IF you are a keen gardener and sometimes find your patience running rather thin when cats scratch where you have just sown seeds or planted out seedlings, you may wish to try these two products.

"Ultimate Cat Repellent" by Claytek Ltd available from some pet and DIY stores.

This product consists of clay pellets impregnated with a blend of citronella oils which cats detest. All the ingredients are non-toxic and safe to use around pets, children and wildlife.

It has a high resistance to rain, but after several weeks, when the essence has depleted, the pellets can be dug into the garden for improved soil condition.

Alternatively, use pelleted chicken manure bought as a general fertilizer speak the pellets around your crops and cats will keep well away. Unfortunately, dogs love the stuff, so if you have a dog it's not for you. If you keep the soil damp at all times it will discourage cats from scratching as they prefer dry soil.

Keeping neighbourhood cats from your garden can easily be achieved by a squirt from a loaded water pistol or empty washing up liquid bottle filled with water.

They will soon get the message loud and clear.

If you are a cat owner having trouble with the neighbours over your cat using their garden as a toilet, here is a suggestion which may help.

Find a quiet sheltered place in your own garden, dig a hole and empty in a bag of compost. Add to this the contents of your cats litter tray. The soft soil is liked by cats as it is easy for them to dig over and because you have already added to it their own smell, it will encourage them to use it as their own personal toilet. Hedgehog droppings are often found on lawns and in flower beds and these can easily be mistaken for cat droppings, so before jumping to conclusions, please make sure poor old puss isn't getting blamed for something he did not do!

J Harwood, Moor Park Avenue, Bispham