I love our cat, Orly, dearly, but when he wakes me up at 3 a.m. to be let out, I consider him a pest. When I think about it, many animals I like become pests under the wrong circumstances - such as when they invade my garden. While I certainly don’t want to harm the animals I do want to deter them. Here are some home recipes that have worked for me.

This recipe, which I received from one of my regular radio listeners ages ago, works quite effectively. In a kitchen blender, place on litre (4 cups) of water, one entire garlic bulb (not a clove), one large onion or 15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) of onion salt, and five milliliters (one teaspoon) Tabasco sauce. Blend until the whole works becomes liquid, then pour the mixture on the area frequented by neighbor cats. (It is completely harmless to plants). Repeat once a week, or as often as heavy rainfall-occurs, until the cats move on. Once they've decided they don’t like using your yard as a washroom, cast are not likely to be back for a very long time.

Use the same recipe to deter dogs from your yard.

Known best for their tendency to tunnel under the lawn, moles will damage tender surface roots. This recipe will produce a concentrated mole repellent: 50 milliliters (1/4 cup) castor oil, 25 milliliters (two tablespoons) liquid detergent, 75 milliliters, (1/3 cup) water. Whip the castor oil and detergent in a blender until the mixture is the consistency of shaving cream. Then, add the water and whip it again. Fill a watering can with warm water, add 25 milliliters (two tablespoons) of the oil mixture and stir. Sprinkle immediately over the arcas of greatest mole infestation. Apply after a rain or a thorough watering.

These furry rodents can be a real nuisance around the bird feeder. To deter them, place the feeder on a tall metal pole in an open area, at least six meters (2 ft.) away from the nearest tree, fence or any other object that will allow them to jump to the feeder. Grease the pole using general purpose lubricating oil.

A serious problem in rural areas, deer can also pose a problem in some suburban areas. Deer, which have an acute sense of smell, are very wary of human beings and animals such as dogs. For this reason, pantyhose "bags" filled with two or three handful of human or dog hair and placed every 3 to 4.5 meters (10 to 15 ft.) in the problem are will help to discourage deer from entering. Another deterrent is fragrant soap, place some slivers of soap in pantyhose or onion bags and hang these as you would hair-filled bags.

Some bean farmers mix 18 eggs in 20 liters (five gallons) of water and spray the solution over one acre. Deer, like people, dislike the smell of rotting eggs, but the solution is so dilute, humans can't detect it.

During dry spells, water your lawn thoroughly for three to four hours once a week

Remove dead flowers from perennial plants. Cut back foliage as it turns yellow or brown.

Prune dead hedges to encourage new growth, prune lilacs by up to one third

Stake tomatoes using six-foot stakes or a cage.

Turn compost biweekly. Add grass clippings with equal portions of garden soil.

Thin apples and pears to single strongest fruit per cluster to avoid early drops.