Tips on keeping cats out of garden

I've just started my first garden and it has been a great learning experience so far. I have just made up 4 raised beds and planted some tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, and herbs.

Here's the problem. My next-door neighbors feed stray cats and they spend a lot of time in my yard. I don't mind the cats except that they use my raised beds as a litter box. I don't want them to crush my new seedlings and dig up my seeds, and I'm tired of finding cat turds in the soil.

Are there any handy tricks to keep them out of my raised beds short of putting up a fence (which I will do if I have to)?

Sprinkle the top of the soil liberally with cayenne pepper. It works very well, and from my own use of it on my house plants, doesn't seem to affect the plants. I have also tried garlic powder, and it worked.

I use this method for a newly planted bed, which is when the cats around here are most likely to disturb it - it's plastic fencing laid over the seedbeds. I leave it until the plants pop through (sometimes if I'm not paying attention, the plants get big and I end up ripping some out when I pull up the fencing).

The netting idea is great and also helps keep protect your seedlings from birds.

You could do the local wildlife a service and remove the feral cats.
I trap them and 'give' them to the local animal pound were if thy are pets there microchip identifies them and there owners are asked to come and get them and if thy are true ferals are helped on there was to cat heaven.

I prefer birds and my seedlings undisturbed.

Sorry if this offends some but cat owners should take responsibility for there pet of choice, part of which is keeping them in at night so thy don't kill our native animals or disturb the surrounding area.

Cats are a real problem, especially if you are growing food plants. Manure from carnivores is not considered safe.

If haven't tried this, but I saw an ad for an overpriced device that looked interesting. It connects a motion detector to your sprinkler. Any critter that trips the motion detector will get sprayed with water.

>5 leewit: Actually, from what I read, that water device is one of the most reliable ways to keep many animals out of the garden, especially deer. It's hard to say if it would work for cats, though - they might be too short to hit the motion detector. I was going to get one to keep out the deer, but ended up putting up deer fencing instead.

If I had one of those, I would end up getting wet every time, of course, not remembering to turn it off when I went to the garden.

>7 teelgee: :) Which is why I put up the deer fencing instead!

I tried sprinkling garlic powder everywhere, and it really seems to do the trick. The cats haven't bothered the seeds I've planted and seem to hang out in my yard a lot less.

I'm late on this but I agree with thr cayenne pepper and garlic powder thing, cats don't like them, altho black pepper doesn't seem to work the same for some reason

I have one of those motion detectors. It does work for cats, and they do not like being sprayed and will leave the area alone. The one thing you have to do is flip the switch when you go near it....because it doesn't differentiate between you and cats! I can't tell you how how many times I've been sprayed!! The device is adjustable, for sensitivity, range and direction.