Question
Hi I live in Detroit Michigan and have a number of flower beds with annuals plated in them...My neihbor has numerous cats who like to use my flower beds as a cat litter box...Is there anything I can do to keep them out, without hurting them?  Thanks

Answer
The first step is to avoid planting plants which attract cats.

Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is known to attract cats due to a compound called nepetalactone which is released when the plant is brushed. About 30% of cats have shown to be attracted to the compound. Usually the attraction last only a short while and therefore, for people who want to attract cats to their flower beds it is not 'a sure winner' but gardeners who have cat nip planted may on occation experience unwanted problems with cats.

Other plants which has been said to attract cats:
Cranberry Bush (Viburnum opulus), Dittany of Crete (Origanum dictamnus), Baby Blue-eyes (Nemophila menziesii), Lippia javanica, Nepeta nepetella, Valeriana phu, and V. celtica.

If you have plants in your flower beds which hold a special attraction to the cats it is usually most efficient to eliminate this plants as a first start.

The next step would be to discurrage visits. In our area we are not bothered by cats, but by deer. The deer can ravage a flower bed in a few minutes and thus a lot of effort goes into finding ways to discurrage even one visit per year. The 2 most efficient ways are use of mechanical deterrants (such as automated scare crows) and smell/taste deterrants, such as liquid products, such as Deer-Off.

Deer-Off has a blend of hot pepper sauce with coyote urine which frightens the deers and makes them uncomfortable. It is harmless (except for the slight uncomfortable burning from the pepper if they taste the leaves) but deer will usually seek new ground after a few visits, unless it is early spring and they are very hungry.

I don't know if cats will be scared by the same ingrediences as found in deer-off (Coyote Urine) but it may be worth a try.

The cats are attracted to your flower beds because of food source (mice, birds, small rodents) living there, or because they feel safe and comfortable in the plants. What the repellants does (liquid and mechanical) is to change this safe feeling. Coyote urine will make deer nervous for example and feel unsafe. the pepper will train them to find new food sources (if available, .. if not, they will eat anything anyway).

Sometimes, it is enough to discourage the cats only a few number of times before they find new ground. Othertimes (especially if attractive plants keep "calling them") it can take longer. A short term solution may be one of the watering scare crows they sell for deer. It activates via a photo cell when the line of sight is broken and - attached to the watering hose - it will spray the cat. This is done everytime something triggers the photocell so make sure you turn it off when you are in the yard (or you will get wet, too). Even a few weeks with such a contraption may be enough to disurrage the cats from visiting. Otherwise dog urine (or even the deer-off) may be needed.

I hope I could help you.
Kenneth