My Pet World: Humane ways to discourage squirrels from your yard

Dear Cathy,

How do you humanely stop squirrels from digging up your grass? My yard has holes all over it.

— Debra, Oceanside, New York

Dear Debra,

I am glad you asked for humane ways to keep squirrels from your yard. I have some suggestions but can make no promises. Squirrels are wild animals who will do as they please and do not understand property boundaries.

Squirrels dig holes in the ground to look for seeds or to bury food for later. They love bird seeds, flowers, ripe tomatoes, berries, apples, and so on. Nature lovers' yards are often filled with these delicacies, but even if they are not, squirrels have learned to live in suburbia and rural areas and can feast on a whole host of things. (I happen to love squirrels because they aerate my yard and plant acorns for future trees. And they are wonderful acrobats to watch.)

I plant sage in my flower beds to keep deer from eating other plants. So far, this has kept them from several flower beds. For squirrels, you can consider planting mint or chili peppers since they don't like the taste or smell. There is also a product called Tomcat® Animal Repellent that comes in granules and ready-to-use form that you can scatter in the yard. It uses essential oils that squirrels, rabbits, and groundhogs hate. It's rain-resistant and safe to use around other animals and children.

You also can install motion-activated noisemakers or motion-activated sprinklers to scare them away. Cover your plants with netting or chicken wire to keep squirrels from eating them, and place bird feeders far from jump-off points, like trees. Nix the sunflower seeds, which squirrels love, and replace them with safflower seeds since birds love them, but squirrels don't. Use weight-sensitive bars that allow birds, but not squirrels, access to the feeders. Attach plastic bottles around the feeder pole to make it harder for squirrels to climb.

These tips discourage squirrels from coming into your yard for food. If your neighbor has these food sources, however, they may still come into your yard to bury things. The only sure way to keep them out of the yard might be the repellent and motion-activated sprinklers.

Dear Cathy,

Whenever I took my cat to the groomer for a nail trim, he tolerated it. But as Tigger got older, it became more difficult. The groomer I had gone to for many years had to finally say that they did not want to see him anymore because he was getting too aggressive.

I took him to a vet, and they sedated him every time he got his manicure. However, he was getting increasingly aggressive towards them, and they said he was having a harder time coming out from under sedation. They told me I was fired as a client because they didn't want to see him back. I've had Tigger since he was two months old. He just turned 17. He is my best friend, my family, and my everything. I don't know what to do.

— Debbie, Oxnard, California

Dear Debbie,

You obviously have done a good job taking care of him and getting his nails trimmed if you are just writing to me now in his 17th year. Some cats hate getting their nails trimmed, and the only way they can express their dislike or fear is through aggression. Someone along the way may have clipped his quick, where the nerves sit, and he has never forgotten it.

A vet's office is the best place to get an aggressive cat's nails trimmed, so I am surprised your vet "fired you." Hmmm, were they expecting you to put your cat down because he doesn't like to get his nails trimmed?

Please call around to find another vet in your community willing to help. You also can search for a vet specializing in alternative therapies through the American Veterinary Holistic Medical Association. They may recommend more natural treatments (homeopathic, CBD oil, valerian root) to calm your kitty. I think they will be the most able to help you.

TIP: With Halloween around the corner, you may be shopping for a costume for your dog or cat. If you know your pet doesn't like costumes, don't dress them up. If they are okay with it, look for costumes that don't drag on the ground or cover their ears or eyes. The costume should be open in the back so they can relieve themselves. If your pet doesn't like strangers or the doorbell, reduce the stimulations by keeping them in a bedroom or kennel during trick-or-treat hours.

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(Cathy M. Rosenthal is a longtime animal advocate, author, columnist and pet expert who has more than 25 years in the animal welfare field. Send your pet questions, stories and tips to cathy@petpundit.com. Please include your name, city, and state. You can follow her @cathymrosenthal.)