IocTober Day 3 - Cat and Possum Behaviour Management

We have a new greenhouse, and Senior Kid (18) has quite a penchant for growing herbs and vegetables (none of those flowery things). Unfortunately, junior cat Grace Hopper (2) has decided that the seedling tray is THE BEST CAT TOILET.

We needed a way to discourage Gracie from pooping in the greenhouse, and more critically “covering up” by wreaking havoc among the seedlings. Also, the reason we HAVE a greenhouse, is becase possums eat any unprotected vegetables.

So, a motion sensor, a small submersible fountain pump, a solar panel, and a custom circuit board to switch the pump on. I could have just used an off-the-shelf relay module, but I’m infatuated with MOSFETs right now.

We used a metalwork tool coolant nozzle to provide a directable “discouragement”. When a critter triggers the sensor (be they cat, or possum, a jet of water politely requests they go elsewhere. (And bonus watering for the seedlings).

Why not just lock the greenhouse, you ask? We DID. Critters are clever. Critters are extremely motivated to find a nice litter-tray.

I accidentally ordered twice as many circuit boards than I intended, so they’ll be up on Tindie soon.