Whether it's your cats, those of your neighbor or some stray, you can find safe ways to keep them away from your property, without causing damage to animals or the environment. There are many things you can do to make your environments less attractive in a natural, easy and quick way, so that these felines stay away from both your indoor and outdoor spaces. Read on to learn more.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Keep Cats Away From Home
Step 1. Cover the surfaces you want to protect with aluminum foil
If the cat is constantly scratching the sofa or you are tired of finding layers of fur on the back of the chair, then a simple and effective technique can be to cover the surface with aluminum foil. The sound and texture of this material does not appeal to the cat, which usually avoids it. You can always remove the film when you use the chair or friends come to visit you.
- Some cat owners have also found that it is effective to put strips of duct tape on sofa armrests or cushions to create a strange surface that cats don't like. You can apply it either with the adhesive side down or up, in both cases it will be an excellent repellent.
- It is also effective to put unpleasant smelling products on small sheets or pieces of foil to make the area even less attractive.
Step 2. Use repellents with aromas or smells that cats do not like
Lemon-scented cleaners are best for keeping cats away from treated surfaces, so they're great to use on countertops, near appliances, furniture (in moderation), and other places in the house you don't want them to go cats.
- Lemongrass, lavender and coleus are other scents that have a natural repellent action. Try putting lavender and citrus peels in small bowls and place them on shelves next to fragile items or in other places you don't want cats to reach. Add essential oils to intensify the aroma, if necessary. Spray lavender or citrus fabric deodorants on soft surfaces, such as curtains and bedspreads, to discourage cats.
- Cat repellents that you find on the market are often based on fox urine or the feces of other predators. You would probably want to avoid spraying them indoors, but the use of these products will be covered in the next section.
Step 3. Use the water
If the cat doesn't want to leave your fern alone or keeps climbing on the sofa scratching it with its fingernails, use a little water to discourage it. You can keep a small glass of water near the place you want to protect from the cat and, when necessary, dip a finger and sprinkle some water to discourage the animal.
- Better still, buy a couple of small toy water guns and hide them in strategic points, so that you always have a "weapon" available nearby. Your friends may find this somewhat bizarre, but this will keep the cat at bay.
- Move calmly, without raising your voice when splashing the water. The cat should associate the discomfort of water with the place to be avoided, not with your presence or your voice.
Step 4. Don't make loud sounds as punishment
Tapping spoons together, snapping fingers or shouting are not effective methods for teaching the animal not to approach certain surfaces or objects. You will get results in the short term, because the cat will run away and go into hiding but, over time, it will react in this way to the sound of your voice, to the sound of two objects colliding or to the snapping. You will have trained the animal to be shy, but not to avoid certain places / objects.
Step 5. Provide him with alternate spaces
Are you surprised if your cat wants to snuggle up on the extra-fluffy duvet and take a nap? If you want the animal to stay away from the bed, you have to give it a valid alternative, equally comfortable and inviting to sleep. Not all cats love to sleep in kennels, but a space dedicated to them with some warm furry blanket is inviting and pleasant. Prepare a box with an old blanket and some catnip inside to make it even more irresistible.
- If your cat scratches the furniture, then you need to get a post or scratching post where he can regularly file his nails. For cats, this is a fundamental need, so you have to try to satisfy it.
- It is also a great idea to make surfaces difficult to reach. Cats are excellent jumpers and silent climbers, so it's not easy to put something out of their reach. However, you can give it a try by eliminating any surface and object that can act as a "springboard" or on which the animal can climb to reach the most difficult points.
Method 2 of 2: Keep Cats Out of the Garden
Step 1. Eliminate all food sources
If "foreign" cats begin to frequent your garden, the cause could be the food they manage to get. If you have pets, make sure their bowls are always inside and that strays cannot access them. It also checks that there are no food residues. Also make sure that the mice have not nested on your property (under the porch or in the basement); otherwise you will be happy that the cats come to your house.
