How can I get the local cats to stay out of my garden without spoiling the area for my rabbits?

My rabbits have the run of the garden, but neighbours cats come in and pooh. I heard that garlic powder and orange peel deter cats, but I am worried that my rabbits wont like the smells either....suggestions, please?

How can I get the local cats to stay out of my garden without spoiling the area for my rabbits?
The most natural way is to put physical barriers between cats and the dirt, mulch or sand they like to go in. Since cats like to bury their poop (not all the time but often enough), they like having something that is soft and easy to push around.



You can plant your garden more thickly or place flagstones, larger river rocks or other hard to move items in between plantings. Some cats like to go in low growing ground cover like ivy so I would avoid those as well.



This would be a more expensive solution depending on the size of your garden but it is permanent and does not have to be renewed. Since cats have already been in your garden, you may want to replace some of that soil first.
Reply:i dunno about detering cats from gardens, i would much rather have cats in the garden than rabbits and squirrels...the little munchkins munch too much of the garden and the cats tend to keep them away. and that for my garden suits me...but if you like rabbits in the garden plant catnip elsewhere in the yard, or in the front yard away from the garden and out of sight of the garden, the cats will go to that and leave the bunnys alone (well, maybe...cats are natural hunters, but atleast the bunnies will get a head start).
Reply:Good luck I can see no way that you can do that. I bought an abandon house that strays lived all around. I could not find away to get rid of them. I was unable to open a window it smelled so bad. I finely had to resort to a live trap, and the humane society. Your rabbits will react to what ever you put out. Sorry.
Reply:There are sprays you can get to keep cats away from an area; however, I do not know what affect they will have on your plants and your rabbits. The scent of citrus does keep cats away, or most anyway. However, PLEASE do not use garlic in any form. It is poisonous to cats and although I know you want them away, they shouldn't be made ill or possibly killed in the process.



Try going to a pet store and asking. They would know more about both cats AND rabbits.
Reply:this is a risky proposal, but if you give the cats another place to frequent, maybe they'll leave the garden alone. We had a lilac tree in our yard that neighborhood cats seemed to like. We couldn't figure out why til we realized there was catnip growing underneath it.



I will caution that catnip is part of the mint family and VERY invasive. Once you start it, you'll find it very difficult to get rid of, but if you plant it inside a pot and sink the pot into the ground, that might help.



Good luck!
Reply:Fill clear plastic bottles about 1/3 full of water.... place these around your yard. The cats will see the sparkle on the water and their own reflection, and they will think it is another cat and leave.
Reply:I would not worry about the rabbits at all! I did that to try to get rabbits out of my garden and they seemed to like it more, I even sprayed water, Cian and garlic powder on the plants and the rabbits just kept on eating.
Reply:Have a dog barking near by.

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