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Friday Favorite: Cats in the Garden

May 30th, 2014

It’s no secret that I am a cat person, I always have been. Cats are great to have around, I love their personalities and the way they interact with humans and each other. Gardening is also so much better with cats.
gardening with cats 1
Dexter and Samson are most often my gardening companions, Dexter in particular likes to follow me around while I work.
gardening with cats 2
There’s also the little feral garage cat, Sweets, who I don’t see as much as I used to since she has become mostly nocturnal. I do catch her sleeping on the couch in the upstairs of the garage quite often during the day.
Sweets 1
garage queen 2
I’m thinking about getting another garage cat for Sweets to train. She’s such a good mouser and is really smart about predators as well. Cats can also play an important role in the garden for rodent control. Since we don’t want foxes coming close to the house we need something to keep the mice and other small rodents in check. This task is important for helping keep Lyme disease in check as well, if all the smaller rodents like mice are kept under control larger rodents like squirrels can thrive and they are less likely to be hosts for Lyme disease.

What’s your favorite kind of animal to have around?

10 Comments to “Friday Favorite: Cats in the Garden”
  1. Jennifer Fisk on May 30, 2014 at 7:21 am

    I guess when it is all said and done, I prefer the company of German Shepherds but my ME Coon cat is pretty darn good company especially in the garden where the dogs aren’t allowed.

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  2. Marina on May 30, 2014 at 7:51 am

    My two labs . They follow me around the garden all day, finding good sleeping spots while I work.
    When the day ends, they look more tired than I do :-)

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  3. Tom @ Raise Your Garden on May 30, 2014 at 8:24 am

    I prefer Labradors as my favorite pet. The ironic part is that I have two dauschunds, and a cat. My wife had both “weiner” dogs before we were married and Smokie the cat was added later. I have always been a dog person but Smokie know how to “work it” and he has really grown on me. :)

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  4. Misti on May 30, 2014 at 8:32 am

    I love having my ferals around and will be sad one day when they are gone. I’m sure other cats would eventually move in, though. Some of ours like to stay on certain parts of the yard and others will go anywhere. They definitely love to talk to use, too!

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  5. Finny on May 30, 2014 at 9:41 am

    I love having my dog (a mutt) with me in the garden. There hasn’t been a squirrel, vole, gopher or possum in my yard for 7 years thanks to her. Plus, she hates vegetables and doesn’t dig, so she’s easy. Just some belly rubs and treats and she’s happy :)

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  6. Natasha on May 30, 2014 at 10:58 am

    I also like having the outdoor cat around. I usually bring my black lab out with me because I’m scared of snakes (I know they are beneficial and only have garter snakes here) and I hope she scares them away while I’m out and about.

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  7. Nebraska Dave on May 30, 2014 at 2:41 pm

    Susy, my wild turkeys are the best for stirring up the mulch and eating the bugs. They usually play nice with all the plants except for the sweet corn. They don’t eat the corn but they pick at the small plants until they get to be about 18 or 24 inches high. There are a few snakes around but not as many as when I first started clearing the land.

    The day started at 5am today. Two hours in the garden at sunrise is the best gardening time. It’s great. Tomorrow is another day. :)

    Have a great cats in the garden day.

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  8. katy on May 30, 2014 at 3:47 pm

    this is our first year having a cat. we got one specifically for the voles/moles and bunnies in the garden. so far, she has done beautifully. i see her digging & don’t discourage it b/c i assume she is digging for an animal. however, last month, i planted spinach and beet seeds and she dug through that raised bed :( and then yesterday, i planted carrots around tomatoes IN POTS (no way there is an animal in there!) and she dug up most of the carrot seeds! :P do you have these issues with your cats?

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  9. Kyle on May 31, 2014 at 2:25 am

    I love cats but keep mine indoors. i am trying hard to attract birds to the yard and cats are so hard on the native bird population. Not judging…I’ve had outdoor cats at times, too! But, for now, I love having my dog out in the yard with me. She keeps guard and provides plenty of company, alternating between napping and checking on progress.

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  10. Jaye Whitney on May 31, 2014 at 9:00 am

    I love working with my cats in the garden as well. They’re always “helpful” and full of funny antics as well as naps :) My choc lab Jackie is always nearby watching over everything too.

    Reply to Jaye Whitney's comment

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This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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