What’s the best natural cat repellent?

As many commercially manufactured cat repellents may contain chemicals that could harm cats – and potentially humans – over time, it is wise to look for natural alternatives to keep cats away from your garden.

Natural cat repellents are generally non-toxic and biodegradable and can be used indoors or outdoors.

However, just because the repellent is ‘natural’ does not mean that it will not cause a cat some discomfort or harm. Hemlock is a natural repellent and it is commonly used as mulch, but it is also poisonous to cats so it is unacceptable to use to keep cats out of your garden. Cayenne and chilli pepper are also often cited to be used as natural repellents, but these can make cats sick. Coffee grounds are also toxic to cats.

Cats are curious animals – it is in their nature to explore and it is not fair to punish them for it.

There are a few challenges to be aware of when using natural cat repellents compared to other devices:

Natural repellent products need to be reapplied in order to keep working properly
Natural repellents typically degrade over time
When you stop frequent application, the cats may return, such as when you are away on holiday
Re-application can be an expensive solution over time
You will need to re-apply natural cat repellents more often if you live in a wet area

The best natural cat repellents

There are many natural cat repellents to choose from, but you could consider:

Liquid Fence cat repellent

Liquid Fence is spray repellent that is made from all natural plant oils, so it’s biodegradable and environmentally friendly. The idea behind this product is that cats will return to the same areas again and again to urinate.

Liquid Fence cat repellent is designed to mask the territorial odours the cat leaves behind. This causes the cat to become uneasy, thus discouraging them from using the area again.

Shake-Away cat repellent

One way to keep a cat away from a particular area is to make the cat think that there is danger in that area. Shake-Away cat repellent is a powder form of fox urine which will make a cat think that the fox has staked claim to a territory, or is nearby. Cats fear foxes, so they stay away.

Natural pellet repellents

Silent Roar is a pellet product that uses lion dung as a natural cat repellent. Domestic cats know their place and very wisely retreat, not wanting to become a snack for the Lion King!

Using plants as natural cat repellent

Cats dislike being around certain plants. Plant repellents includes the plants themselves, the leaves, flowers, clippings and the essential oils of these plants.

If you place rosemary on window sills or a kitchen work surface, you can keep your cat down from these areas. You could also add rosemary essential oil to cotton balls placed around the house if you want to keep your cat away from certain areas or rooms.

Some plants that are recommended for keeping cats away from gardens but possibly could be used indoors in pots as well include:

Lavender
Pennyroyal
Rosemary
Rue

Other natural cat repellent remedies

The internet offers a large variety of homemade recipes with mixtures of various ingredients including vinegar and a variety of essential oils. It is important to research each essential oil to make sure they are safe for cats. You should always make sure that homemade sprays do not go near a cat’s eyes.

Orange, lemon and lime peels can be effective to scatter around as cats hate the smell of citrus, but they will biodegrade quickly and they do not look unsightly.

Cats don’t like to walk on rocky or rough surfaces and they prefer to urinate on loose soil, so you can use lots of rocks and stones in your garden design to naturally repel cats. Netting and fencing can both work well as physical barriers to protect your precious plants.

Aluminum foil or double-sided sticky tape can be used inside the house on carpet or furniture. Like the rocky or rough surfaces that repel cats in the garden, cats hate the texture of foil and sticky tape and the way it feels and sounds. After the cat gets used to not using that particular area, you should be able to remove the tape or foil.

You can also add string to the top of your garden fence as it makes it very uncomfortable for cats to walk along. If you have a wire fence, applying oil to the top will provide deterrence as well.

Another method that works well to deter cats from your garden is tying a piece of disposable aluminum to a stake placed on your lawn or in a flower bed. As the wind blows, the soft ethereal noises emitted by the aluminium will make cats feel very uncomfortable and they should keep away from the area.

Water – the most natural cat repellent of all

Water is one of the best – if not the best – natural cat repellents available. Cats hate water, so if you catch your cat approaching an area that’s restricted indoors, give the cat a little spray from a trigger spray or atomiser. You can buy a trigger spray bottle for as little as 99p in some shops. Do this a few times and they will soon stop returning to that area.

For your garden, you can purchase sprinklers which are attached to a motion sensor. These machines will gently spray cats to discourage them from coming back.

To conclude, it is important to be aware that not all natural repellents are safe for cats. If in doubt, ask a local vet for their advice. The electronic cat repellent solutions that are available are probably more effective, require less work, won’t harm any animals and are possibly less expensive to use in the long term. Ideally you should use a combination of safe, humane methods to keep cats away from your garden.