Question: How can we keep cats and dogs from laying in our flower beds?

Answer: Those same repellents might work. You can also take old socks and fill them with moth balls. Sometimes the odors will drive the pets off. Hardware stores and home centers occasionally sell low-voltage shock fences that scare the pets away. These are very effective and don’t harm the pets. Once they get the mild shock the first time, they leave the fence alone. You can unplug it and leave it in place for a while, then remove it once you think things are safe. If they return, re-install it for a week or two longer. You can also bury cables in the ground and put special collars on the pets. When they get in the vicinity of the cables, an alarm alerts them to retreat before they get shocked. Several companies around Texas install these systems, and veterinarians and gardeners report that they work very well.