The Cat Mat Attacks Back

markqz 10/23/2022, 5:40 pm

I have a skunk or opossum that came through 3 days in a row, each day digging up even more stuff than before -- especially all the recent starter plants. It didn't want the plants -- just whatever was living under and around them. Since we were also having a heat wave, most of those plants are a lost cause.

My SO picked up these mats at a local Japanese/Asian store, where they have lots of little gardening things you don't see in the big box places. Makes you wonder why these aren't there. They sell them on Amazon, but nearly twice the price. They're billed as an anti-cat mat, but I'm hoping it works on other things. It says something about the refined sensibilities of the target audience that they even have embedded flower motifs.

The Cat Mat Attacks Back PuNACgr

**sanderson** 10/24/2022, 1:32 pm

How did your cost compare to Gardeners Supply? Yours are prettier. https://www.gardeners.com/buy/scat-mat-cat-deterrent-roll-78x11/8592448.html?SC=BINGNON&device=c&location=85218&msclkid=32a8c74a11f81a1e8c19a41cdada74b1&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=%5BADL%5D%20%5BNon-Brand%5D%20Garden%20Supplies%20-%20Pest%20%26%20Disease%20Controls%20(Exact)&utm_term=cat%20scat%20mat&utm_content=Scat%20Mats%20-%20Cat

markqz 10/28/2022, 10:36 am

sanderson wrote:How did your cost compare to Gardeners Supply? Yours are prettier.

By my math, the local mats are about $1.10/sqft, and the gardeners are $2.50/sqft. But that's before shipping. With shipping gardeners would be $3.78.

There may be more loss with the local mats though, because the form factor isn't conveniently 1 foot (the gardener's width is 11-3/4, which is just about perfect.

markqz 10/28/2022, 10:40 am

Whatever critter it is, is very persistent. It seems possibly smarter than an opossum, so I'm thinking skunk. Could be raccoon, but it just seems like they would be out finding cat food some place.

The squares that I have completely ensconced in cat mat are mostly doing OK. I had some other squares that I covered with 1/2" wire mesh. But the critter just moved the mesh. So having the bristles on the cat mat seems to be helpful. I also had one square that I only partially protected with the mat, and the critter attacked from the open side. Very frustrating since it means everything I start needs to have this extra time and effort spent to protect it.

OhioGardener 10/28/2022, 7:07 pm

I moved the discussion on trail cams to their own thread, which can be found here:
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t23749-using-trail-cams-to-monitor-garden-critters#305873

**sanderson** 10/28/2022, 7:08 pm

markqz wrote: I'm wondering if I could put up a tiny little 8" electric fence. Hey, if it worked in Jurassic Park, it must be ok?

I saw a video where a guy put up an electric fence but his garden kept being invaded. One day (or Night?) he saw a racoon approach the fence and suddenly dive through. It was sensing the pulses and timed his entry.

markqz 10/28/2022, 7:29 pm

sanderson wrote:I saw a video where a guy put up an electric fence but his garden kept being invaded. One day (or Night?) he saw a racoon approach the fence and suddenly dive through. It was sensing the pulses and timed his entry.

Well, yeah, if you have raccoons, what can you do?

There was a study a few years ago where they dissected the brains of several animals they could get hold of. Raccoons have brains about the same size as that of cats, but they have a neuron density greater than that of humans! As a result, they're as intelligent as the most intelligent dogs.

pastor99 10/29/2022, 11:32 am

We had racoons who, every night, would attack our chickens that we kept in the barn.
I put up a low to the ground electric fence wire.
The next morning I would find that the racoons would find a loose board somewhere, drag it to the fence and lay it on top of the wire to use as a bridge to get to the chickens.

**sanderson** 10/29/2022, 1:01 pm

Very clever, but unfortunate for the chickens.

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