Cats instinctively like to roam their neighbour’s gardens, but it can be frustrating when they use them as litter trays.

Fed up with their neighbour’s cat destroying her flower bed, one woman took to the Gardening UK Facebook page for advice.

Posting a picture of her damaged flower bed, Katherine Smith said: “This is my east-facing flower bed, below the front window – currently covered in the neighbour’s cat poo.

“So ideas of what to plant or do with this space to make it less appealing to our feline friends please?”

Group members recommended that Katherine place something with a “strong odour” as this will put cats off.

One of the most common scents that kept cropping up in the comments was citrus – specifically orange peels.

Margarita Mayes said: “My garden is littered (excuse the pun) with various citrus fruit peels, more so orange. 

“My neighbour gave me that advice and since the citrus invasion, those pesky felines go elsewhere. 

“Not even the size of my Old English Sheepdog deterred the cats. If anything, all she wanted to do was play.”

Caroline Stewart suggested: “Orange peel. I use that. Eat the inside and then put the peel all over the place, pith face down. 

“Cats hate it, plus you get rid of rats and slugs too. You can then get rid of them and either replace the peel or reuse them. Plus the orange is good too.”

Anne Harvey said: “Orange peels is what l use as my neighbour’s cat does it on my drive. Not funny when you get in the car at night and get it all over your shoes.”

Sam Roberts wrote: “They don’t like the smell of orange peels so add some onto your soil, it doesn’t hurt cats but deters them.”

Oranges are cheap to buy from the supermarket and as a pack of five retails for 89p at Sainsbury’s – this works out as 18p per orange. 

According to veterinary nurse Helen Crofts, leaving orange peel around plants may help prevent cats from using a particular area of your garden as a toilet and stop them from digging around your prize marigolds. 

She explained: “The idea behind this is simply the cat smells the fruit, dislikes it and so wanders off. 

“Interestingly, for cats who have come across this pungent smell before, it is likely that they will have an even stronger reaction to citrus smells than normal.”

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Post source: Express