The area between the shrubs is usually where I have my flowers planted in spring and summer. Went to weed today and it’s full of cat poop. Cats aren’t going away, so I need to find a solution to make this area somewhere they do not want to poop but still look nice.
by kalbar3
5 Comments
I would try something like English holly or rose trimmings scattered over the area along with citrus peels.
Motion activated sprinkler might help.
Cover with landscape cloth and region appropriate cat unfriendly mulch. Decorate with a raised planter with your spring and summer flowers.
I mulch with sticks or anything that makes the ground not soft. I strip the branches of leaves and make a layer under all my plants. So can use pinecone, rose clippings, raspberry canes, part caused eggshells, rocks that are not smooth, etc.
Cats look for loose, dry soil they can easily move, and your bed is basically a VIP litter box right now because of all that exposed dirt. The best fix that doesn’t ruin the aesthetic is mechanical. Lay down 1-inch poultry netting or hardware cloth flat right over the soil surface, secure it with landscape staples, and cover it lightly with mulch. When they try to scratch, their claws hit the wire and they hate it. You just snip small holes in the wire with side cutters when you’re ready to plant your spring flowers.
Long term, you need to stop leaving that ground bare. Nature abhors a vacuum and apparently so do the neighborhood cats. Consider filling that gap with a low evergreen groundcover or a structural center shrub to create a solid mass rather than just relying on seasonal annuals. If you want to test how different groundcovers or maybe a heavy river rock base would look against that brick before buying materials, upload this shot to GardenDream. It’s useful for seeing if a denser layout ruins the curb appeal or enhances it before you commit to the work.