My Pericles is the strongest-willed cat I have ever
been owned by, and that goes back a lot of years.

He had a terrible accident to his hind leg that co$t me a
bundle, so I try to keep him in at night. If he needs a bm, he does
it in a big planter in the living room -- you can imagine the mess!

He has stopped pooping in the elegant toilet I bought him,
filled with expensive crystals, but instead, during the day, is going
in my veg. gardens. Nothing deters him. I even tried mothballs
again (dodges blows), but he just brushes them aside.

To the point: Would coffee grounds be (a) a deterrent
and (b) not harmful to the veggies? Not a huge coffee drinker,
moi, but I could ask at a coffee shop (has anybody done this?
what success?)

Your experience earnestly solicited.

--

Zone 24/8
So. Calif Coastal

Polar

Polar said:
story of strong-willed cat

To the point: Would coffee grounds be (a) a deterrent
and (b) not harmful to the veggies? Not a huge coffee drinker,
moi, but I could ask at a coffee shop (has anybody done this?
what success?)

What seems to help keep the neighborhood cats away from the
flowere beds (the veggie garden has more rigorous protection):

cocoashell mulch (straight)

cocoashell mulch mixed with leaves and coffeegrounds

any kind of mulch topped with ground-up citrus peels (needs to be topped off
more often than the cocoashell mulch mixes)

fencing in a very low arch over the plants (particularly useful over winter,
close to the house)


Pure coffeegrounds tend to clump and stink.

--
Pat in Plymouth MI

Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
(attributed to Don Marti)

On Mon, 21 Apr 2003 05:29:20 -0500, (Pat Kiewicz)
wrote:

Polar said:
story of strong-willed cat

To the point: Would coffee grounds be (a) a deterrent
and (b) not harmful to the veggies? Not a huge coffee drinker,
moi, but I could ask at a coffee shop (has anybody done this?
what success?)

What seems to help keep the neighborhood cats away from the
flowere beds (the veggie garden has more rigorous protection):

cocoashell mulch (straight)

cocoashell mulch mixed with leaves and coffeegrounds

OK, I was into cocoa mulch for quite a while, but somebody on this NG
turned me off it (my inference, not their instructions!) by suggesting
that it got clumpy over time & lost its beauty.

Sigh! I always believe what the last person tells me about anything.
Eternal naive.

any kind of mulch topped with ground-up citrus peels (needs to be topped off
more often than the cocoashell mulch mixes)

Aha! That sounds better than what I was trying, namely, scattering
bits of orange peel over the area. Will try the ground-up technique;
thanks a bunch. Seems like the grinding process (Cuisinart OK?) would
release more of the pungent oils.

fencing in a very low arch over the plants (particularly useful over winter,
close to the house)

Thought of that; may still try it, though Pericles is endlessly
resourceful. He would (might?) jump up on the wall backing the veg
garden and then jump down. OTOH, he might decide it's too much
trouble. Worth looking into. PITA to remove fenceeach time one needs
to weed or harvest, but beats "harvesting" an indescribable squishy
lump..g

I already have wide-mesh netting draped completely over the middle
bed containing 50 strawberry plants, to keep the birds off. Draped it
over tall stakes pounded in around the area

Pure coffeegrounds tend to clump and stink.

Hmm...maybe if scattered thinly?

I can see this is going to be trial & error g

Thanks for all suggestions.

--

Zone 24/8
So. Calif Coastal

Polar

Polar said:

On Mon, 21 Apr 2003 05:29:20 -0500, (Pat Kiewicz)
wrote:

OK, I was into cocoa mulch for quite a while, but somebody on this NG
turned me off it (my inference, not their instructions!) by suggesting
that it got clumpy over time & lost its beauty.

Pure cocoa mulch does get clumpy and even gooey under the top, which
is one reason why digging in it wouldn't appeal to cats...

Blended with leaves cocoashell don't get so clumpy. The resulting mulch
(especially when blended with coffeegrounds) is a slow fertilizer application, too.


any kind of mulch topped with ground-up citrus peels (needs to be topped off
more often than the cocoashell mulch mixes)

Aha! That sounds better than what I was trying, namely, scattering
bits of orange peel over the area. Will try the ground-up technique;
thanks a bunch. Seems like the grinding process (Cuisinart OK?) would
release more of the pungent oils.

