Dear Sinéad and Siouxsie,
Do you have any effective tips for keeping my two cats from doing their business in my flower and veggie gardens? I can hardly blame them, the soil is soft and the mulch is too, but it's so disgusting to find little "presents"--especially in the veggie garden!! I keep their inside litter box clean and appealing, but they are outside most of the day, so when duty calls . . ..

Thanks for your help,
Gretchen

Siouxsie: I have to say this is the first time I've ever heard of someone complaining about cats doing their business outside!

Sinéad: But I can understand why it would be a problem. I wouldn't want to dig my delicate paws into the litter box and scoop up one of Siouxsie's smelly, nasty little presents!

Siouxsie: My "presents" don't stink any more than yours do! At least I have the courtesy to bury . . .

JaneA: Ladies, please.

Sinéad: There are some things you can do to make the garden an unpleasant place for your cat friends to do their business. If you were to put down plastic over the dirt, I don't think kitties would like that very much. After all, would you want to get sprinkled every time you tinkle?

Siouxsie: If you were to use sharp gravel, that might help, too. It would hurt their paws to walk on it.

Sinéad: But remember that we cats don't respond very well to negative reinforcement. Your best bet might be to make a place especially for your cat friends. A little sand box surrounded by some catnip plants and couch grass for chewing on, with some privacy so your cat friends don't feel completely exposed when they're in a vulnerable state such as going to the bathroom.

Siouxsie: You could mix a little bit of the litter your cats use and a few of the "presents" you found in the garden into the "outdoor toilet" at first so that they understand its purpose.

Sinéad: You could even take them to the special area and show them the litter and dig their front paws in it just a little, like you probably did when you first brought your cat friends home and introduced them to their indoor toilet.

Siouxsie: If you make a special outdoor toilet, you'll want to make some effort to keep it clean--if they use it, that is.

Sinéad: Yes. I can't think of any sure-fire way to make your cat friends use a specially made outdoor toilet instead of your garden. But probably a combination of making the flower and vegetable beds unattractive combined with an especially attractive toilet area might do the trick.

Siouxsie: I don't hold out a lot of hope, though. We cats can be notoriously stubborn.

Sinéad: Of course, if you talk to your cat friends and really try to visualize and feel in your heart what you want to tell them, maybe this outdoor toilet idea will be more effective. Good luck.

Got a question? Need some advice? E-mail Sinéad and Siouxsie at advice@paws-and-effect.com. None of the advice in this column is meant to be a substitute for regular veterinary care.