Cats using garden as a toilet

[HongKongphooey]

We have a new neighbour moved in next door and she has 5 cats, one of which has had 4 kittens which she is keeping and there are several using my one long flowerbed as a toilet. Today i had to get rid of 15 lots, and this is every 2 days. I know its her cats cos there was no problem before she moved in.
So far I have used cat repellent granules (useless, they scrat it out the way) Electronic cat scarer, again useless as they have been seen sitting next to it. I've tried putting down thorny branches from my Rosebush and bamboo stakes and various obsticles, but these cats are contortionists and these things don't have any effect. Now I have paid £10 for fake Lion dung, but I've used a whole packet already...!
We only have a small back yard with one long flowerbed which I take time to make as colourful as possible from spring to Autumn with lots of flowers and plants. So far they have dug up some of my bedding plants. I have thought of entering the local town in bloom gardens contest but can't with this problem which is really getting me down.
I don't want to confront my neighbour because if I have to live next door I really don't want to fall out with her. So far we are on good neighbourly terms. not great friends but we say hello and sometimes chat. But she is quite a loud personality and could imagine she would make things difficult if I brought this problem up. Please has anyone got any ideas or solutions?

[cracker22]

I had the same problem, but I only really worried about it in my veg area (which was anyway the most pouplar part of the garden as the soil was kept tilled). I tried all sorts but nothing worked and I ended up buying a roll of weldmesh about 100 x 100 and made cages to fit over my 4 foot wide veg beds. It did the trick perfectly, although the cats went to other parts of the garden which weren't suitable for the weldmesh (which was a bit unsightly and a little bit of a hassle, but better than s*** on my fresh veg and seedlings dug up or buried). I too prefereed not to fall out with the neighbour.

In your (floral) situation, I don't think you can win.

[mojay]

I saw Silent Roar highly recommended in a gardeners forum - pellets soaked in lion's urine - but presumably that is what you've tried without success.

[GrantA]

i have marigolds around the area where i don't want the neighbours cats to go. The smell of marigolds will repel cats naturally, plus they look better than the Scardy Cat Plant plus cheaper. It has worked so far.

also there is this site, which already has some of things on here that people have already mention.
Read more: How to Repel Cats | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/h...ts.html#ixzz1xbH3BHMG

[Exmothian]

Collect the mess, deliver it to your neighbour and ask what she suggests you do with it.A reasonable cat owner could easily train their moggie to use a litter tray, and should IMO.
Oh , and answerprancer, cat crap is NOT good compost . Herbivores make good compost, and cats aren't herbivores unfortunately!

[merton69]

I heard an old plastic lemonade type bottle filled with water positioned around the area can deter cats.