Firstly, deterring cats does not have to be cruel. Most cats when positively deterred will find somewhere else to use as a toilet; you are simply redirecting them to somewhere more convenient, for you!
Once they have formed a new habit in a different location, they are very likely to stick to it, so it pays to attempt a redirection.
Home methods
Search for cat deterrents online and you’ll be overwhelmed with home remedies, hints and tips. Some say cats detest the smell of coffee, so sprinkling your used coffee grounds around the base of plants is enough to put them off.
Other swear by garlic as the most detested thing a cat can smell, so a similar spreading of garlic granules will have them running for the fields.
One that tends to get a lot of attention is the ‘silent roar’, also known as lion dung, the idea being that the cat will believe they are in the territory of a much larger beast and stay away. At least this one may have the benefit of acting as a fertiliser!
Others cite citrus, ammonia, vinegar, mustard, tobacco, eucalyptus and even ketchup as effective cat deterrents. We’re not sure some of those won’t have the effect of attracting other insects (not to say make your garden a pongy place to relax in), but you could certainly give them a go and see what happens.
Mechanical options
There are plenty of mechanical options on the market with many activating on detection of movement.
They include ultrasonic deterrents that let off a high-pitched burst of ultrasonic sound that should only be audible to cats and be unpleasant enough that they are unlikely to return.
Water sprays, lasers and light up animal eyes may have some effect. All of these need positioning in the right place where cats are likely to move around, so it may take a few goes to get the location right.
Water sprays have been known to be particularly effective as cats generally detest being sprayed with water. However, most of the mechanical options will need monitoring for effectiveness as batteries drain. This might happen more quickly than you’d like if you also have dogs…
A question of scale
If you have a large garden, some of the home remedies might be a little challenging in terms of gathering enough ingredients to cover the space. This is where specially formulated products like Doff Stop Cat come in handy.
Cats tend to navigate to loose earth, pea gravel, sand or any area where they can move loose material around. So focus on these areas first, apply and monitor the effects.
Let us know if you’ve had success with a particular deterrent – we’d love to hear your stories, email: marketing@agrigem.co.uk