Cuisinart is perfect!

--
Pat in Plymouth MI

Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
(attributed to Don Marti)

On Sun, 20 Apr 2003 12:11:56 -0700, Polar
wrote:

He has stopped pooping in the elegant toilet I bought him,
filled with expensive crystals, but instead, during the day, is going
in my veg. gardens. Nothing deters him. I even tried mothballs
again (dodges blows), but he just brushes them aside.

Cats tend to prefer nice, fluffy, recently-dug soil. Watch out, veg
patch. You might try offering an alternative -- a space as much like
your veg area as possible, easily accessible, with consistently
easy-to-dig (and dry as possible) dirt. An outdoor litterbox, in fact.

For the indoors, did Pericles change his habits when you got the new
box, changed the litter, or moved the box to a new place? If he was OK
with store-brand clay, maybe he just doesn't care for glitter-litter.

I always believe what the last person tells me about anything.

Me, too. :-)

On Tue, 22 Apr 2003 13:09:02 GMT, (Frogleg)
wrote:

On Sun, 20 Apr 2003 12:11:56 -0700, Polar
wrote:

He has stopped pooping in the elegant toilet I bought him,
filled with expensive crystals, but instead, during the day, is going
in my veg. gardens. Nothing deters him. I even tried mothballs
again (dodges blows), but he just brushes them aside.

Cats tend to prefer nice, fluffy, recently-dug soil. Watch out, veg
patch.

Thou has said it! I sowed green onions between rows of strawberries
(in a separate small patch, not the one I covered with netting), and
guess what -- yes, both rows.

You might try offering an alternative -- a space as much like
your veg area as possible, easily accessible, with consistently
easy-to-dig (and dry as possible) dirt. An outdoor litterbox, in fact.

Was thinking of that, actually. Where I'd LIKE him to go, if he *has*
to go outdoors, is an empty area in back of the new landscaping, that
is nice and fluffy, with thick-ish coat of redwood compost. Maybe if I
"inoculate" it with some poop he'll get the message ?

For the indoors, did Pericles change his habits when you got the new
box, changed the litter, or moved the box to a new place? If he was OK
with store-brand clay, maybe he just doesn't care for glitter-litter.

No, he was consistent with the crystals that I used in the "elegant
toilet" which was was in place from Day One when I brought him
home as a kitten. It was only *much* later, after I had been keeping
him indoors in a sickroom recovering from his accident, when he got to
go outside again, that he disdained the indoor toilet.

In fact -- little monster!! -- even with this clean crystal toilet
available, since I am now keeping him in at night, he has several
times dug into a large indoor planter and draped poop all over the
side and on the floor!

(Incidentally -- this is weird -- when I cleaned the poop off the
copper planter, it shone brand-new, like I have never been able to
clean it with commercial products!

I always believe what the last person tells me about anything.

Me, too. :-)


--
Polar

Ever consider the animal control sprinklers you see in garden catalogs?
They are said to be able to direct a nice jet of water at anything that
moves within range. BUt you may need more than one to get good coverage of
the garden. Cats have major issues with the fear of being wet. Though
they swim very well. Go figure. If they were easy to figure out they'd be
dogs. It's part of the intrigue of having them around.

Is the indoor litter box in a place where the cat knows to look for it, and
is it nice and clean? Cats have a double-whammy in that they like to go in
the same general area each time but they also like to go in the cleanest
place they can scratch up enough loose material to cover it. If it's really
clean, it might actually be too clean and you can, um, seed it with a few
stray poopies.


"Polar" wrote in message
...

My Pericles is the strongest-willed cat I have ever
been owned by, and that goes back a lot of years.

He had a terrible accident to his hind leg that co$t me a
bundle, so I try to keep him in at night. If he needs a bm, he does
it in a big planter in the living room -- you can imagine the mess!

He has stopped pooping in the elegant toilet I bought him,
filled with expensive crystals, but instead, during the day, is going
in my veg. gardens. Nothing deters him. I even tried mothballs
again (dodges blows), but he just brushes them aside.

To the point: Would coffee grounds be (a) a deterrent
and (b) not harmful to the veggies? Not a huge coffee drinker,
moi, but I could ask at a coffee shop (has anybody done this?
what success?)

Your experience earnestly solicited.

