There’s nothing quite so frustrating as a gardener discovering your precious lawns dug up by foxes, or finding your flower beds soiled by the neighbours’ cats. Unwelcome visitors, such as cats and foxes, can uproot bulbs and seeds, damage flowers, and generally wreak havoc, something many pet owners regard as simply part of gardening.
While it is simply impossible to banish animals from your garden completely, there are some ways to safely deter them. In an exclusive interview with Express.co.uk, Matt Jordon, gardening expert at the Greenhouse People, has shared exactly how homeowners can do it.
Maintain everything well-trimmed
Foxes and cats favour spaces that make them feel safe and secure, and a garden with overgrown areas can offer them shelter. For those attempting to prevent these animals from entering and settling in gardens, give those hedges a trim and that lawn a mow.
Matt said: “Foxes love overgrown areas, so keeping your garden neat and tidy is a sure and effective way to help deter foxes from doing their business in your backyard. Focus on keeping your grass trimmed short, cutting back any overgrown bushes or shrubbery and keeping planting schemes tightly packed to avoid attracting foxes to den in your garden overnight and encouraging cats to come and dig in your garden.”
However, bear in mind that overgrown areas are also havens for numerous other wildlife, such as hedgehogs. Allowing wildflowers to flourish will also benefit pollinators.
Invest in some motion-sensor deterrents
Foxes and cats prefer a sense of security, so employing motion sensor lights or even motion-activated sprinklers can help deter them.
Matt elaborated: “Foxes and cats are more likely to move on from gardens where they don’t feel secure, so sudden lights, noises and sensations should scare off unwanted guests and prevent your garden from becoming a public toilet. Motion-activated lights are not only a good investment for your home’s safety, but they also conveniently keep foxes, cats, and other pests at bay without harming them.
“Alternatively, sprinklers are a popular option for struggling gardeners. Cats infamously aren’t fans of water, so making sure your grass and flowerbeds are damp will deter them from toileting in your garden.” Bear in mind that they may become accustomed to certain methods, so gardeners might want to experiment with a range of tactics.
Make your garden uncomfortable
While this tip could potentially assist with deterring foxes as well, it is particularly effective for scaring away unwanted cats, as they are extremely sensitive to unusual textures. According to Matt, gardeners should “try spreading larger mulch chunks or rocks across flower beds to keep cats away”.
You can also spread some thin chicken wire over the surface of your soil as a safe way to make your garden uncomfortable to step on.
He added: “Be wary that if you have stony areas in your garden, avoid using too fine a gravel which could be misinterpreted as a large litter tray for cats. You should avoid using any spikes or dangerous materials that could bring harm to your neighbouring felines and foxes.”
Remove food sources
Cats and foxes may visit gardens to “seek out food”, according to Matt, who advised: “You’ll need to remove bird feeders and make sure your bins are secure. A sudden surge in cat and fox droppings could even be a sign that mice have found their way into your garden and are attracting predators. Double-check that your compost pile hasn’t become a rodent nest and that there aren’t any food scraps attracting vermin.”
Create a homemade deterrent
Foxes possess an exceptionally keen sense of smell and are opportunistic feeders. Properties with poultry or rabbits, bird feeding stations, unsecured waste bins and vegetable gardens prove particularly attractive.
The gardening expert cautioned: “Pests like foxes use scents to mark their territory to return to at a later date, which, unfortunately for your garden, means it’ll become that fox’s personal toilet.
“Spraying a vinegar mixture over your plants and lawn will help rid your garden of any marking scents and stop them from returning. You can also try adding scents foxes don’t like, such as garlic or chilli peppers. To repel cats, try citrus smells or herbaceous fragrances such as lavender, rosemary and peppermint.”
If a fox has marked its territory, it will require some persistence to encourage them to move on, and if they feels their territory is under threat, gardeners may find an increase in marking.
Matt warns that, of all the side effects of cats and foxes, faeces could be the most hazardous.
This is due to many pets having the habit of eating their own poo and other animal faeces.
However, this is a highly dangerous habit for your pet, as animal poo can carry a range of diseases and parasites. One of the deadliest for dogs is parvovirus, which is highly contagious and can often prove fatal, particularly for unvaccinated dogs.
The expert noted: “Not only is poo dangerous to pets, but it can also harm humans. Cat stool poses a serious threat to both humans and other cats, and should never be left to fester in the garden.
“Toxoplasmosis is an infection which infected cats can pass on to humans through their faeces and is particularly dangerous for those who are pregnant or have weakened immune systems. Follow my top five tips to prevent cats and foxes from pooing in your garden.”
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