Question
Good day,

I have a garden bed which I am preparing to plant in.  However, I have noticed that the soil is just too enticing to the local cat population.  They have begun to defecate in the soil.

Do you have any advice on how to deter cats from entering the beds?  Unfortunately, a fence is not an option.  I would like to know if there is any sort of natural deterrent that can be used or planted in the garden to dissuade them from relieving themselves there.

Thank you!

Answer
Best deterrent is fencing them out or direct control as in trapping assuming it is legal in your area.
You can try repellents but your challenge is finding one that will work (don't bet on it) and if you plan to eat from the garden, the repellents likely prohibit their use in food areas.

Work to ban free-range cats is the way to go. Remember cat feces can contain toxoplasmosis which you want to avoid. Further details are available at http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/sendIt/ec1781.pdf and by buying my book A practical guide to the control of feral cats available on Amazon and Lulu.com