21 Ways To Keep Cats Out Of Garden
You must keep cats out of the garden since they are a nuisance. Their act of playing around while digging soil can lead to all sorts of havoc in your garden bed.
Fortunately, there are so many ways how you can deter them from entering your garden. With these tips, you can prevent these furry animals from destroying your flower or vegetable beds.
1. Ultrasonic Cat Repeller
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Purchase an ultrasonic cat repeller. Place one or two of these devices in your garden in order to keep stray cats away. The noise produced by these repellers will scare them away.
2. Grow Lavender
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Growing lavender is also an effective way to keep cats away. Cats do not like the smell of these herbs. Therefore, planting lavender will make your garden seem disgusting to them and they will try to avoid it at all costs.
Cultivate one or more of the lavender plants in your garden. Try to intersperse them with your other plants.
3. Motion-Detecting Sprinklers
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Cats hate water. Thus, installing a sprinkler in your garden is one of the best ways how to keep stray cats out of your yard. Motion detecting sprinklers are effective at deterring these furry animals.
From the name itself, the sprinkler is capable of detecting any motion. Thus, the moment a cat would go near it, the sprinkler would release water that will surely scare them away.
4. Cat Sandbox
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Cats love to play around and this is one of the reasons they will terrorize your garden. Therefore, you should give them an alternative place to play around. A cat sandbox would be a great idea. Look for an old sandbox that is as huge as a litter box.
Next, fill it with soft and fine-grained sand. With luck, cats will be drawn to this makeshift play area. As a result, they will choose to play there instead of terrorizing your garden.
5. Wall Spikes
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Another effective way to keep cats out of the garden is to create a barrier in your garden. To do this, place spikes at the top of the fence or wall.
The spikes will not only deter cats but other unwanted animals as well. Some spikes could get removed easily though. When you install these spikes, make sure that they are fastened securely on a fence or wall.
6. Scat Mats
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Cover the exposed ground of your garden with scat mats. These are plastic mats that come with spikes that are string enough not to hurt your cats. However, your furry pets will not like the texture at all and will therefore keep away.
Generally, the mats are often cut into four pieces. Therefore, it would be easier to fit it to the size according to the specific needs of your garden.
7. Remove the Bird Feeder
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Cats are drawn to bird food so keep your bird feeder away from the garden. Ideally, you must hang the feeder in a place that’s not too high for your cat to jump in.
Otherwise, a bird that frequently visits your garden for a meal might be in more danger than your garden.
Also Read: How to Keep Deer out of Your Garden
8. Use Commercial Cat Repellent
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Spray commercial cat repellents in your garden. The repellent usually contains predator urine that deters cats. Buy them at your local garden supply stores.
Look for the natural one that has the urine of foxes as well as predatory animals. Basically, these repellents contain natural ingredients that can also keep other animals away, like rabbits and squirrels.
9. Set Up an Unwelcome Surface
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Most cats would prefer smooth ground surfaces. Hence, one of the most effective means on how to keep cats out of the garden is to place pointy objects all over.
For instance, you can scatter pinecones all over your garden or yard. The idea would be to prevent the cats from having a space for them to rest and play around.
10. Grow the Coleus Canina
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There are certain plants that give off smells, which cats dislike. One such plant is the Coleus Canina. In fact, the plant is also called the scaredy cat plant because of its ability to scare cats away.
If you want to effectively keep cats away from your garden, then consider growing this plant.
11. Use Non-toxic Scents
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By nature, cats are sensitive to smell. Therefore, they can easily smell anything they do not like and will immediately peace out. So when it comes to keeping cats away, using scents is a great way.
There are commercial cat repellents made of non-toxic scents that could deter cats. Simply spray this product on areas where cats would often linger.
12. Use Scented Oils
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As mentioned, there are certain herbs and plants that can scare cats away. Alternatively, you can use scented oils or dried herbs if you don’t want to go through the process of planting and growing these plants.
Scatter the essential oils or dried herbs all over your garden and this should be enough to scare the cats away.
13. Coffee Grounds
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Just like lavender, cats hate the smell of coffee grounds. Therefore, if you want to know how to keep cats from pooping in flower beds, then spread coffee grounds all over your garden.
Scatter a thin layer of the coffee grounds directly into the soil. On the other hand, you can make use of tobacco if coffee grounds won’t work.
14. Install Lattice Fencing
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Lay lattice fencing on your garden before you start growing plants. Basically, the fencing will keep your garden protected against intruders, including cats. Moreover, the gaps in between the fencing are small enough for cats to even get through.
Transplant the seedlings into the soil exposed by the fencing gaps. Over time, common garden plants should be able to grow well within the fencing.
Also Read: 21 Amazing Uses of Epsom Salt for Gardening
15. Electric Fencing
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Installing electric fencing in your garden is one of the easiest ways how to keep cats out of your garden. The fencing is basically made of a low voltage wire that will not cause any harm to cats but will just simply scare them away.
Furthermore, the fencing can be possibly raised up to four inches away from the ground. Therefore, it will discourage any pets from getting into your garden.
You can purchase electric fencing at any hardware store. Otherwise, you can create one yourself if you have basic knowledge of how electricity works.
16. Scatter Citrus Peels
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Cats hate the aroma or smell of citrus. Hence, spreading citrus peels all over your garden will surely drive them away. You can scatter dried or fresh peels of oranges, lemons, and other citrus fruits.
This will not cause any harm to cats, but the smell will be enough for them to leave your garden away.
17. Hair Trimmings
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In theory, cats do not love the scent of human hair. Thus, spread batches of your own hair trimmings in your garden. This is also a great way how to keep cats from pooping in flower beds.
The moment they notice your hair on the beds, the cats will run away and will look for some other place to poop.
18. Remove Cat Scents Away
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Cats will often mark their territory in your garden. Therefore, in order to drive them away, you need to wash their scent away.
Simply spray or pour white vinegar on the area that your cats have claimed. Consequently, cats will be discouraged from lingering on that spot ever again.
19. Spray with Water
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If you are being watchful of your garden, then you can simply spray the cats to scare them away. Use a water hose with strong pressure when doing so.
Moreover, cats can be trained easily. Thus, if you are persistent, this should be enough to drive them away.
20. Cayenne Pepper
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Cayenne pepper is made of capsaicin, a chemical that can repel cats away from your garden. Hence, if you are looking for an effective way how to keep stray cats out of your yard, then use cayenne pepper as a repellent spray.
There are commercial cayenne pepper sprays that you can buy. On the other hand, you can make your own spray by simply mixing ground pepper flakes with water.
Also Read: 11 Best Garden Tools that make Gardening Easy
21. Lay Chicken Wire
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Finally, consider installing chicken wire over your garden beds. On the other hand, you can recycle the mesh produce bags from those onions and potatoes you have bought from the grocery stores.
Spread the wire or mesh bags over your garden and anchor them with twigs.
Final Thoughts
By following these tips on how you can keep cats out of your garden, your plants can now grow in harmony and not be bothered by any of your furry pets.
