Whether you like cats or not, it's always frustrating when they hang around doing damage where they shouldn't. It could be your backyard, your favorite houseplant, or your sofa in the living room, but if a cheeky cat scratches or urinates where you don't want it, it can do a lot of damage. Fortunately, there are natural repellents you can make at home to keep it away from particular types of areas. By using some ingredients, such as citrus oil and peels, vinegar, lemongrass, pepper, and garlic, you can discourage access to these animals that don't like strong smells. You can use most of the repellents described in this article both indoors and outdoors, but it's always a good idea to try them on fabrics and other delicate items to make sure they don't stain.
Ingrediants
Repellent based on essential oils
- 2 drops of lemon essential oil
- 2 drops of wild orange essential oil
- 2 drops of lavender essential oil
- Waterfall
Vinegar Based Repellent
- 1 part of vinegar
- 1 part liquid hand soap
- 1 part of water
Citrus based repellent
- 470 ml of water
- 95 g of orange, lemon, lime and / or mandarin peel
- 10 ml of lemon juice
- Lemon dish soap
Citronella Oil Based Repellent
- 20 drops of lemongrass oil
- 180 ml of water
Repellent based on Garlic, Pepper and Lemon
- 2 g of black pepper
- 2 g of dried mustard
- 3 g of cinnamon
- 1 clove of crushed garlic
- 3-4 drops of lemon essential oil
- Waterfall
Steps
Part 1 of 5: Prepare the Essential Oil Repellent
Step 1. Pour essential oils into a spray bottle
To get this repellent, you will need a 60ml glass vaporizer. Add 2 drops of lemon essential oil, 2 of wild orange essential oil and 2 of lavender essential oil.
- Cats are more sensitive to people's scents, so essential oils that give off strong smells, such as citrus and lavender, can help keep them away. If you prefer, you can use lime, mint, and / or eucalyptus in place of lemon, wild orange, and lavender.
- It is important to use a glass spray bottle because essential oils degrade more easily in plastic containers.
Step 2. Fill the vaporizer with water and shake it well to mix the contents
Once you have poured the essential oils into the spray bottle, add enough water to fill it. Make sure you close it and shake it so that the oil part and the water part mix properly.
It is not necessary to use filtered or purified water. That of the tap will be fine
Step 3. Spray the mixture in the spots you want
Once you have the repellent, apply it in areas where you would like to prohibit access to cats. It is very effective especially if you have houseplants that you want to protect from harm from these animals.
Be careful not to spray the repellent on carpets, curtains or other fabrics, as the oil contained inside can stain these types of materials. Test it in a hidden spot to make sure it doesn't do any damage
Part 2 of 5: Prepare the Vinegar Based Repellent
Step 1. Pour the vinegar and water into a spray bottle
To get this repellent, you will need a vaporizer. Add 1 part vinegar and 1 part water and shake the solution to mix the ingredients.
- Use white vinegar.
- You can use hot, filtered, or purified water.
- You can use a plastic or glass bottle to hold this repellent.
Step 2. Add the soap and shake the mixture well
Once you have mixed the water and vinegar, pour 1 part of liquid hand soap into the vaporizer. Shake vigorously to make sure it blends well with the water and vinegar mixture.
Any type of hand soap will do, but it's best if it's clear
Step 3. Spray or apply the mixture to the affected areas
Once the vinegar, water and soap are completely mixed, apply the repellent to the areas where you want to discourage cats from entering. Spray it with the vaporizer or apply it with a cloth and rub it in the areas you prefer.
You can use this repellent to keep cats away both indoors and out
Part 3 of 5: Prepare the Citrus Based Repellent
Step 1. Boil the water
Add 470ml of water to a medium-sized saucepan. Heat the water over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil. It should take about 5-7 minutes.
Since you need to boil it, tap water will do
Step 2. Add the citrus peels and let the mixture simmer
Once the water comes to a boil, pour 95 g of orange, lemon, lime, and / or mandarin peels into the pot. Lower the heat and let the solution cool for 20 minutes.
