When summer arrives we like to spend more times in our gardens than ever, but keeping them thriving isn't always easy. Humans aren't the only ones that love spending time in nature, and sometimes you might spot a cat or two exploring the backyard.
While having cats in gardens can be helpful in keeping other creatures like rabbits, voles and moles away, it can also be a nuisance for homeowners who spend so much time attending to their plants, flowers and lawns. Pets may start digging in flower beds, use plants as soft napping spots - or even use them as their very own toilet.
Keeping them out of the garden and protecting your plants can be very tricky, but there are things you can do to help.
There are lots of solutions claiming to help stop cats from pooing in your garden, but according to gardening expert David Domoney, they aren't "always effective". Instead, he has shared a cheap hack that has been "very effective" for him to deter cats.
Several experts have recommended using tea bags as a way to deter cats from messing in the garden.
David explained to The Express: "One of the things that has worked effectively for me in the past is to save tea bags and spray them with a muscle heat spray, like Deep Heat.
"The tea leaves absorb the strong odour. Place them around the spot in the garden where the cats damage the plants."
QVC's gardening expert Richard Jackson agreed, but also suggested adding a sprinkling of soil on top to disguise them. According to the experts, this method should work for at least two weeks, even if it rains.
Teabags can be bought from any local supermarket, such as Tesco's original teabags for £1 for 80 bags or at Sainsbury's for £1.10. Deep Heat is slightly on the pricier side, but can be picked up from Amazon for £3.60.
If you want to keep them out of the garden altogether, David recommends taking note of where the cat is coming into their garden. Because they are creatures of habit, they tend to enter and leave through the same spot. So if you have a specific hole in a fence or hedge which they use, the expert recommends blocking it so they can't get through.
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