- Check that all garbage cans are tightly closed, that there are no food scraps hanging from the edges and that they are not easy to reach. Make sure you do not accumulate too much garbage, so that cats are not attracted by the smell of old tuna cans.
- Talk politely with neighbors to see if they are feeding cats. If any of them feed stray animals, it will be difficult to remove them from the area. Furthermore, there is also the risk that these cats overeat, which is bad for their health.
Step 2. Use a mobile water sprinkler to scare them away
Cats, even stray ones, do not like water at all. Install motion-sensing sprinklers in strategic places, where cats regularly access and where you don't want them to go. Place them in the areas they use as access to your property, but also in other places, for total protection.
After a couple of days, their position changes slightly; in this way you are sure to scare the cats that will not have a way to learn the new arrangement. It shouldn't take long for cats to leave your property forever
Step 3. Plant some natural repellents
There are many plants that are not at all attractive to cats, but that look great in the garden. Rue, above all, is great for planting around the perimeter of the garden and helps keep cats away. In spring, sprinkle it even inside the garden itself to discourage animals from the very beginning.
Among the other plants that you can consider are lemongrass, eucalyptus and lavender. The scents of all these are pleasant for people but definitely unwelcome to cats
Step 4. Use repellent mulch
You can sprinkle the area you want to protect (including the space between plants, bird feeders and other "at risk" areas) with citrus peel, coffee grounds, or pipe tobacco. These are well known deterrents and at the same time provide nitrogen to the soil. They are great for the environment and protect you from felines.
Step 5. Switch to the hard way
If you have a major stray problem and no pets, then you may decide to stop being "nice". Without being cruel, you can invest in some effective and safe ways to keep cats away, including sonic repellents, sprays, and other tools to irritate them.
- Try a commercial repellent. These are products based on predator urine, synthetic or natural; a small amount scattered around the perimeter of your property should keep cats as well as other animals away. Follow the manufacturer's instructions and make sure it is not harmful to wildlife.
- Install a cat-specific sonic repellent. These devices are designed to emit a very loud audio signal that humans and most other animals cannot hear but that cats hate, so they won't be encouraged to frequent your yard. Do not use these devices if you have other pets, and you should also talk to neighbors about them to make sure you don't disturb their four-legged friends.
Step 6. Protect objects you don't want cats to touch
If you have a freshly planted garden and want cats and other pests to stay away from your vegetables, you can create a physical barrier that makes access difficult. Close all access to the shed, the porch and all other areas where cats love to sleep and urinate. If you deprive them of their shelter, you could convince them to leave your garden altogether.
- Arrange small stones in the garden where the earth is soft, to prevent cats from digging. You can also lay out plastic runners to protect areas where the ground is soft or exposed. Place them with the rough and pungent side up and then cover them with soil. These spikes are not capable of injuring the cat's paws, but they are annoying enough to discourage him. You can find these runners at home supply stores and garden centers. It is a bit expensive solution, but once you have customized it for your garden, it will last for years.
- Spread some wire mesh on the ground between one row of the garden and the other. This alternative is cheaper than runners, use pebbles and pegs to secure it in place and hide it with soil.
Step 7. If you make your property less attractive, you can also think about providing cats with an out-of-the-way area to “infest”, so as to reduce the likelihood of them returning to your yard
This solution is particularly useful if it is your cat or if you love the presence of these animals but just want them to stay away from your peas and carrots.
- Plant catnip in the opposite corner of the garden from the one you want to protect and let it grow tall. Add a pole or two from an old bar stool or bench, if there is no tree or other elevated position from which the cat can control his "kingdom".
- You can arrange bedding by moving soil in a specific area of the garden or by putting sand. Clean the area regularly if you want animals to use it.
Step 8. Consider catching and neutering any stray cats in your neighborhood
Animal welfare associations and veterinarians encourage this behavior, as it is a way to control the cat population. If you have major problems with strays, consider helping to keep their numbers under control and at the same time ensure their good health. Capture them, sterilize them and then release them again.
