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