Secure Private Property From Cats

Texture:

Cats prefer gardens with soft, dry dirt or sand. Anything pointy or bristly will help deter them. Some things people have used in or on dirt:

• pine cones
• stone mulch
• plastic carpet runner, spikey side up
• chicken wire over top of dirt
• plastic forks, tines up
• plastic plant stakes
• cedar mulch covered with pine mulch and straw
• plastic netting
• burlap coffee sacks
• straw mulch
• egg shells

Scent:

There are a number of safe, nontoxic scents that cats don’t like and will tend to avoid:

• black pepper
• cayenne pepper
• dry mustard powder
• coffee grounds (ask for free grounds at your local cafe)
• used tea leaves
• orange peels
• Nature’s Wisdom Orange Oil Concentrate
• Shake-Away (cat repellant granules)
• U Scram Cat Deterrent
• fox urine
• plants: Coleus canin (scaredy cat plant), lavender, rue, geranium, lemon thyme
• essential oils (mix 1 part oil with 3 parts water and spray mulch or fabric strips): citronella, orange, lemongrass, lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, tea tree, anise

Note: Despite what you may see on other web sites, mothballs are toxic to pets, people and the environment. Bloodmeal, bonemeal and fish meal may also be toxic to pets if ingested. Please do not use these items.

Water:

• Motion-activated sprinkler (Scarecrow, Havahart etc.)

High Tech:

• Cat fencing (spiky strips for the top of fences)
• Cat Stop --or-- StayAway --or-- CatScram ultrasonic cat deterrent (other brands available also)

Reverse Psychology:

• Build a sandbox to lure cats away from where you don’t want them. (This will help contain the mess in one location.)
• Plant catnip in a location where you would prefer cats to be.