Keep Cats Out of Your Yard

Domesticated outdoor cats and feral cats like to roam through yards looking for food, mates or litter boxes. If you are having trouble with unwanted cats, then you should pay attention to why the cat is in your yard and adjust your environment to repel it. You can learn how to keep cats out of your yard with these methods.

Steps

Technological Solutions

  1. Use a cat repellent to prevent cat litter. These mixes are the best option against cats that use your garden as a litter box, and are available at most pet stores and on the Internet. Shake the granules or spray the concentration near garden beds that are used as litter boxes.
    • The cat repellent usually uses predator scents to scare the cat into finding a new territory.
    • Choose a non-toxic formula to reduce risk of hurting pets, children or plants.
  2. Buy a motion-activated sprinkler. You can find animal deterrent sprinklers online, usually for about $40 to $100 US.
    • Set the sprinkler in the place where the cat enters the yard, or near places you want to protect.
    • Consider buying more than one sprinkler, if the cats live nearby. Given enough time, a cat may find another way into the yard.
  3. Invest in ultrasonic devices. Choose motion activated devices, which are available online for $20 to $40. When a cat jumps into your yard, the device will make an unpleasant sound and detract from the environment.
    • Humans cannot hear the high-frequency sound, although it will be unpleasant for other types of animals.
    • This solution is best for deterring cats who spend a lot of time in the yard.

Removing Enticements

  1. Take out birdbaths or bird feeders. If cats are hunting in your yard, they may be finding easy prey.
    • If you don’t want to remove the bird feeders, make sure they are free hanging, in locations where the cat can’t climb or jump to attack birds.
  2. Close sandboxes. If your children have a sandbox for play, make sure it is only open during active playtime. If it cannot be closed or covered, consider removing the sandbox.
    • Cats are attracted to sand as a litter material. Allowing children to play in places that have cat feces can expose them to zoonotic diseases.
    • The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) suggests distracting cats from your yard by placing a small sandbox nearby. Although you will be creating a litter box that you have to change frequently, it will be a more attractive place for cats than your gardens.
  3. Remove outdoor food and water. If you feed your cat outdoors, it is only a matter of time before other cats will use your house as a food sources.
  4. Keep your cats indoors if they are not spayed and going into heat. Male cats that are not neutered can find the scent and discover your yard.

Keeping Cats Away from Garden Plants

  1. Install chicken wire at dirt level. After you prepare your dirt to grow seeds or starts, cover the area with a horizontal layer of chicken wire.
    • Cut holes in the places where your plants will grow with a wire cutter.
    • Gardening solutions like this are best for stopping cats that use flowerbeds as litter boxes.
  2. Cover areas between plants with stones. Once you have planted your beds or garden, lay down a layer of flat stones around the plants. The water will still seep into the ground below, but cats and weeds will be deterred.
    • In place of stones, you can also use pine cones. The sharp points at the end of pine cones are uncomfortable for cats. In either case, limiting the amount of soil exposed to the air will reduce the appeal of your garden.
    • Gardening companies sell special mats, called Cat Scat Mats that are pressed into the soil. They contain plastic spikes that cats will not want to walk on. However, if you need to step into your garden to weed or water, it can also be uncomfortable for humans.
  3. Plant rue in your garden. Ruta graveolens is a mostly ornamental herb. Cats usually despise the smell of it.
    • Be careful when touching rue if the weather is hot. Exposure to the plant can cause blisters on the skin.



Things You'll Need

  • Motion activated sprinkler
  • Motion activated ultrasonic repellent
  • Cat repellent granules or spray
  • Stones
  • Pinecones
  • Garden cat mats
  • Chicken wire
  • Rue plants
  • Sandbox cover

Tips

  • If these solutions do not work, try to find out who the cat’s owner is and approach her. Some owners are willing to keep their cat inside more often if cats are fighting or creating an unsafe environment for other families.

Sources and Citations

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