I don’t dislike cats, but there is a particular cat who visits and terrorizes my garden while sharpening his claws on the otherwise smooth trunk of a young Pacific coast maple. He then uses the loose gravel on the flat garage roof as a litter-box.

Rats in the garden are not as easily controlled by traps as rats in the home. Placing traps where other visitors to the garden, such as cats and birds, will not find them may present a problem.

It is no coincidence that acorns are very nutritious and just the right size to be easily carried away by squirrels. When putting your plans together, design your garden carefully around the critters that lurk in the landscape. It could be a good idea to use squirrel proof feeders and bird feeder poles.

I would not mind squirrels so much if they would be satisfied with the abundant acorns. They however, abscond with fruit and flowers from the garden as well. In fact, the walnut tree has never provided me with a single walnut.