MC,

I bought a "Scarecrow" - try the www.gonegardening site.

It works a treat at keeping cats away and even my granddaughter's hosepipe
loving border collie is frightened to get near it!

However, they are rather rather expensive and to cut down on battery useage
I use a nine volt dc power supply operated by a timer - I kept forgetting to
switch it off and was squirted!

So, in response to your plea for help and perhaps to help others I give the
following suggestion.

If you have five thumbs on each hand and/or are useless at doing anything
technical, read no further.

1. Find an old washing/dishwashing machine which contains a solenoid
operated water control valve and remove it. (It will be used to turn on
water to a hose pipe)

2. Establish the operating voltage of the valve - perhaps a repair man can
help here, he might even be able to check/supply a second hand one.

3 If, as I suspect, the control valve works on mains voltage and is
serviceable, you're halfway home. If low voltage or dc operated, there must
be a transformer/ dc power supply in the machine and you will need it too.
On second thoughts there probably is a transformer, not only to lower the
voltage perhaps but to isolate the voltage from the mains if operated by
240V ac. If this is meaningless to you, go no further you are not technical
enough..

4. If serviceable, purchase a motion detector (B & Q probably) used for
security lighting (not one fitted with a light though) but this time to
operate the valve and perhaps a light (50 W filament bulb in suitable
housing) in parallel.

5 Make yourself a motion operated water squirter to deter cats - if you
cannot figure out how, you should not be trying to do it anyway!

REMEMBER electricity with water around IS DANGEROUS so DO NOT DO THIS
IF YOU ARE NOT SURE WHAT YOU'RE DOING. I take no responsibilty for your
actions.

You might wonder why I did not do this myself - I could not get any bits
from old machines - people were giving them in part exchange I suppose.

Ron