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Throughout history pests have been attracted to shelter and reliable food sources, two things we’ve been manufacturing in plentiful supply. It is not surprising, therefore, that cockroaches, ants, rats and all the rest hurried over to get their piece of the pie. As you can imagine, they came with baggage. Pests plagued communities with disease and infirmity against which we often had no means of protection. Enter the hero.
The scent of all these pest pheromones was too strong for cats to resist, so they joined the fight. We developed an instant admiration for cats as formidable predators and protectors against fatal disease. Having proven themselves worthy of a place at the human table, cats were worshipped by many and offered a place in our homes.
So far, we have enjoyed a 12,000 year long mutual back-scratch with cats, so how could this seemingly perfect relationship turn sour? In fact, in the court of public opinion the domestic cat (Felis catus) has been treading a fine line between pet and pest for thousands of years.
In areas with excessive outdoor cat populations, there are enormous decreases in small birds, mammals and reptiles. Cats often needlessly kill mice or birds and bring them to their owners as ‘offerings’, causing fleas or potentially dangerous bacteria to make its way into the home.
‘Zoonotic’ is the word given to a disease spread from animals to humans, the most notorious of which is rabies. There are a number of other zoonotic diseases transmitted from cats to humans, including:
Cats have six life stages:
Kittens (0-6 months): Very playful. Best time to introduce them to new surroundings and experiences.
Junior (6 months - 2 years): Aggressive traits may surface. This stage coincides with adolescence.
Prime (3-6 years): As the name would indicate, this is when cats are at the top of their game.
Mature (7-10 years): Becoming less active and eating more, the inner ‘fat cat’ may emerge at this life stage.
Senior (11-14 years): About 70 in human years.
Geriatric (15 years and over): More at risk to medical issues at this age. Frequent check-ups may be necessary.
In the wild, all members of the cat family are hard-line carnivores. For this reason, all cats require meat protein for a strong heart, good vision, and a healthy reproductive system.
Nonetheless domestic cats are often observed chewing garden plants then immediately regurgitating them because their stomachs don’t have the required enzymes to break them down. They are using it to purge their digestive tracts of any indigestible matter such as bones and fur. Remember to remove toxic plants from your house or garden.
As an ‘inside man’ from the pest world, they do not need to set up nest sites or force entry through cracks and crevices: cats get the best of both worlds. They enjoy the 2 square meals and comfy sofas that come as standard with the domesticated pet lifestyle, whilst being at complete liberty to venture off into the wild and quench their atavistic thirst for blood.
However, they can cause extensive damage to gardens, so it is important to know whether a cat is active around your house.
Cat faeces in the garden bed is evidence of their presence.
Cats eat plants with the intention of regurgitating them to purge their digestive tracts.
Cats often mark their territory outside the litter box, leaving a strong smell of ammonia in the garden.
Plant rue, lavender, pennyroyal and lemon thyme around a garden bed, the smells of which are unpleasant cats. This will attract pollinators and help to deter other pests too.
Lay sharp objects such as pinecones, eggshells or stone mulch on top of your soil to discourage cats from playing on it.
A more entertaining way of keeping them off the bed is firing a water pistol at them. This works best with kittens since they are still learning and will eventually associate the garden bed with the shock of cold water. Sprinklers have the same effect.
Citrus is an unwelcome scent to cats, so try throwing orange, lemon and lime peels on the mulch.
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