- Cats can't stand the smell of citrus fruits, so any combination of orange, lemon, lime and tangerine peels totaling 95g will do for this repellent.
- If the mixture starts to boil again, lower the heat.
Step 3. Cool the solution and pour it into a spray bottle
Once the pot has been on the stove for 20 minutes, remove it from the stove. Let the mixture cool completely, for about 30 minutes, before transferring it to the vaporizer.
If the citrus peels are bulky, remove them to make it easier to pour the mixture into the bottle
Step 4. Add the lemon juice and dish soap and shake the mixture well
Once you have poured the mixture into the spray bottle, pour in 10ml of lemon juice and a splash or two of lemon dish soap. Shake the bottle well to make sure all the ingredients mix well.
- You can substitute lime or orange juice for lemon juice. The important thing is to use a freshly pressed juice.
- You can use any type of dish soap, but if it's lemon flavored, it will be more effective because cats don't like the smell of citrus.
Step 5. Apply the mixture to the most important areas of the house
After mixing the ingredients thoroughly, spray the repellent in any area of the house where you would like to prevent cats from accessing. You can use it on the floor, walls and even furniture.
For added safety, you may want to test the repellent on fabric objects in hidden places. That way, you can be sure it won't do any harm
Part 4 of 5: Prepare Citronella Oil Repellent
Step 1. Fill the spray bottle with water
To get this repellent, you will need a glass vaporizer. Fill it almost to the brim with water.
- Tap water, filtered or purified, will do.
- The glass bottle allows you to keep the repellent's effectiveness intact, otherwise the oil risks degrading more easily in a plastic container.
Step 2. Add lemongrass oil and shake well
After filling the bottle with water, add 20 drops of lemongrass oil. Stir the mixture by shaking the bottle well.
Like citrus fruits and other essential oils, lemongrass oil also gives off a very strong smell that repels cats. It also manages to keep insects away
Step 3. Spray the mixture indoors and outdoors
Once you have mixed the water and lemongrass oil well, apply the repellent wherever you want to discourage cats from entering. You can use it both indoors and outdoors, although you will have to use it several times in outdoor areas in case of rain.
If you are using lemongrass repellent in an area where cats have urinated, you need to clean it thoroughly before applying it
Part 5 of 5: Prepare the Garlic, Pepper and Lemon Repellent
Step 1. Combine pepper, mustard and cinnamon in a spray bottle
To get this repellent, you will need a 60ml glass container. Add 2 g of black pepper, 2 g of dry mustard and 3 g of cinnamon.
If you prefer, you can use cayenne pepper instead of black pepper
Step 2. Add the essential oil and garlic
After putting the spices in the spray bottle, pour in a crushed clove of garlic. Then, add 3 or 4 drops of lemon essential oil and swirl gently to mix all the ingredients.
- You can use ½ g of garlic powder instead of the clove.
- Lime, wild orange, or grapefruit essential oil will work as well instead of lemon.
Step 3. Pour the water into the container and mix well
Once all the solid ingredients and the oil are in the bottle, add the water needed to fill it. Shake it vigorously so that the contents mix well.
To get this repellent, you can use tap water
Step 4. Apply the mixture to the outer areas
Once you have the repellent, spray it in any outdoor environment where you want to discourage cat access. It will be especially effective near a vegetable garden, between bushes and other plants.
You can also use it to prevent cats from approaching houseplants
Advice
- To keep cats away, try scattering some roughly chopped citrus peel in the garden. The smell will be enough to keep cats away without causing any damage to plants and the soil.
- The coffee laying discourages animals trying to approach flower beds and can also be used to keep plants and soil healthy.
- Any homemade cat repellent should be tested in hidden spots to prevent discoloration of carpets and upholstery. Spray a small amount on a soft white cloth, then dab it gently on the fabric. If the color does transfer to the cloth, do not use it.
