Dear All,

Last summer we had a patio built, along with a couple of planting
walls. Our cat has for the past year been religiously using a certain
area as her toilet. As she was previously a cat litter girl I don't
want to confuse her by stopping her going there.

As its now planting season I would like to plant in this area. For the
first time in a year I spent a lot of time a few weeks ago digging
around removing all toilet, along with fossilised toilet remains, from
the area. However, as my toddler has proven, there is still a lot
there.

I did plant one lone small lavender a few weeks ago and that appears to
be sprouting. I would ideallly like a lavender border, or anything else
colourful and scented. Ideas?

My question? Does anyone know of any plants/ shrubs/ climbers that
would survive in such an environment? If not, do you think digging in
loads of fertiliser/ compost/(?I am a new gardener) would solve the
problem adequately enough?

I would much appreciate your advice.
Many thanks

Rebecca

Rebecca. Thank God we have a sensible and responsible cat owner. You are one
in a million and must be congratulated.

As you have managed to 'train' your animal to use one spot in the garden,
please please please forget that it is part of 'your' garden and leave it to
the cat. Ensure that your toddler does not go in that area by explaining
that this is the cat's toilet and just as you don't want to let the cat see
you on the toilet, leave that area to the cat. Sounds daft but it isn't.

With regards to cleaning and keeping the area sweet, yes plant up 'around
it' with lavender and such like, but ensure that apart from cleaning the
cat's area and raking the soil, then leave it to the cat.

Guide Dogs for the Blind Puppy Walkers, train a future Guide Dog in a very
similar way, but there is a 'command word' to ensure that the Puppy knows it
is doing the right thing, and that is 'Busy'. A Guide Dog will hold itself
until a suitable place is found when out walking, and when told 'Busy' will
relieve itself and is then praised with a pat and a 'Good Girl/Boy' as fits
the sex :-))

You may wish to do what we have done as dog owners and Puppy Walkers in the
past and that is under a tree or bush, dig a deep hole, a spade width square
as deep as you can. When you cat has left it's deposit, drop it in the hole
and put a light covering of soil over it and continue until nearly full then
fill in. And start another hole. For a small dog or cat, a deep hole will
last 4 - 5 months at least.

Been there, done that, got the Tee Shirt.

Mike

--
National Service (RAF) Ass. Cosford 24 - 27 June Spitfire Fly Past
H.M.S.Impregnable Ass. Sussex 1 - 4 July Visit to Int. Fest of the Sea
RAF Regiment Assoc. Scarborough 2 - 5 Sept. Visit to Eden Camp
H.M.S.Collingwood Assn Trafalgar Dinner. Coventry October 21 - 24
"Rebecca" wrote in message
oups.com...
Dear All,

Last summer we had a patio built, along with a couple of planting
walls. Our cat has for the past year been religiously using a certain
area as her toilet. As she was previously a cat litter girl I don't
want to confuse her by stopping her going there.

As its now planting season I would like to plant in this area. For the
first time in a year I spent a lot of time a few weeks ago digging
around removing all toilet, along with fossilised toilet remains, from
the area. However, as my toddler has proven, there is still a lot
there.

I did plant one lone small lavender a few weeks ago and that appears to
be sprouting. I would ideallly like a lavender border, or anything else
colourful and scented. Ideas?

My question? Does anyone know of any plants/ shrubs/ climbers that
would survive in such an environment? If not, do you think digging in
loads of fertiliser/ compost/(?I am a new gardener) would solve the
problem adequately enough?

I would much appreciate your advice.
Many thanks

Rebecca

"Rebecca" wrote in
oups.com:

Dear All,

Last summer we had a patio built, along with a couple of planting
walls. Our cat has for the past year been religiously using a certain
area as her toilet. As she was previously a cat litter girl I don't
want to confuse her by stopping her going there.

As its now planting season I would like to plant in this area.

You shouldn't need to add fertiliser - the cat has been doing that! If
anything you may find the soil is too rich for some plants.

There should be no problem with planting - but there may be a problem
with planting it and still having it as a cat toilet area.

Cats like loose soil, and you will probably find that either the cat
will pull up the things planted, or, if you plant large potted plants
that are too heavy for her to move, that the area will become less
attractive as a cat toilet because it's now full of plants and the soil
isn't so easy to move about.

If you want to keep it as a cat toilet but also plant it up, what you
want is plants that are tall enough that she can get in underneath them,
that are not too shallow rooting, and that will not need replacing every
year (bedding plants and cats are a bad combination - far too easy to
dig up!).

I use rose bushes for this task, and mulch underneath them with spent
potting compost which is nice and light to encourage my cats to dig
there. As the roses are prickly, they also discourage my greyhound from
getting in there and munching the cat leavings (yes, dogs really are
revolting aren't they...) and I have planted catnip round the edges for
extra pussycat pleasure.

However, if your toddler keeps getting into the cat toilet, this might
be a good time to relocate it further from the patio. Cats are pretty
adaptable, and if you make a nice digging area somewhere further from
the house, then gradually plant up the old toilet with lavender, she
will probably move of her own accord.

Victoria
--
gardening on a north-facing hill
in South-East Cornwall
--

Very helpful and reassuring advice. Thank you. I'm not too worried
about the toddler - he was only interested as he saw me digging around
(clearing out). If there were plants there he wouldn't be interested.

Rebecca