Cat Deterrents for your Garden: Keep in mind that each cat is different (like people), a deterrent that works for one may not necessarily work for another. On the plus side, most cats will keep pesty squirrels, moles and other critters out of your garden. They're great for keeping out moles, rabbits, squirrels, and other critters which can do more damage in your garden than a cat ever will. If the cats have owners, talk to them without being confrontational. The cat owner who allows his cat to damage other peoples' property is as guilty as the cat hater who kills the cat for trespassing. Remember, cats will be cats, and it is unfair of us to blame them for being what they are and how nature intended them to participate in this world.� After-all, we praise them when they catch mice or rats or other creatures we deem to be 'pests'. * amonia soaked (corncobs, etc) * aluminum foil * bamboo skewers * black pepper * blood meal fertilizer * bramble cuttings * Carefresh - "recycled" wood pulp * catnip - donated into your neighbor's yards (so they'll stay in their own yards) * cedar compost * chicken wire (metal or plastic) * cinnamon * citrus peels * citrus spray * cocoa bean shells * coffee grounds -fresh & unbrewed, not just a light sprinkling (highly recommended by MANY Gardenwebbers!) * dogs * electric fence for animals * essence of orange. essence of lemon, lime (citrus essential oils) * fresh manure(ditto) * garlic cloves * gumballs from the Sweet Gum Tree * gutter covers * hardware cloth * heavy bark mulch * holly leaves * keep the area damp, they like dry soil * lavender * liquid manure (good for your garden too) * motion sensor sprinkler * pennyroyal * pinecones * pipe tobacco * plastic forks * predator urine * red wine vinegar * river rocks over the exposed soil * rocks, crushed * rose bush clippings * rue, an herb (Ruta graveolens) (highly recommended in plant form only) * short twigs throughout the planted area about 6" apart * six-inch bamboo skewers (pointy side up) * Spray on your leaves (not the cat): fill a spray bottle with 1/2 t chili powder, 1/2 t cayenne pepper, 1 t dish soap and water * squirt gun with water * talk to your neighbors * tansy * thorny berry, lilac, hawthorn, rose clippings * toothpicks * upside down vinyl carpet * vinegar sprayed on areas where they roam * water bottle on "stream" NOT RECOMMENDED: *** chili powder, red crushed pepper, cayenne pepper (NOT recommended), it gets on the cat's paws then they wash themselves and they get it in their eyes, beware cats have literally scratched their eyes out because of this. Even if it's one cat out of 500 infected in this way, that's one too many for me. *** Don't ever use mothballs or flakes. Those little toxic waste pellets destroy cats' kidney function, could seriously harm people who handle them, and yes, contaminate your own garden soil. Their packaging even warns against using them this way. Give them their own areas: (To keep them out of where you don't want them) (If you don't mind them protecting your garden from other critters) + pick the cat up and bring it to eye level with the plant to see and smell it up close. She noted that once her cat has seen and sniffed at the plant, she usually doesn't bother with it later. + give them their own plants - i.e., pots of grass for her to chew on and a place in a large planted container on her balcony with some miscanthus grass in it (the cat likes to curl up in that for some reason) + if the cats are strictly indoors and attracted to your houseplants, grow catgrass for them. If someone forced you to remain inside one enclosed structure all your life, you might be attracted to the plants too. + Barley Grass + Any type of "catgrass" from the pet store + Carex elata 'Bolwes Golden' but put it in some shade + Catmint Nepeta mussinicultivars (Simply put, Catmints are Catnips without any culinary or feline use. In any case, they are, however, phenomenal, long flowering, hardy perennials that belong in every fairie or flower garden.) + Catnip Nepeta cataria (in your own yard) The oils of which also work as a mosquito repellent that works 10 times better than Deet! Catmint is the common name for all varieties of Nepeta. Catnip is the common name for the specific variety of Nepeta called nepeta cataria, which is the variety that cats are most attracted to. + Cat Thyme (Teucrium marum) + Flax + Oat Grass + Jacob's Ladder + Lemon Grass + Loose soil and mulch like small bark mulch + Mints + Purple Fountain Grass so the cat lays in the long leaves all day. Maybe put something in that the cats really like and - you know cats won't winky were they like to hang out. + Sandy area + Silver vine (Actinidia polygama) + Striped Ribbon Grass (can be invasive) + Sweet grass + Trificum aestivum (type of cat grass) + Various Varieties of Cat Mints (Catnips) + Wheat Grass + Wheat Berries + Valerian This list compiled by Violet_Z6, email at violet_z6@yahoo.com for comments and suggestions regarding this list.

It's not too early to start talking about how Big People peepee in the toilet. You need to start at least talking to him about what is wanted. Let him know that Big People dont' wear diapers. He may decide that it is a good idea. Lead him to the bathroom and encourage him to at least try it. Get him to understand that this is important and that this is something that he should try to do. Watch him carefully and if he gives any kind of signal that he is about to wet or have a BM, then take him to the bathroom. Be consistant. You can't try training him one week and then spend a day or two doing other things and being too busy to keep on with it. He will get the idea that you aren't all that serious about it. Try before the bath, bedtime and after meals. With little boys, sometimes the daddy has more influence on this than mommy does. It one of those "guy" things. If he is tall enough, standing up to pee sometimes works better than trying to get him to use a potty chair. Have a low stool or a thick book to stand on helps. Just waiting for him to show an interest isn't always a good idea. Some children, particually boys just won't get the idea on their own. Why should they?? Diapers are handy things and they are not bothered by being wet or soiled. Using the Potty isn't on their list of interesting things to do. You really shouldn't wait. He may not get interested on his own and then you will be faced with a child that will REALLY be hard to train.

Hi Silver, yes I am sure she is medically ok. If she doesnt show signs of urinary urgency (small amounts of urine being passed often that she physically cant hold on to) along with any urinary burning, then she is likely just fine. I used to have to go every 5 mins and dribble and it would burn SO badly. I am sure any of you lovely ladies who have ever suffered cystitis...well x10 and thats how it felt. I was one miserable kid. All is finally good 30 years later:) The only other thing to be slightly aware of is of a tendency towards an immature bladder...that is the nerves and muscles of the bladder can be a little underdeveloped and dont respond as well to the pressure of urine in the bladder. This improves with time, and there are strategies/meds to help train the bladder to hold more and for longer. Believe it or not, voiding frequently ("just in case")when you dont actually feel the urge can worsen the problem. It trains the bladder into sensing the need to void with a small volume, and therefore creating the need to void more frequently. You are right in thinking though that this could very well be an acting out and situational problem-for that i would quietly defer to those moms who have dealt with this types of issues before. That is a challenging problem and my heart goes out to you as you try to resolve it - especially trying to get your ex and his wife on board. Good luck:)

Any time an animal makes a sudden change in urinary habits, the first thing you should do is check for any medical problems, like the above poster said. I have a chi now, he is a foster and I live in the northeast, I put his sweater on and he runs outside, does his thing and runs right back in. A little cold air isn't so bad, of course I wouldn't want to walk him or keep him out any longer than necessary though! I would just rather keep the bathroom habits consistant, and have him go outdoors whenever possbible. But for sure, I think a vet visit should be your first thing. There is a forum called Chihuahua People, free to join, all chi owners, you should be able to get more chi appropriate advice there, and don't worry about the backlash against potty pads, lots of people there use them, either becuase they live in very cold climates or are afraid a hawk or an owl will get the dog! ( horrible as it sounds, it happens!! )