Smelly cat’s poop everywhere can make your outdoor living a nightmare, it not only stinks but also contain harmful parasites. A Stray feline or a cat from your neighbor might have converted your garden into a litter box.
However, this should not be the end of your enjoyment on patio, lawn or porch. Join me in exploring safe ways to stop cats from wandering and pooping in your garden. In case you are also having problems with dogs in your garden or lawn, check out this article on getting your furry friend under control.
How to Keep Cats out of Your Yard
Cats are curious animals who may be wandering your garden for many reasons including hunting, mating, feeding or homelessness. While exploring your backyard, cats end up scratching patio furniture, killing birds, urinating and pooping in your garden, digging holes or just pussyfooting around. You can safely end all these dramas through the following tricks:
1. Use Odor Repellents
Cats are incredibly sensitive to scents and smells. Some of the scents that cats dislike include citrus, lavender, peppermint and cinnamon among others. To keep cat out of your garden, take one of the scents and mix with water then spray the solution in your backyard.
Citrus is found in fruits such as lemons, limes, grapefruit and oranges. You may chop the fruits and squeeze the juice into a spray bottle then spray around. Ripe bananas are also a NO for cats, chop them and scatter them around the yard. This is not only a non-toxic safe trick but also a less expensive option.
Commercial cat repellents also make use of odor scents to scare away cats. They are made to smell like a strong predator fearful to cats or with citrus scents. The shake-away powder is simply applied around areas you want to discourage cats. The products are organic and non-toxic to plants and animals.
You may have also heard of plants that keep away cats from garden. These plants produce a strong scent that cats and dogs don’t like. Examples include lavender, pennyroyal and scaredy cat plant. Cats and other animals will find your garden a hell if you have these types of plants.
There is also an idea of using lion dung to keep away cats. Lions are territorial big cats that cannot entertain any other animal around their marked territory. Silent Roar Lion Manure can be spread in the garden to scare away stray cats. The lion dung smell sends a strong warning that no type of cat can defy.
2. Install Sound Barriers
Just like smell, cats are much sensitive to sound. One of the effective way of stopping cats from your garden is by installation of an ultrasonic cat deterrent device that emit a high frequency sound when they detect movements. While this sound cannot be heard by humans, it is unbearable for cats.
The SSSCAT repellent is an example of an ultrasonic device that produces both sound and spray to repel cats and dogs. It is motion-activated and you can install at the entryways of your yard or garden to keep cats off your outdoor furniture. It is a safe product to use around home.
Ordinary noise can also scare away a cat especially when unanticipated. Install sensitive bell or wind chimes that will produce noise when triggered by any small vibration caused by the animal.
Without spending a coin, simply place marbles or pebbles in an empty can and place it where a cat can upset it to create noise. Sound barriers are also one of the ways of keeping cats off your outdoor furniture.
3. Water spraying
Cats don’t like getting soaked with water. One of the most natural ways of controlling cats in your backyard is by splashing them with a jet of water. Whether you do it manually or using a motion-activated sprinkler, cats will be so discouraged from wandering your garden.
4. Physical barriers
Cats don’t like barriers like chicken wire, twigs or prickly mulch materials underfoot. Installing such barriers around your garden will discourage felines from lounging around. Cats also like digging and pooping on loose soil, therefore, adding rough materials such as stone mulch or plastic runner on the soft ground will typically discourage the activity.
5. Make the area clean
Thoroughly clean your backyard to remove food debris and smell that usually attract cats and dogs. Cover trash bins and avoid feeding your other pets outside in your yard. You should also wash away urine spray if you detect any to avoid cats using it as a territory marker.
Cats also like hanging around bird feeders to either chase after birds or feed. The area should be placed in a secured place where cats can find it difficult accessing. This will also help in preventing cats from hunting and killing birds.
6. Control rodents
Cats loves hunting small rodents such as rats and mice. In Africa, this is the main reason families keep cats for. If your backyard has rodents, lizards and other small creatures that will attract felines, this is the time to control them.
7. Designate a cat zone
You can keep cats from walking allover your garden by simply designating a cat-friendly zone. Make a sand box for cats and place it near a catnip plant which is loved by most cats. The cat will choose to poop in an area in the sand box and you can dispose it off in a controlled manner.
8. Talk to cat owner
If the cat causing trouble in your garden comes from the neighboring home, simply pass the word to the owner. Let them know that you do not like their cats in your yard. In an agreement, you and your neighbor should come up with a control measure.
9. Contract relevant authorities
Stray and feral cats should be safely trapped and taken to local cat shelters where they will be taken good care of or be reallocated to the owners. There are special animal rescue agencies who will get rid of stray cats permanently and in the end you will have some tranquility in your yard.
Conclusion
While you are plotting to keep the cats away from your yard, you will also need to find a way of dealing with the mess they have already caused. For poop, you may cover it will plenty of soil and let it decompose naturally or use a chemical compound to neutralize it. Doing so will give you a slight relief as you find a permanent solution.