Do you love your garden but find it frustrating when your furry feline friend decides to use your flower beds or lawn as their personal litter box?
It’s a common problem for cat owners and non-cat owners too. But the good news is that there are ways to keep your garden free from unwanted feline visitors.
We have several local moggies in our neighborhood who insist on coming in the garden and pooing, especially on our front lawn. This is a big nuisance when we come to mow it!
As much as I don’t like cats coming into our garden, I do actually like them, and would never want to cause harm.
So, here are some natural and humane options for keeping cats away.
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Natural Deterrents
If you’re looking for a chemical-free solution to keep cats out of your garden, natural deterrents are a great option.
Here are two effective methods:
Plant Choices
Believe it or not, the right plant choices can help deter cats from entering your garden. Cats dislike certain plants, so planting them around the perimeter of your garden can help keep felines out.
Here are some plants that cats don’t like:
- Lavender
- Rosemary
- Lemon balm
- Coleus canina (also known as “scaredy cat plant”)
Not only will these plants keep cats away, but they’ll also add a lovely fragrance to your garden.
Aromatic Solutions
Cats have a strong sense of smell, so certain scents can be very effective at keeping them away.
Here are some that cats don’t like:
- Citrus. Cats hate anything with a citrus smell such as lemon, lime, orange and grapefruit. You can use the peel or the juice. Scatter peels around the toilet areas and make up a spray of juice and water and liberally spray it around
- Citronella/lemongrass. Citronella oil comes from the leaves of the lemongrass plant. Make up a spray bottle of citronella and water and spray it around on your artificial grass.
- Lavender. Lavender grows very well here in the UK and seems to be very hardy and easy to cultivate. Use a few drops of lavender essential oil in a spray bottle.
- Pepper. Cats hate pepper. Spread crushed pepper around your garden or add it to a spray bottle.
- Eucalyptus. Eucalyptus is a natural repellent for cats. You can buy it as Eucalyptus oil. Again, make up a spray bottle and use it on your artificial grass.
- Cinnamon. Cats hate the smell of cinnamon. Use it in small doses because it can be toxic to cats.
- Peppermint. Grow peppermint in your garden or use it as an essential oil. Some cats don’t like the smell of peppermint. It is actually toxic to them because it contains salicylate, a chemical also found in aspirin, so no wonder they don’t like it.
The downside of this option is of course that you will need to reapply when the smell wears out.
Physical Barriers
If you’re looking for a more physical way to keep your garden cat-free, there are a few strategies you can try.
One way to keep cats out of your garden is to install a fence. Make sure the fence is high enough that cats can’t jump over it.
A fence that is at least 6 feet tall should do the trick. You can use chicken wire or mesh to make the fence harder to climb.
Another option is to add a strip of PVC piping to the top of the fence. This will make it harder for cats to balance on the fence and climb over.
Cats are not fans of water, so adding a water feature to your garden can help keep them away. A simple water fountain or a small pond can be enough to deter cats from entering your garden.
Tech and Gadgets
Motion-Activated Sprinklers
If you’re looking for a high-tech solution to keep cats out of your garden, motion-activated sprinklers might be just what you need.
These devices use infrared sensors to detect movement and then spray water in the direction of the movement.
Cats don’t like getting wet, so this can be an effective way to keep them away from your plants.
Some motion-activated sprinklers also come with adjustable sensitivity settings, so you can adjust them to only detect larger animals like cats and not smaller ones like birds or squirrels.
This can help prevent unnecessary water usage and also keep your garden safe for other wildlife.
Ultrasonic Repellents
Another high-tech option for keeping cats out of your garden is ultrasonic repellents. These devices emit a high-pitched sound that is unpleasant for cats to hear, but is generally inaudible to humans.
This worked very well for us for keeping cats away from our front-lawn!
The sound is meant to be a deterrent, so cats will avoid the area where the device is located.
Ultrasonic repellents come in a variety of styles, including plug-in models and battery-operated ones. Some models also have adjustable frequency settings, so you can find the right level of sound to keep cats away without bothering other animals or humans.
While these devices can be effective, they may not work for all cats. Some cats may become accustomed to the sound over time, or may simply not be bothered by it.
They may not be a good option if you have pets or small children who may also be able to hear the sound.
Cat Scarers
Cat silhouettes with glowing eyes are reported to work very well to deter cats. These certainly fool our dog!
