Any good ideas on keeping the neighborhood cats from "doing their business" in my wifes flower beds?

I really hate seeing her gag when she finds a kitty "surprise" with her hands

 

get a bottle of fine ground cayenne pepper and sprinkle it in the flower bed, you do want to be able to see the "seasoning" on the dirt depending on how big the flower bed is you may need a bucket of cayenne pepper, it will only take the neighborhood cats a couple more trips to you flower bed befor they figure it out....<- that will be the cats

 

My wife bought about 100 plastic forks and stuck the handles in the ground in the garden. 4 to 6" apart, it doesn't give them a "comfortable" area to use. Good luck.

 

There are pet repellents available. These must be replaced after it rains. Many find success using motion sensor sprinklers. You can also trap and take to the animal shelter.

 

I purchased a 'cat scarer' that works on batteries or the mains and emits an inaudible ultrasonic sound that scares off cats. I have to admit I was a sceptical purchaser but it works and I have since seen the local culprit walk around the perimeter of our garden and jump into our neighbours instead!! I purchased it on ebay and it has been the best £20 I have spent in a long time.

 

There is no scientific data to back the claims of sonic pest repellers. Manufacturers of these devices fail to provide scientific data. Any success is likely temporary as once pet discovers that the sound is not harmful they tend to tune it out.

 

Thanks for the help. At least I now have several things to try. The flower beds are huge by my standards. I just put down over 200 feet of border and they are about 4 to 6 feet deep around the perimeter of the house.

Looks like a bucket of pepper and 10 bazilllion plastic forks Majak, looks like you are just across the river from me, I am far west TN. How long did she leave the forks in or did they come back as soon as she removed them??