Or cinnamon?

How can I keep cats from digging up the bulbs in my flower bed?
I don't know about the garlic or cinnamon. But try this get some chicken wire, and cut a small round area where the bulbs will be located then place the wire over the areas. The cats will not be able to dig in the area due to the chicken wire, the holes are too small to allow them to do that. The wire can be pinned down with little metal stakes so that the wire can not be moved at all. This was the easiest thing I found to work with, and it deters pets!





By the time the plants grow up the wire can be cut very easily away from the plants/ground and they will be already grown up.





You will be happy and the cats will have found other areas to dig in. Your plants will have the chance to grow up and become beautiful flowers.





I had to use chicken wire in my yard after putting sod down to keep my puppy from digging it up. She hated the chicken wire, but it didn't hurt her since it's small and thin and lays flat to the ground. My lawn grew and the puppy gave up digging, every one ended up happy.
Reply:You are so very welcome. I'm glad I could help you.


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Reply:Don't waste your time on garlic or cinnamon - just shoot them or get a big dog that hates cats - who wants the odor that cats leave behind when they use your flower bed as a potty!!
Reply:There are quite a number of people who've tried putting foul smelling chemicals or substances in their flower beds to ward off cats or dogs digging, but the most effective method is a physical barrier like wire screening buried underground, which also protects from squirrel and chipmunk damage.


As for neighborhood cats or dogs who use your garden as a toilet, you have to assert dominance. A good BB gun shot in the *** should deter this outrage! Cats are smart, once will usually suffice, with dogs it's another story and might require more effective measures like a Winchester pump 12-gauge with rock salt pellets.





With garlic you might have more luck warding off vampires!
Reply:There is powders available from hardware stores that is designed to keep cats out of your garden and also little hard plastic spiky things that you can put along your fence to slop them coming in.
Reply:Use a medium metal mesh, like they use in pet cages, just place it on the gound over the garden, cats hate it and the plants can stiill come up though it.
Reply:You could get a cat! He would guard his (your) territory and dig up your neighbours bulbs for you to plant in your garden!





Actually, the cats are looking for a nice soft area to dig up for their poop! Dig over a 'decoy' area, and they might use that!
Reply:Red pepper will work.It doesn't harm the cats.Just a little does the trick....
Reply:Shake away and it wont hurt the garden.
Reply:put something on it which will scare the cats but don't let them get hurt.
Reply:Use moth balls instead. Just sprinkle them around the around and the cats will stop.
Reply:keep a dog in the yard
Reply:My brother had this problem! he came up with a good idea!... put tooth picks in the soil then when they try they'll get a little prod! :) i like cats but its not nice when they poo all over the garden. So far for my brother this seems to have worked!
Reply:Pepper works too. Just sprinkle again when it rains
Reply:Mothballs will keep the animals out (cats, squirrells, chipmonks, etc.). Just sprinkle them around. I've never heard of garlic or cinnamon as a remedy.
Reply:Shoot them on sight.
Reply:sprinkle red pepper around the area where the bulbs are. It will deter cats.
Reply:we put down moth balls and add a couple of plastic snakes so far it has worked even on the squirrels. good luck.
Reply:there is a plant available that wards off cats from the garden I cannot remember what it is called, but your local garden centre will tell you, and they do work I have tried them on our garden.
Reply:cut and place jalepino peppers all around...the cats will stay away
Reply:Put pecan mulch down.The jagged edges hurt thier paws.
Reply:the problem could be the bone and blood meal that you are putting down with the bulbs!!... interesting smell for cats and dogs!!... and the squirrels have learned that it means tasty bulbs, too..... if it's a real problem, not just one cat, then skip the meal with the bulbs, put down a U-shaped cage of chicken wire over the bulbs, add a layer of large chunk bark mulch over the area... with nothing to scratch in, it's a far less interesting place....
Reply:You could declaw the cats which would really hurt :( or you could let them keep the claws for days that they need to fight for survival and just put mittens on your kittens. :)
Reply:If you have a holly or berberis bush cut branches and stick them in the ground over the area you wish to keep the cats away, also lay over ground.





I think garlic will work if you cover the entire area 5 inches deep but you may find you have lots of garlic plants growing next year.





Not sure of cinnamon.





You can buy cat deterrent's (high pitched sound) that are quite affective but can be costly too.





http://www.google.com/search?q=Cat+deter...
Reply:You can use chicken wire or something similar to make cages for the bulbs. That way the cats and rodents can't get to the actual bulbs, they can only go as deep as the outside of the cage. I did this last year after losing all my bulbs to squirrels and it worked like a charm.





Don't forget to mulch.
Reply:Shoot them.
Reply:put out moth balls or a fake snake.
Reply:shoot them. You do have the right to bear arms.
Reply:There are repellant sprays that you can buy, but they are rather expensive. I bought a spray that repels animals (raccoons, deer, squirrels) because every year when I plant bulbs and in the spring when I plant annuals, those pesky squirrels dig them up like they're gold! These sprays typically cost around $12 - $14 but some of them last for about three months. It worked, but the damage had already been done by the time I thought of it. If you plant just before it gets really cold, and then spray that area, it should last long enough until the ground freezes. You could also put a ton of leaves on top of the ground where you've planted the bulbs, then wet down the leaves well and then spray the product to keep them out. Or...you could buy a small section of chicken wire, lie it flat and stake it to the ground over the planted bulbs until the ground gets cold or freezes, then pull it off. Or wait until the time the plants are pushing through the ground in the spring and then pull off the wire. It may be cheaper than the spray and more effective - cats can't dig where they can't get enough ground!
Reply:I had cats digging in my beds too. I bought a large can of black pepper at Sam's. I sprinkled out a large amount in the area they dug......this needs to be repeated every 2 weeks to be effective. By the time you use up the can...they will have found a better place to go and left yours alone.





About 6 months later another one dug in the area and I sprinkled out some more pepper. No more cats after that.

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