If you live in a community where there are a lot of neighborhood cats, you may have observed a few of them in your garden. Plus, not all pet owners are responsible, so this may lead to stray cats strolling around your yard.
As a result, understanding how to keep them away is crucial. There are several home remedies to keep cats out of your flower beds and vegetable garden.
Here’s how to get rid of cats naturally:
1. Remove Food Source
The best way to deal with a stray or feral cat issue is to eliminate their food supply. Garbage cans should not be overflowing. Also, their lids should fit snugly to prevent spills.
You don’t want to invite these animals into your home by leaving food leftovers out in the open. Maintaining a cat-free environment is difficult since these animals can survive on very little. Refrain from feeding them as well.
2. Chicken Wire
Lay the chicken wire on the ground and cover it with dirt to keep cats out of your garden. They will likely stay away due to the rough texture of the wire.
Another method is to make a fence out of chicken wire. An effective barrier does not need a particularly high fence.
To climb over fences, cats often need a significant incentive, but this isn’t the case with most cats.
3. Motion-Activated Sprinklers
Install a sprinkler system that detects movement. When a cat attempts to enter your garden, the motion-activated sprinkler will squirt them with water, scaring them away.
Moreover, you’ll also be watering your plants as a side benefit. However, make sure the sprinklers are programmed to go off at night as well.
4. Citrus Peels
Cats hate the scent of citrus fruits, such as lemons, limes, and oranges. Therefore, toss citrus peels in your garden. Plus, don’t forget to compost the rinds and peels.
Stray and wild cats should steer clear of your garden if there are citrus peels tossed about.
5. Repellent Plants
Some plants emit a scent that cats find repulsive.
If you’re looking for an effective cat repellent plant, the Scaredy Cat Plant (Coleus Canina) is a good choice. It repels cats outside and also keeps dogs away [1].
Lavender, citronella, rue, pennyroyal, and geraniums are other plants that repel cats. Plant these around your garden.
6. Urine of Predatory Animals
Keep feral and stray cats at bay by sprinkling the perimeter of your property with products containing the urine of coyotes or foxes. Moreover, you can buy these products online.
However, this may not be the best method to deter cats in your yard. You may have to reapply it frequently for it to be effective.
7. Clean Up
Wash away the urine used to mark their territories. Additionally, declutter to eliminate any hiding spots for mice. Sweep away food waste and secure garbage cans as well.
8. Get a Dog
Another sure-fire way to keep stray cats off your property is to have a dog. Most dogs are ready to greet passing feline guests with an eager bark.
9. Ultrasonic Devices
Usually combined with motion sensors, ultrasonic devices generate a high-frequency alert that helps reduce incursions by unwanted cats [2].
This sound is undetectable to most humans but very irritating to cats.
However, ultrasonic deterrents may not prevent all incursions. Therefore, you might have to combine it with other repellants on this list.
10. Cat-Proof Fencing
To keep cats out of your yard, install a cat-proof fence. However, make sure the fence’s sloping top is facing out instead of in.
As a standalone fence or an addition to an existing fence, it’s available for purchase. If you can afford it, this is a worthwhile investment.
11. Prickly Surfaces
Cats try to avoid prickly surfaces at all costs. These animals prefer to tread on soft, loose dirt. Therefore, add pine cones, eggshells, twigs, or other prickly yard trimmings to your garden.
You can also make garden stakes out of chopsticks. Put them close to each other. Kitty will have a hard time getting through the tight space between them.
Furthermore, you can lay bird netting or chicken wire (discussed above) on your soil and cover it with dirt.
12. Wind Chimes and Motion-Sensitive Bells
A simple rock or pebble in a jar that rattles when kitty approaches would work, as might wind chimes and motion-sensitive bells.
The cluttering sound of these devices will frighten the animals, keeping them away.
13. Essential Oils
Another home remedy to get rid of cats is to use certain essential oils in your garden. Again, this relates to cats’ particular aversion to certain scents.
Essential oils are fantastic since they are widely available. Moreover, it only takes a few drops to be effective.
Oils such as lavender, orange, peppermint, lemongrass, grapefruit, citronella, or lime will do.
Make a homemade cat repellent for the garden and yard by mixing 3 parts water with one part essential oil. Next, add it to a spray container and shake well.
Finally, spray your whole yard and around the garden, paying particular attention to any spots where feline visitors like to hang out.
14. Coffee Grounds
When it comes to keeping cats off your lawn, coffee grounds do double duty as a cat deterrent and fertilizer. Cats are repulsed by the scent of coffee grounds, and they also work great as lawn fertilizer.
To stop your cat from pooping in your flower beds or vegetable garden, scatter some coffee grounds around your plants.
Collect used coffee grounds from your neighbor or store them up from your daily use. Use this to cover the area you want to protect.
Furthermore, when combined with cayenne pepper, this solution is even more effective.
15. Ripe Bananas
Ripening bananas provide a pungent odor that cats despise. Therefore, chopping up bananas and scattering them over your garden beds will keep the critters at bay.
Takeaway
You don’t have to harm stray cats to keep them out of your yard, as there are many natural solutions to the problem. Consider one or more of the alternatives we’ve provided.
Thank you! Good stuff!
You are right. It is the combination of deterrents that keeps them all out.
Bananas. I always leave the peels to go black and then scissor them into inch+ squares. I toss them into the far reaches of the garden. They are good potassium fertilizers. and Time-released.
The subject of coffee grounds in the garden might be worth a few paragraphs. In addition all that you have mentioned, coffee grounds have reduced the deer intake of my hosta. Even in the Fall. Again there are additional repellents that I have used. But for two winters now, they have not been by.
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