Hi;
They have a motion sensing sprinkler only comes on for around 60 sec and is triggered by motion. These work really well they are somewhat expensive around $75. Someone may have one cheaper shop around.
Good luck
Keith

Here is a link that might be useful: Lee Valley

Skyclad,

I'd be really wary of eating anything that had fresh cat turds around it. At the very least, rinse it extremely well.

Mark

I had the same problem with one neighbors cat. I got those wooden sticks you use for shish kabob--break them in half and stick them in the ground. Makes it uncomfortable for them to sit down and seemed to work.

This may not be practical for you, but I had this same problem this past spring with a raised garden bed and didn't have the space for a motion-activated sprinkler. Instead, I solved it by adding a layer of wood chips on top of the soil. Apparently cats do not like walking on them. In any case, I haven't had a single incident since I added the chips. They also sell mats that are designed to be unpleasant for animals to walk on for this same purpose.

Others I've talked to have had some success using the smelly stuff they sell at Home Depot to keep animals away. I'm not sure about the specifics of that.

Maybe you could plant an out of the way corner with some catnip or something and lure them away from the plants that way.

john>>I like the idea of the little punje sticks for cats, I wonder if I could make that work for squirrels....hmmmmmm

kendra

Kendra

Haven't tried with squirrels. They and the chipmunks dig up any new bed, burying or looking for previously buried peanuts and sunflowers seeds. I put down wire mesh and plastic shelves until the plants get a little size.

motion sprinkler setup is the best by far!!!!
can be built for less that 10 bucks.
buy a new or used motion light and mount it on a board that can be in the garden.
then take out 1 bulb and screw in a bulb base plugin ( 69 cents)
go to junkyard or applience repair store and buy or salvage a washing machine water solenoid .
hook it up to the plug and run your sprinkler off it.
I have made about 30 of these for gardens and back alleys.
there are businesses that dont like the drunks and street people peeing on there property so this setup will stop that .
keep it safe as you are working with power and water !!!!!
if this seems too hard to build buy a premade unit if there is one .
but it does work .
it also keeps alot of other things out of the garden.
kids , deer, cats, rabbits, the list goes on.