How to Keep Cats Away From Your Yard
Your cat or your neighbor’s cat is in the garden pooping. Now what? If you are reading this, there is a good chance that you have had to deal with this before. There are several methods for how to stop cats pooping in the garden, but not all of them work.
Cats will poop anywhere and everywhere they can. If you're a cat owner, you've probably come across some poo-covered shoes or found some in your garden. Nobody likes stepping on their own cat's poop, but it's even worse for gardens and yards where the poop can quickly ruin the grass.
They can get very bored
Cats are a natural born predators, and they need lots of exercise in order to prevent obesity. And those that have nothing to do but eat and sleep can become very bored. This boredom leads them to explore new territories, which may include the outdoors. In addition, there are many ways to keep cats happy while they are indoors.
You see, it is possible that your yard is a perfect place for cats to explore because it has so many different kinds of things going on. The plants provide a sense of security while the other animals provide company or something to chase. There are many other potential reasons for why they might go exploring outside its litter box, but these are the most common ones according to experts.
There are many ways to keep cats away from your garden. Here are some of the most popular and effective:
1. Make the garden less appealing
To make the garden more difficult for cats, remove any food sources such as birdfeeders and pet food dishes. Also, keep it tidy by picking up any scraps on the floor. Cats will not want to go into an area where their prey can escape or where they cannot hunt successfully.
2. Try homemade (but animal-friendly) pepper sprays
Some people have also tried to use pepper spray to keep cats away from their garden. They sprayed the pepper near the plants in their yard that they want to protect. However, when it rains, these sprays wash away and are ineffective when it comes to protecting plants from cats.
3. Pungent spices could drive them away
Whenever possible, keep cats out of your garden by using pungent spices like turmeric to put them off. Sprinkle it all over the garden. Here are a few scents that cats dislike so be sure to plant these close to the garden if you want to keep them out:
- Lemongrass
- Lavender
- Rosemary
- Rue
- Pennyroyal
4. Consider installing a motion-activated sprinkler
This one might be more expensive than others but you can't argue with the effectiveness. Cats really don't like water, so an automatic sprinkler could solve your problems. When cats enter your yard, an automatic sprinkler will release a sudden burst of water with a startling noise. This is designed to scare the cat away.
5. Discourage them from going there in the future
To discourage cats from coming close to your yard, place a few things that make noise like bells and plastic bags around the edge of your yard. Cats will soon get used to these sounds and get discouraged at the thought of coming this close.
