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How do I stop cats and/or dogs using my garden as a toilet?

I have a lawned open plan front garden and a walled back garden with a lawn and bedding areas. Both the lawns and flower beds get used as a toilet. I have tried putting "prickle strips" on top of the wall, the cats now go over or under the wooden gates. I am getting fed up of having to "poop patrol" before I mow the lawn or the kids use the garden.

Public Comments

For years all we had was moth balls to scatter about. Now we have repellents......you can find them in garden centers or on the web. Do they work? Depends on the animal.......some ignore the repellents, some respond to them. There's a device that fits on the end of the hose and when an animal breaks the light beam, the sprinkler comes on and squirts the offender. That might help. Other folks have tried sprinkling cayenne powder around the garden, except water washes it away, so it is continual. You'd probably have chile loving cats. If you didn't have an open landscape you could trap the suckers and sent them to the shelter.
I have found that red pepper works. When they sniff to find a spot they get a snout full and your garden doesn't seem so appealing.
Sprinkle the grass with the hottest curry powder you can buy! Worked for me!
Cats are unlikely to be responsible for fouling your lawn; they prefer to be discreet, do it somewhere out of sight (for example in your flower beds) and cover it up with soil afterwards. Though dogs can't get into your back garden, have you thought about whether it might be wildlife (foxes, perhaps), or have you actually caught the cats in the act? You can buy devices that emit an ultrasonic squeal that is supposed to scare off cats. Note I find these are often audible to good (young) human ears, too, at close range, so you may have to turn it off when the kids go outside, if it annoys them. (I am constantly annoyed by people who have them pointing at their front gates and they go off as I walk past.) There are also certain plants that are supposed to deter cats. You can buy metal cat silhouettes with cat-like eyes that are designed to scare cats away. If you get a cat yourself, it will establish a territory and keep the other cats away, and will probably prefer not to poo on the lawn. If you are very persistent, it's possible you may be able to discourage cats from going to the toilet on the lawn by catching them in the act and scaring them off by making a loud noise. Eventually they should tire of it.
That's NOT easy to Do !! :( But if You're DETERMINED enough; you can try THIS; See if you can find Someone at Your local Hardware Store- to pick you out a "Motion Detector"- that You can Attach to your Sprinkler. And then just set it up such that EVERY Time an Animal enters your Garden- IT gets "dumped on"- & driven off !! I know this works VERY well against Cats... But it should against Dogs- too ! Good luck ! :)
Try stringing low-hanging bells between some of the plants--they hear the noise & run. Just don't trip over them yourself!
Shotgun, lock and load and bye bye lol
A fence?
try having a pee in a dish then pour it into a spray bottle and spray around your fence or border and on areas the cats go. it tells them you are the boss of that territory and they will stay away for a few weeks, you then repeat the process.
No Problem.........I truly have the answer....Works every time...I promise. Get a few of the clear plastic 2 litre fizzy drink bottles....remove the paper labels from and fill with water........Stand them upright in various prominent positions in your garden and/or where main offending position is.....No more cats,foxes....... Day or night, the cats/foxes do not like the way light is refracted through the bottle.......their eyes see it as a giant Predator....on a sunny day or full moon, it refracts light and looks to be moving as you move yourself........Simples...!!!.....All the best......Show me the Money..
go to the park
Try Liquid Fence Dog and Cat Repellent. It creates an invisible barrier with natural oils (cinnamon, citronella, etc.). Once the dogs and cats have been retrained, they tend to stay away.