--

Zone 24/8
So. Calif Coastal

Polar

On Wed, 23 Apr 2003 11:00:05 GMT, "Tim B" wrote:

Ever consider the animal control sprinklers you see in garden catalogs?
They are said to be able to direct a nice jet of water at anything that
moves within range. BUt you may need more than one to get good coverage of
the garden.

Too expensive for moi. And I'm sure P. would find a way to outwit it.
He is so smart, that if he had an opposable thumb, he could open the
cat food container himself; he always goes straight to it and almost
"points" a la dog. Previous cats just sat there and waited.

Cats have major issues with the fear of being wet. Though
they swim very well. Go figure. If they were easy to figure out they'd be
dogs. It's part of the intrigue of having them around.

Is the indoor litter box in a place where the cat knows to look for it, and
is it nice and clean?

Yes.

Cats have a double-whammy in that they like to go in
the same general area each time but they also like to go in the cleanest
place they can scratch up enough loose material to cover it. If it's really
clean, it might actually be too clean and you can, um, seed it with a few
stray poopies.

Go figure! Just when I had given upon the indoor toilet, and was
about to dismantle it, I found a deposit this morning. That may
have to do with the removal of the indoor planter that he was using.

Sigh! Keeps things lively, trying to second-guess him.




"Polar" wrote in message
.. .

My Pericles is the strongest-willed cat I have ever
been owned by, and that goes back a lot of years.

He had a terrible accident to his hind leg that co$t me a
bundle, so I try to keep him in at night. If he needs a bm, he does
it in a big planter in the living room -- you can imagine the mess!

He has stopped pooping in the elegant toilet I bought him,
filled with expensive crystals, but instead, during the day, is going
in my veg. gardens. Nothing deters him. I even tried mothballs
again (dodges blows), but he just brushes them aside.

To the point: Would coffee grounds be (a) a deterrent
and (b) not harmful to the veggies? Not a huge coffee drinker,
moi, but I could ask at a coffee shop (has anybody done this?
what success?)

Your experience earnestly solicited.

--

Zone 24/8
So. Calif Coastal

Polar




--
Polar

Does anyone have a link to these animal control sprinklers? thanks -Mike
Tim B wrote in message
.. .
Ever consider the animal control sprinklers you see in garden catalogs?
They are said to be able to direct a nice jet of water at anything that
moves within range. BUt you may need more than one to get good coverage
of
the garden. Cats have major issues with the fear of being wet. Though
they swim very well. Go figure. If they were easy to figure out they'd
be
dogs. It's part of the intrigue of having them around.

Is the indoor litter box in a place where the cat knows to look for it,
and
is it nice and clean? Cats have a double-whammy in that they like to go
in
the same general area each time but they also like to go in the cleanest
place they can scratch up enough loose material to cover it. If it's
really
clean, it might actually be too clean and you can, um, seed it with a few
stray poopies.


"Polar" wrote in message
...

My Pericles is the strongest-willed cat I have ever
been owned by, and that goes back a lot of years.

He had a terrible accident to his hind leg that co$t me a
bundle, so I try to keep him in at night. If he needs a bm, he does
it in a big planter in the living room -- you can imagine the mess!

He has stopped pooping in the elegant toilet I bought him,
filled with expensive crystals, but instead, during the day, is going
in my veg. gardens. Nothing deters him. I even tried mothballs
again (dodges blows), but he just brushes them aside.

To the point: Would coffee grounds be (a) a deterrent
and (b) not harmful to the veggies? Not a huge coffee drinker,
moi, but I could ask at a coffee shop (has anybody done this?
what success?)

Your experience earnestly solicited.

--

Zone 24/8
So. Calif Coastal

Polar

lummy said:

Cocoa nbean mulch can also be harmful to dogs. As chocolate is toxic to
dogs, some young dogs may eat the mulch.

I doubt that any dog would eat enough of the shells to be a problem. These
are husks -- the equivalent of cocoa bean bran. Once down, the smell
short lived. In short order it turns 'mulchy.' The only form that would be
really appealing would be dry, bagged shells. So keep don't leave those
where Fido can get them.

If you do have a dog that like to eat mulch, I think you would more likely
have to worry about intestinal blockages than theobromine poisoning.
--
Pat in Plymouth MI

Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
(attributed to Don Marti)