Anyone who owns a cat knows that they love the sunshine and the smell of the outdoors. However, as much as we love our feline friends, cats in the garden can be a real nuisance. They will end up digging your flowerbeds, which you have worked on for hours, and use them as a litter box. To add to the misery, tomcats will spray the foliage with their urine to mark their territory or just flatten all the plants as they loll around in your flowerbed, comfortably sunbathing while all your hard work goes out for a toss. The unfortunate, unappreciative behavior of cats towards flowerbeds and gardens, can result in misery and hostility towards the cat. However, instead of attacking the poor cat, try these simple and effective steps for keeping the cats out of your garden.

Tips on How to Keep Cats Out of Flower Beds

Cats are usually quite free-spirited, wanting to roam around the world, without hindrance. Since they are pretty agile and can seem to jump over or squeeze into anything, they usually manage to get into your home territory quite easily. However, there are a list of commercial as well as homemade cat deterrents, that seem to work effectively in keeping them away from your flowerbeds.

Tip 1: Before you can implement any steps to stop the cat from ruining your precious flowerbeds, it is advisable to talk to the owner of the cat and know if it is domesticated. However, if you are that unfortunate a cat owner, it is recommended that you look into options like cat proofing your garden or cat enclosures. Believe me, it will not only make your neighbors happy, but your cat will be safe as well. Building a toilet area for your cat, like a sand pit, is a great idea.

Tip 2: There are many commercial cat deterrents available in the market. Most of these chemicals contain the active ingredient, methylnonylketone, which should not be used near food crops. Any of these can be used to protect your flowerbeds.

Tip 3: This is one method that I am sure will work, even if for a limited time. As soon as you see the cats near your flowerbeds, just squirt some water on them. Since cats HATE water, they will probably just get flustered and not come back again. There are certain motion activated sprinklers, that use infrared to detect the animal and shoot a jet of water on it. If the cat belongs to someone you know, it is advisable that you tell them of the plan and assure them that you will not hurt the cat. This method is however severely limited by the fact that some weird cats might actually think you are playing with them!

Tip 4: A great way to keep the cats off the flowerbeds, is by spreading peels of lemon, orange or grapefruit on it. For some reason, cats seem to have a developed distaste for citrus smells. Drops of citrus oil or coffee grounds also seem to do the job just as well.

Tip 5: By installing a fine garden netting over the soil in the flowerbed, you can ascertain that the cat does not dig away the soil. Placing it an inch or two above the flowerbed ensures that they are not walking on it either. You can also try spreading pine cones, by adding it to the mulch on the flowerbeds. Since cat paws are sensitive, they would usually avoid such places. Alternately, you can cover the ground with rough-surfaced rocks or use the branches of a thorny plant.

Tip 6: Most gardeners around the world have the ‘perfect plant solution’ and it involves planting certain plants in the garden, that repel cats. Marigolds are a great option in this case. Not only do they look good and are fairly easy to grow, but they also possess a scent that keeps cats away from the flowerbeds. Plants such as geranium, pennyroyal, rue, lavender, garlic, lemon thyme, lemon verbena and other strongly scented plants are also unpleasant to cats. A weed originating in Europe, known as ‘coleus canina’, deters the presence of cats, by emitting an odor offensive to them (but not to humans).

Tip 7: High frequency sounds emitted by ultrasonic devices usually send the cat running, while causing no distress to your ears.

If these tips do not seem to work, try to make your garden less cat-friendly, by doing away with the huge cat magnets, like bird feeders and birdbaths. If you have catnip plants, please do away with them unless you want cats from miles away, swarming into your garden. There are people who also recommend getting a dog. However, I do not think it’s a good idea because if the dog attacks the cat, you could be fined. Also instead of the cat ruining the flowerbeds, a dog may destroy it in completely different ways and then you would probably end up reading an article on ‘how to keep dogs out of flowerbeds’.

Developed by Dr. Edward Bach in the 1930’s, Rescue Remedy is a trade name for the herbal remedy made from a combination of Bach flower extracts. It has been successfully used by doctors as a homeopathic treatment for emotional imbalance and behavioral problems, in both humans as well as animals. Rescue Remedy for dogs, has been effective in calming dogs who display negative emotions or hyperactivity, when faced with stressful situations. These can include visits to the vet, loud noises during thunderstorms and fireworks, mistreatment, separation anxiety, adaptation to new surroundings or loss of a companion. By using this flower essence therapy, pet owners can now deal with these situations without having to worry about the side effects, that the dog may have.

