Unfortunately, cats choose their toilet based upon the type of soil
covering, preferring something
loose to dig in. They are attracted to sand, leaf litter, grass clippings,
freshly dug soil - anything that
is easy to dig in. Cats also prefer to go to the toilet in an area in which
they feel safe from predators etc.
If you encourage the kitten to go into your garden then you should be
prepared for the odd mess there.
Putting food in the garden might help a little because cats do not like to
excrete near their food, but
if there is plenty of garden - the cat may well use another area of it. Even
if you chase the cat out, it may
visit your garden while you are not there. The only thing to do is either
use a pet detterant (these can be found
in most gardening centres or supermarkets), or to accept the fact that your
garden is going to be fertilised.
Cats bury their waste, so there should be no unpleasant smell unless you
happen to unearth something while
gardening. Worms and beetles usually make short work of most excreta so,
this should not be too often.
Also, if you have a sandpit - cover it when it is not in use as
neighbourhood cats will think of it as a big litterbox.
Cats do not intentionally cause harm to your garden - so do not punish an
animal for what is its nature. Either
accept the kitten, (and whatever may come with it), into your garden or try
and deter it as much as possible without causing it harm.

-Silver
"I love cats because I enjoy my home; & little by little, they become its
visible soul."

- Jean Cocteau 1889-1963.

"j west +++" <tru5tru@REMOOVEhotmail.com> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:gojTc.275$TS.169@newsfe3-gui.ntli.net...

Yes, there is truth in this. BUT it's not good to feed someone else's cat.
We have a new cat, and the neighbour has some lovely flowers with even more
lovely loose soil - the very thing to dig, especially because the neighbour
has neither cat nor dog.
I have introduced the cat first thing to those neighbours and offered to do
everything to help keeping the cat away from the flowers.
It helps that I have a good neighbourhood and that most of them are cat
friendly. And I want to keep it like that. Now the neighbour says that
coffee grounds keep the cats away and is even good for the flowers. We can
get this stuff free in any restaurant (or drink enough coffee ourselves). My
other option is to use a hose and scream SCHHSCH! I'm prepared to buy a new
plant if I have to. Well, I would talk to the neighbours.

Carola

The "mess" is what would, in a wild situation, benefit your garden. In
addition to this, cats usually bury their waste underground - not in the
middle of your yard. Therefore, it's not even an inconvenience to you...

I would welcome any cats, as their contributions when considered in the
balance of things are POSITIVE!!!

After reading all the replies about cats, gardens, smell etc.,, I have just
one question.............Why not just keep the cat indoors?
Shirley

I've read ( in this NG, I think ) that cats do not like citrus. Placing some slices of oranges or even small amounts of OJ ( get the cheap stuff ) around the garden _may_ deter the cat. I'm not sure the above is true, and the cure may be worse the the problem. Unfortunately, cats more often tend to train us to accept and adapt to their behavior than we succeed in changing their behavior.

koyaanisqatsi

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* "Reality is that which, when one stops believing in it, does *
*  not go away."--????                                         *
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j west +++ wrote: