| Do cat repellents work? How to stop a cat | | | | When the cat enters the area covered by the |
| from using garden as litterbox? Tell me how | | | | detector the sprinkler shoots out a jet of |
| to keep cats out of my garden. These are | | | | water to scare the animal away. It is claimed |
| common questions of concern to all gardeners | | | | that, after one or two encounters with the |
| but is there a real answer?The first line of | | | | jet, the cat will learn to avoid the |
| defence is to ensure that your yard | | | | area.Ultrasonic devices emit a high frequency |
| boundaries are secure. Any gaps in your fence | | | | sound which is annoying to cats (and dogs) |
| should be blocked to deny low level access. | | | | but is not audible to humans. There are |
| But cats can jump so fix a taut wire or | | | | various different models some of which |
| string some six inches above the top of your | | | | operate continuously and others which have an |
| fence to deter this approach.Once inside your | | | | infra red detector and only emit a pulse of |
| garden many people say that the best cat | | | | sound when the cat triggers the device. To be |
| repellent is a dog who will soon see off any | | | | successful you need to ensure that the model |
| feline invader. If you are not a dog lover | | | | is powerful enough to cover the area you wish |
| then you will have to resort to more passive | | | | to protect. In addition make sure that the |
| methods. Since cats like to lie on freshly | | | | sound frequency is designed for larger |
| dug soil you should lay mulch on your borders | | | | animals since some models are intended to |
| so that no bare soil is left exposed. Seed | | | | deter insects and so would be no use for |
| beds should be covered with wire netting or | | | | cats.There are also commercial scent cat |
| twigs arranged as a barrier.Young trees | | | | repellents. Those that use chemicals should |
| should have plastic guards fitted around | | | | be kept away from any food crops but the |
| their trunks to protect them against use as a | | | | essential oil based granule varieties act in |
| scratching pole. | | | | the same way as orange and lemon peel |
| | | | mentioned above. Another way to keep a cat |
| Your garden pond should be covered with | | | | out if the garden is a repellent evaporator |
| netting to keep your fish safe.Cats are | | | | which consists of a container holding puffed |
| generally known to dislike water so a well | | | | rice which has been impregnated with |
| aimed bucketful or a squirt with the hose | | | | essential oils. These are effective for three |
| will certainly make an intruder run. After | | | | to four weeks and can then be refilled for a |
| one or two dousings it may learn the lesson | | | | further period. Another natural product |
| and stay away.To protect plants and borders | | | | which many people claim really keeps a cat |
| both mothballs and citrus are said to be | | | | out of the garden is lion's dung. You may |
| effective deterrents. Place the mothballs, | | | | need to visit your local zoo to obtain this |
| orange peel or lemon rind in the borders. | | | | although some stores do stock zoo poo.In |
| Alternatively spray cloths with orange | | | | Ontario, Canada the local township provides a |
| scented air freshener and place the cloths | | | | cat trap service. Once the animal enters the |
| around the plants you wish to protect. Other | | | | cage it cannot escape but is completely |
| known cat repellents are cayenne pepper, | | | | unharmed. The owner has to pay to recover his |
| coffee grounds, pipe tobacco, lavender oil, | | | | pet and so should be encouraged not to let |
| lemon grass oil, citronella oil, eucalyptus | | | | the cat stray in future. Apparently few |
| oil and mustard oil.Certain herbs are said to | | | | owners bother to reclaim their cats but just |
| deter cats. In particular rue but not catmint | | | | obtain another kitten. However this sounds |
| which has the opposite effect. Coleus canina | | | | like a good way of dealing with a cat that |
| is another plant which is marketed by one | | | | cannot be deterred by any other method. If |
| merchant as a cat repellent.The broadcaster | | | | there is no such scheme in your area, just |
| Jerry Baker has suggested treating your yard | | | | buy your own trap.So, to recap, the first |
| with a tonic made from chewing tobacco, | | | | priority is to secure your boundary fences. |
| urine, birth control pills, mouthwash, | | | | Then you have the whole selection of |
| molasses, detergent and beer. A smallholder | | | | suggested cat repellents ranging from |
| has reported success using dried rabbit blood | | | | homemade recipes to expensive commercial |
| but you may feel that the ingredients listed | | | | gadgets. I would suggest that you try the |
| in the previous paragraph should be tried | | | | orange peel and prickly twigs for a start. If |
| first.If you visit your local garden center | | | | you are around when the intruder appears, try |
| or hardware store you will find several cat | | | | the bucket of water or hose. Even if you |
| repellent products on sale. These range from | | | | miss, the shock may be a sufficient |
| electric water sprinklers and ultrasonic | | | | deterrent. If these do not do the trick, then |
| devices to sprays and granules.Motion | | | | you may have to consider the commercial |
| activated sprinklers act in the same way as a | | | | alternatives. |
| burglar alarm using an infra red detector. | | | | |