What Can I Use to Repel Cats Outside of My Home?

What Can I Use to Repel Cats Outside of My Home?. Cats can be a friendly and cuddly member of the family. Unfortunately, they can also be a nuisance, especially if they get into your yard and garden. The right type of fence might work for a short time, but if you have a cat or cats in your area, eventually you’ll have to find a way to deal with them. There are a number of ways to keep cats away from your home.

Cayenne Pepper

Pepper can be a flavorful addition to your meals, but it can also be used to help keep nuisance cats away from your house and garden. Buy a large container of powdered cayenne pepper and use it in the areas that your local cats like to visit. As the cat walks through the area it picks up the pepper, which it then ingests when it cleans itself. Cats do not like the taste and will learn to avoid areas that smell like pepper. One potential drawback to using powdered pepper is that you may need to reapply it whenever it rains.

Citrus and Herbs

Humans may like the smell of citrus plants, but cats do not. Chop up fresh orange and lemon peels and spread them around the areas you want cats to avoid. You can also try lime and grapefruit peels. In addition to citrus, there are a number of herbs and plants that cats find annoying, such as lavender, rue and geraniums. Plant these herbs and plants around your house and garden or spray their oil extracts in the problem areas.

Sticks and Stones

One of the reasons cats hang around a house or garden is because they like to use the soft dirt as a litter box. If there is no soft dirt in which to dig, the cat has one less reason to be around your house. Cover loose dirt and soil with gravel, flagstones or chicken wire to make the area around your house less desirable to cats. Another idea, although less humane than others, is to place sticks, thorny vines or plastic forks (tines up) on and in the ground to make it uncomfortable to walk on. One problem with this method is the potential for harm to the family pet, children or visitors.

Chemicals, Powders and Sprays

Perhaps the easiest way to get rid of problem cats is to purchase one of a number of products designed to repel cats. Predator urine is a powdered or liquid substance made from coyote and other animal urine that fools cats into thinking that something large, mean and hungry is on the prowl. You can also scatter dog hair collected from your own pet or from a neighbor's dog around your property. Cats will catch the dog’s scent and avoid the treated areas.

References

• UVM Dept. of Plant and Soil Science; Keeping Cats Out Of The Garden; Dr. Leonard Perry; 2010