Any pee with male pheromone in should keep cats from feeling comfy enough to poo. So if you're old enough to have dirty thoughts and young enough to have functioning prostrate you can make your own cat deterrent. Spraying the actual cat should permanently keep that cat out of your garden
I use gorse as a leaf mulch where I have bare soil. I did feel a little guilty seeing several feral cats limping, but considering I have seen active tapeworm in their faeces I don't feel too bad about protecting my household. Gorse can also be used as a soft punjab sticks by placing them upright, this doesn't injury the cat.
get a dog?
I think it would be very sensible if people are going to make assertions that something is "illegal" that they state and link to the law that it contravenes. We have had a few cases recently where people have stated or offered opinions on things that were subsequently shown to be fallacies.
For the avoidance of doubt, shooting cats in the UK is legal under certain circumstances. Feral cats are, for example, recognised as one of the few "pest" mammals and can be shot regardless of season etc.
http://www.basc.org.uk/content/shootingseasons
Clearly even when destroying pest creatures all the normal rules of safety, tool selection, appropriate land and skill and above alll legal and humane despatch apply.
As in all shooting, circumstances and reasons for killing are important both ethically and legally - specifically because the WCA makes the reason part of the justification.
There are certain protected species in the UK that may not be killed for any reason, but for the avoidance of doubt, that protection does NOT apply to cats. Feral cats may be shot as pests - current legislation not only does not forbid but specifically permits this. For a government source please see here
http://www.openaccess.gov.uk/lwwcm/...sub+menu2/AdministeringAccess_Guidance_AnnexP
Red
Just so no one is in any doubt, whilst it is in certain narrow circumstances legal to kill feral cats; it is not legal to kill, injure or trap domestic cats. Under The Protection of Animals Act 1911 Protection of Animals (Scotland) Act 1912 and the Welfare of Animals (Northern Ireland) Act 1972 and yes they are still in force, supplemented by other more recent acts of parliament, such as the Animal Welfare act 2006 it is a criminal offence to cause cruelty to or kill a domestic cat.
This fact is supported by the RSPB web site, which states Domestic cats are protected by law and it is an offence to trap, injure or kill them.
The Theft act of 1968 (PACE still relies on the definition of property as described in this act) consider cats as property and therefore you would be guilty of an offence if you damage, injure, maim or destroy,
Add to that the Criminal Damage Act 1971
Destroying or damaging property
(1) A person who without lawful excuse destroys or damages any property belonging to another intending to destroy or damage any such property (In this case a cat) or being reckless as to whether any such property would be destroyed or damaged shall be guilty of an offence.
The law is not as cut and dried as some may think, but it is worth knowing what you are letting yourself in for when you take it into your own hands.