12
Aug
Some people may find cats adorable, others infuriating. Some may love them wandering in their gardens, others may be against it. Even if you don’t own one, some neighbourhood kitties
or homeless strays could end up digging holes in your backyard. Hence, if you’re someone who takes lawn care seriously or maybe are a passionate gardener, cats (especially stray ones) could become your worst nightmare. But how can I keep them out of my garden?, you may ask. The answer is a cat deterrent, be it a some sort of homemade quick fix or an electronic cat deterrent device. They’re not only effective but will safely keep cats out of your garden, and won’t hurt them or your pets, if you have any.
Source: purelypetsinsurance.co.uk
One of the most effective and safest ways of preventing unwanted visits is by using sound. They’re effective at deterring not only cats but other small animals as well by delivering high-pitched ultrasonic sounds and LED flashlights. These ultrasonic cat deterrents produce unpleasant noises only cats can hear (and animals in general), because they operate on high frequency that is inaudible to humans yet unbearable for cats. They are specifically designed for outdoor use, hence are weatherproof and resistant to different environmental elements. (in other words, resistant to wind and rain).
They’re easy to set up too. All you have to do is install one with a removable peg at desired location or can be fixed to a wall. Most are operated by three AA batteries and come with a one year warranty. The coverage area is usually up to 70 m² and some models of cat deterrents are designed to operate on 3 different modes. This means the time interval of the ultrasonic sound emission can be set on 3 different positions:
emits a 20 seconds ultrasonic sound in every 50 seconds
emits a 20 seconds ultrasonic sound in every 2 minutes
emits a 20 seconds ultrasonic sound in every 5 minutes.
There are hand-held models as well with a built-in torch light which can be operated by just two buttons.
Source: rspb.org.uk
Cats are very sensitive to smell and they dislike anything that has a strong scent. Hence try planting aromatic herbs and flowers, such as: lavender, peppermint, geranium, pennyroyal, Coleus canina (also known as the Scaredy-cat), etc.
Citrus fruit peels may work as well. You can just scatter grapefruit, orange, lemon or lime peels all over the surface of your garden. In addition, coffee grounds and pipe tobacco are also known to be good cat repellers, since they have a very strong smell.
Cats love soft and dry ground, so using shredded leaves, bark or wood chip mulch to cover your lawn is the perfect way to discourage them from pussyfooting around your property. Moreover, mulch keeps your soil moist and we all know these feline animals hate getting wet. And for extra piece of mind, also use sharp-edged pine cones or eggshells.
Another thing cats hate almost as much as getting wet is the feeling of the chicken wire on their paws. By laying chicken wire on top of garden beds or covering specific spots that tend to be common targets, you’ll no longer have to deal with shallow holes all over your yard. You could also use an electric wire fence, but this is a bit extreme. And with such a wide range of different options, choose a more humane one to keep uninvited guests away.
Source: 3benefitsof.com
It’s a fact that most, if not all, cats have aversion to water. So the next time you catch these unwanted guests roaming in your garden, use water guns or spray bottles to spray them with H2O. It won’t hurt them, and is in a sense a very effective disciplinary technique of letting them know they’re not welcomed. However spying on them all day every day hoping to catch them in action is not a solution to your problem. But an automated motion activated water sprinkler is. It is designed to detect unwanted animals as they approach and spray them with water.
Since cats are headstrong and usually don’t obey, not every deterrent is 100 percent effective. You may need to combine two or more of the above to solve your problem. However, whichever option you choose make sure it’s an animal-friendly one and will not put cats’ or other animals’ lives in danger.
If you can’t afford to buy a deterrent and you’re looking for a cheaper option, there’re also many effective homemade recipes for deterring cats from your garden.
