I have a packet of a substance called "Silent Roar", derived from lion poo, which is supposed to suggest to neighbouring cats that I have a bigger one than them. I haven't seen the big ginger since using it, but curious dents appeared in the seed bed by the fence. Not, this time, a deposit, though. In case it was the result of the cat jumping down the fence, I stuck forsythia prunings along the top of the fence to deter the cat from jumping up there, and used further prunings to cover the seeds. Nothing since.

My garden is surrounded by 6 ft fences. after the cat first used a piece of the patio area from which I had lifted flags, uncovering a disused mouse toilet, I used plastic sticks impregnated with citrus, which was supposed to repel cats. The packet did say that an aggressive cat might "go" right by the stick - it did, which is why I went for the lion poo, rather than intensifying the density of plastic sticks, as advised.

I also have a spray containing alum, but have not tested it.

In the flats garden, I was able to deter cats from using my potato ridges by covering with stinging nettles, and, because it was a large space, digging and raking an alternative site for the cats. I have seen a variation of this in a gardening advice column, suggesting providing a sand tray for the neighbours' cats. Seems a bit steep in a small space.

Penny