I manage to keep my garden cat free most of the time - apart from when new cats arrive in the neighbourhood and the one especially persistent one that's a real killer [two blackbird nests left with eggs after said cat got the hen blackbirds this year]

Techniques include the bucket of water approach [found one cat within three foot of a fledgling Goldfinch this weekend and the water worked well] and an apple or whatever else comes to hand thrown to impact on the fence panel nearest the cat - not to hit the cat just to make a load of noise. After two or three such encounters they usually stop using the garden.

Occasionally if I get desperate there's a chemical which is used to keep badgers and deer off golf courses which I apply to the points where the cats enter the garden - on old rags or painted onto the fence above the kids reach. The only down side is is really stinks for a day or two and even if none splashes on your clothes they'll need to go straight in the wash...

I would point out that I'd have no problem with cats if they were kept inside... the killer cat is next doors I've told them what I'll do to try and keep it out of my garden and we still get on really well !

While you're waiting to get to the garden centre try scattering orange peel on your ajoining border. Apparently cats don't like citrus.

Thanks for the advice Henry. I think a trip to the garden centre is in order this weekend. I much prefer the plant option to anything chemical, especially with the children around! I need to drastically do something as the species in my garden have dramatically declined over time. My garden backs on to a nicely wooded area, so it is a haven for birds, in the past I have had great spotted woodpeckers, jays, long tailed tits, siskin, lesser redpoll - it's a list as long as my arm. However, recently the list has been reduced to the humble sparrow and nothing else Can you suggest any type of food to bring the birds back into my garden?

I've not had experience of these techniques Mike but there are products on the market including a Sonic Device which emits a noise (silent to us but loud to the cats) which keeps the cats away. A product called 'renardine' is also apparently effective.
There are some cheaper methods though including: a wire strung just above the garden fence which stops them climbing up there and being able to balance, hang a few cd's on string and tie them to a branch so they twizzle in the wind and the light reflections can scare things off (possibly birds too though!), planting a garden flower called Coleus Canina which has apparently been bred especially as cats and dogs hate the scent and keep away.
I'd be interested to hear if any of these methods work. Well worth trying as cats are reported to kill an estimated 1,000,000 songbirds every year in the UK.
Thanks. Henry.

Sunday 11th July On seed feeder: Loads of recently fledged Blue Tits Flock of starlings Woodpigeon on tray next to feeder Recently the numbers of birds in my garden have significantly reduced after next door bought 2 cats. Anybody got any ideas of how to deter them from entering my garden?