My 'adopted' cat has saved many peppers from moles, voles and golphers. Now that you mentioned it, I think I can finally have some sweet sugar peas growing on a vine the dang birds don't peck, eat and destroy. Cats can be helpful for certain things.
My suggestion: put small fence wire around your protected garden. Doesn't need to be very high, just a few inches as a psychological barrier. Then apply ground pepper or any cat repellant material mentioned here. Coffee grounds, whatever. Whenever the cat is in there, regardless of activity, shoo it out of there by hissing and throw a stone or a stick, scare the heck out of it.
For positive reinforcement, whenever the cat is in the established pathway between the little fences, give it a treat. If it kills a bird that was going to eat your pepper pod and happens to be in the "okay" pathway, give double treat and praise.
Cats are pretty stupid animals. But an outdoor cat that has a nice benefactor like you better learn a few manners...and pay his way....
My Mr. Ming has about 10 confirmed kills of moles/voles already this year, some the size of rats!