Humane Ways to Prevent Cats from Pooping in Your Garden

Deterrents to Avoid

There are plenty of ways to deter cats from pooping in your flowerbeds or borders. However, some internet remedies can be harmful to cats, so avoid using very strong smells, particularly garlic and onions, which can make them sick. Cayenne pepper, vinegar, bleach, coffee grounds and essential oils should also be avoided.

Cat Repellent Plants

There are many flowers that you can plant in your garden that will help to repel cats. This includes the scaredy cat plant or Coleus Canina, which has a strong smell of urine and will put cats off as they are very territorial. Other plants that cats dislike include geraniums, lavender, lemon balm, curry plant, rosemary, quince, shrub roses and pyracantha. Cats avoid these plants either because of their scent or, as in the case of roses, because of the thorns.

Cat Sprays

If you are trying to deter cats from areas other than flower beds, you can use cat repellent sprays, available in pet stores. These sprays can contain peppermint oil, citrus scent, citronella oil or ammonia. Use this type of repellent around hard areas such as your driveway, paths, garage, greenhouse or shed.

Water Sprinkler

A safe and humane way to keep cats away from your garden and out of your flower beds is to install motion-activated water sprinklers. When the cat walks by, and the sprinkler is activated, it will scare the cat off. In time, they will learn that your garden is not for them and find somewhere else as a toilet. You can also use a water pistol to deter cats, but you should never fire the water directly at them, just in their general direction, and that should be enough to scare them away.

Ultrasonic Cat Repellent

Just as cats are very sensitive to strong smells, they are also averse to ultrasonic sound. By placing motion-activated ultrasonic repellents at entry points in your garden, you can discourage cats. The very high frequency emitted by these detectors is barely audible to people but can be heard by cats and dogs. However, they only cover a small area, so choose the location where cats enter your garden.

Pebbles Around Plants

Cats like to use freshly turned, dry soil as a toilet. Anything that you place on the surface of the soil that prevents them from digging will help to deter them. Not only do pebbles make it difficult for cats to poop in your flower bed, but they also help the soil to retain moisture which is beneficial to your plants.

Crushed Eggshells

The soft pads of cats’ paws are quite sensitive, and they dislike rough, sharp, and uncomfortable surfaces. Sprinkling broken eggshells on your flower beds can help stop cats from using them as a toilet, as they won't like walking or digging on the shells. The calcium in the eggshells is also good for your soil.

Wire Fencing

Regular fencing won't stop cats from getting into your garden as they are very good climbers and can jump quite high. However, a wire fence is less stable for a cat to climb on and is more likely to stop them from trying to enter your garden.

Use Ground Cover Plants

An effective way of keeping cats from digging in your soil and using it as a toilet is to cover the soil with ground-cover plants. If the cats can't reach the soil, then they won't dig and will find somewhere else to poop.

Bananas

Putting banana peels on your bare soil or flower beds can help repel cats. The banana peels emit a compound called ethyl acetate, which is what cats find repulsive. This compound is given off as the bananas ripen, so make sure the banana skins you're using are fully ripened.

Citrus Fruits

Many animals and insects dislike the sharp smell of citrus fruits, including cats. By using the juice or peel of citrus fruits such as lemons, limes and oranges, you can help prevent cats from using your flower beds or borders as a toilet. Chop up the peel and scatter around the base of your plants or on top of your bare soil. Alternatively, mix some citrus juice with water and spray it around your garden. For more targeted areas, soak cotton wool balls in citrus juice and place them around your plants.

Manure

You can combine deterring cats from pooping in your garden with fertilising your soil by putting actual poop on the garden. To be precise, you can use chicken manure, which is a non-chemical fertiliser, to provide nutrients for your plants, but the smell will also deter cats from using the area. If you're trying to prevent other cats from entering your garden, take some of your own cat’s poop from their litter tray using a scoop and place it on your flowerbeds. As cats are territorial, this should stop them.

Bark or Wood Chippings

Use bark or wood chippings on your garden as mulch, which will deter cats from using the area as a toilet. They prefer direct access to soft, dry soil, so this barrier will act as a deterrent and help retain moisture in your soil.

Use Drip Irrigation

As mentioned above, cats prefer dry soil, so if you keep the areas you're trying to protect damp, this should prevent cats from using it to poop in. Install a drip irrigation system to maintain the moisture in the soil. Obviously, this will also cut down the amount of watering you have to do for your plants.

Keep the Garden Clean

Finally, if cats are entering your garden and using it as a toilet, you need to remove the poop and clean the area with some soapy water. This should help to remove any smells that may encourage the cat to come back to the area and claim it as their territory.

HARRY BODELL: Harry Bodell is a UK-based landscaper with over 10 years of experience in the industry. As a gardening expert for PriceYourJob, Harry offers his expert advice to tradespeople and homeowners around the world. He has also been featured as a gardening expert in a wide range of reputable publications.