Workings of Flower Essences

The basis of using flower essences as a homeopathic treatment, lies in its use as a healing force for mental and emotional illness. It is said to release negative emotions, by helping and calming the person or animal. This in turn, seems to be a healer of the physical illnesses, that were caused due to emotional imbalances. The flower essences derived from parts of flowers and thereon diluted and potentized for effectiveness, work on the energetic level. By affecting and restoring the vital force, the particles in the essences work in a specific pattern to cure various illnesses. It is up to the medical practitioner to choose the most effective treatment based on the ailment. Since it was first developed by Dr. Bach, the 38 Bach flower essences have been used by veterinarians in the field of animal health.

Rescue Remedy for Dogs

A commonly used Bach flower remedy, Rescue Remedy is made from the combination of five of the thirty eight original remedies. The combination of the five essences allows it to become a unique essence in itself, which is different from its constituent essences.

The five constituent flower essences in Bach Rescue Remedy are:

• Clematis (Clematis vitalba): The essence is used in the treatment of faintness or bemused and stunned feelings. It is effective in increasing the attention span and focus of the animal in training. It helps an animal regain consciousness after having been in a state of comatose.
• Rock Rose (Helianthemum nummularium): It is a remedy for terror and panic in dogs who have been involved in an accident, injury, fire or any other terrifying event. It is essentially useful for the dogs who are involved in police work. It has also been effective in treating dogs who are overtly fearful of their lives.
• Cherry Plum (Prunus serasifera): Used to control hysterical and highly strung animals, this essence is effective when controlling animals in a stressed situation like competitions or training. It is also useful while dealing with seizures or anxiety attacks. For an animal which becomes crazed when provoked, or when it sees another animal in its territory, the cherry plum essence has been known to be an effective calming agent.
• Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum): It is used in calming dogs who are in shock, grief or are just frightened. It is increasingly being used in kennels where animals are left alone or during the time that the injured or ill animal is required to stay in a veterinary clinic.
• Impatiens (Impatiens glandulifera): The essence helps soothe dogs who are impatient or agitated due to pain. It is also effective in any nervous difficulties that an overly anxious dog may be facing. It is used for dogs who have epileptic type fits, especially when agitated by being overly excited or upset.

To administer the dosage to your dog, just add 4-8 drops of essence either into the dog’s mouth or on its nose. The drops need not be swallowed but must only contact the mucous membranes, i.e the gums, tongue or lips. You can even place the dosage in drinking water or food. Alternately, you can add a dropper full of the essence to spring water in a spray bottle and spray it around your pet. The frequency of dosage is determined by the problem that the dog is facing. Although for most behavioral problems, you can give 3 to 4 times a day for 2 to 4 weeks, the remedy can be given as often as needed, even every few minutes.

Like humans, Rescue Remedy for pets is successful in dealing with problems in behavior, which the traumatized animal might not be able to communicate in words. So if you are faced with behavioral problems of your pets, Rescue Remedy for cats and dogs is a non toxic therapy that provides a quick solution. However, having said that, each dog is unique and the response to the remedy may differ in each case. It is imperative that a dog owner understands that the remedies are not a replacement for vital or important medical diagnosis and attention. These remedies are used to treat secondary symptoms and are not a treatment for emotional imbalance caused by physical illness.

Source: buzzle.com

The ingredients in your dog or cat food, be it packed, raw or organic, may shock you. What is even more surprising is that even the premium pet food brands don’t contain the right nutrients that will sustain your beloved pet’s health.

And what are some of these important components? For both cats and dogs, a nutritious pet diet must have vegetables and fruits. These organic foods contain antioxidants, as well as fiber, vitamins, and phytonutrients. Your pet’s food should also have direct-fed microbials which are commonly found in yogurt. Omega-3 fatty acids must be added in your list for they can keep pet’s coat shiny.

Don’t feed your dog with foods like corn, soy, or wheat, especially in large amount. Such foods are not sufficient sources of protein and your pet will get a hard time digesting them, resulting to colitis and urinary tract infections. As much as possible, purchase a nutritious pet food that has grain and uses ingredients like brown rice, oats, barley, or other easy-to-digest components.

Whenever you buy a pet food in the supermarket, make sure that it contains the “complete and balanced” label. These dog foods have met the standards established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).You can visit www.fda.gov to know more tips on selecting nutritious pet food