In our area we are having more and more problems with cats raking in our bins and peeing and pooing everywhere in the shared courtyard. Ive tried water, loud noises and putting bleach in the bin but to no avail. Any suggestions?

My cats can't abide the smell of nail varnish - sometimes I paint my nails just to get some peace from them. So something with a similar base might do the trick?

I think there are non-harmful products you can buy from pet shops and garden centres that might help too?

Thanks- I would imagine that might be expensive to keep reapplying to the bins and it wont stop them messing the court yard. We have seen fake cat things that go in the garden but we are not sure these would work. Its really, really getting annoying now.

Orange and lemon peel should work, they don't like the smell of citrus fruit.

Doesn't work.

Try Jeyes fluid. It's a strong disinfectant. Dilute it a pour it round the area the cats use. I'd make it a bit stronger than they reccomend on the can.

Curiously, I had a neighbour whose 2 siamese cats were called ping and pong. They were a perishing nuisance too, even as a cat owner myself. Sadly I don't think there is a long term solution for this problem, I take it this is an urban problem? Not much earth for them, and too many cats in the immediate locality, all peeing to stamp their mark on the yard. Jeyes will help with the smell, and they won't like it, but not confident it will stop them.

Spooky

There are about 4 cats that cause the problem and two in particular. It just makes the garden un- useable due to all the poo and they still manage to get into the bins and rip the bags to shreads. I was going to call the RSPCA but i doubt they could do much and I wouldnt want someones pet getting taken away.

Keep a badger tied up near the bins.

Lion Poo

I would make them a large litter tray for them to use that is nice and soft to dig in. That is an easy compromise and beats going to the lavvy on the cold courtyard. I did this for my cat at the back of the garden and I don't think she goes anywhere else.

As for the bins,get ones with locks or lids they can't knock off.

I'm not having a go but bleach in the bin that you know cats go into isn't nice. What if you poisoned somebody's cat?

Are you sure its cats? We thought the cats were going through our bins - turns out its actually foxes

Or burned them too! As cats are property,they might sue!

Plus bleach is not effective at keeping cats away - the ammonia element just smells like another cat's pee to them so they will want to mark there to mask it! Use of bleach in this case is self-defeating. That's why using bleach to clean up when cats pee on the carpet doesn't dissuade them, it just attracts them back there.

I just think it's wrong to put something like bleach in a bin you know cats are getting into. Yes it's annoying having all your bins torn open but that could harm the cat. maybe put your bins inside a proper bin, rather than just putting the bags out if you know what I mean.

Why should I go to all the effort for bloody feral cats? I certainly will not be making them a litter tray to encourage them.

Its in the bin. If they go to the effort of knocking the lid off and arent put off by the smell of bleach then basically thats not my problem. I am sick to death of them.

Defo cats. Ive caught them in the act but they are brazen little buggers.

They are in a proper bin! And if there is overflow I dont see why I should be the one (the human) who changes their behaviour for some feral animal (the cat).

I thought this is why you posted to stop them getting the bins by changing their behaviour.



If you are getting angry with the cats for leaving the rubbish about, then maybe put a brick on top of the bin.


Do you want them to use the patio as a toilet? I should think no, so you DO want to encourage them to poo elsewhere, thats where you provide the tray, elsewhere, then they should not go on the patio.

Some easy suggestions I have are

Maybe dont put food waste outside. When we put food in our bin my 4 cats have it all over the kitchen, but if there is no food waste, then they dont bother. (Even with the bin lid on)

Get a bin with locking handles just for the food waste. (And any sanitary stuff, tissues etc) Then you wont have a problem. If there is one already with a loose lid, pop a bungee from handle to handle over the lid, or shove a brick or two on top.

I know that cats are persistant, and can be sooooo annoying, but I am afraid that you have to take active yet patient steps to change their habits. You will benefit in the end, when you slowly win the war. And they Poo in the corner behind a pot plant out of sight, and the rubbish is still in the bin, and you are sat out in the sun.

Are they feral of pets?

Get yourself a BB gun and scare them off. Make an example of a few of them if needed. Word should get around that your bins and courtyard are not a safe place to hang out.

For goodness sake when did cats start ruling the world? They are tamed beasts. I am a human and therefore superior to a flea ridden mog. I dont see why my eating and disposal habits should be governed with how cats might react.

They are a pain in the arse and if they dont get the message with the bleach then I I will be taking further action.

Well the carrot missiles I used didnt work

I don't mean to be rude but how hard can it be to put a brick on a bin? You could poison someone's pets ffs with the bleach!

As for them pooing on your patio, if you were that bothered you would get a litter tray like people have suggested because cats like to bury their poo so they would rather use the tray.

If that doesn't work get one of those ultrasound things because in which magazine they said they were the most effective way of keeping cats away from your garden.

Failing that, you could always get a cat of your own. We have a cat and no other cats come in our garden what so ever.