Chilli powder is pretty good at keeping the squirrels and cats out of my planted pots and beds. Once the get a taste of if, they stay away from that area. It is, however, limited in the amount of space you can cover. Have to be selective and use it around your most important or abused areas. I put some beautiful black mulch down in a small bed Sunday, found an area dug up for no apparent reason on Monday, except that it was something new in what they consider their territory. Don't know who is the more arrogant territorial invader, us or them!
