Guest post: How to keep Cats Out of the Garden

This guest post has been written by Ann Katelyn,  who loves gardening, homesteading and writing.

Are you having problems with cats visiting your garden? Did you know that it is possible for you to keep them away from your plants? Find out how to keep cats out of the garden by reading the information below.

As much as you love your cats, you also do like the plants in your garden and ensuring that they are safe is your primary goal. Garden owners are often seeing their gardens being used as a cat’s litter box and this is the reason why more and more people are looking for ways to how to keep cats out of the garden.

One of the most effective ways to how you can keep the cats out of your garden is by using powerful scents. Get to know what to plant for your garden to stay protected.

Planting Plants with a Potent Smell

Cats don’t like plants that have a powerful smell and having them around your garden will make the entire garden look disgusting for them. Try planting some of the potent smelling ones in your garden or even in some areas of your home where you don’t want cats to be in. Some of the best plants to grow include, thorny roses, lemon thyme, absinthe, geranium, ruse, and lavender.

Use Scented Oils and Dried Herbs

If you don’t feel like planting other plants or herbs, then you can scatter dried herbs, or you can also sprinkle some scented oils. You can purchase dried lavender and rue online or in some of the local garden supply shops in your area. Some of the essential oils that you can use include, eucalyptus, citrus, citronella, lemongrass, and lavender. If all of these are not available, then you may opt to use cayenne pepper by sprinkling them around your garden.

Use Peels of Citrus Fruits in Your Garden

Another thing that cats hate is a citrus smell, and you can scatter some dried or fresh peels around your garden. Some of the citrus peels that you can use are grapefruits, oranges, and lemons. You don’t have to worry about anything because the cat won’t be in danger, as the peels will make the area in your garden unappealing to the cats.

Scattering Some Pipe Tobacco and Coffee Grounds

If you are into pipe tobacco or know someone who is, then gathering some so you can spread them in your garden will help. You can also use some coffee grounds and scatter them around the soil. The reason behind these two is because the cats will also find the smell of tobacco and coffee disgusting.

Spraying a Repellent with Predator Urine

There are cat deterrents that are available in most gardening supply shops. It would be best to look for the natural one, which contains a fox’s urine and any other types of predatory animals. The good thing about this kind of product is that it can also help deter rabbits and squirrels. Just make sure to follow all the instructions included.

Gathering Your own Hair from Brushes and Combs

There is a theory that cats do not like human hair’s scent. You can start gathering the hair from your brushes and combs. If you have a hair cut, then the trimmed hair could be collected so you can use it to scatter around your garden.

Wash Away the Scents of Cats

The last thing that you can do to ensure that the cats will stay away from your garden is by washing away any of their scents. The reason behind this is because once a cat goes to the backyard, it will mark it as its territory. So it is best to wash the scent away using a mixture of water and white vinegar when it’s not around. This will discourage the cat from going back to your garden next time.

The above methods are not guaranteed to prevent cats completely from visiting your garden, but they should certainly help.