Dr Jo Blogs

Expert Cat Care Advice 

How to keep cats out of your garden or yard

Dr Jo Lewis MRCVS  |   first published 09 May 2022   |  20 min read   

Share:

How can a cat expert vet help stop cats visiting your garden or yard?

You've probably arrived on this page thinking, why would a cat-loving vet be the best person to share advice about how to deter cats from visiting my garden or yard? Well, to win any battle, you need to start by understanding the "enemy" right?  So when deterring cats from coming into your garden you need to truly understand cats and why they're choosing to visit in the first place. This is a complex issue and it's little wonder why many remedies and single "quick fix" products often lead to disappointment. 

Understanding what the feline offenders are thinking
As a qualified cat expert - a lifelong cat lover, award-winning feline veterinarian and author of my book What's My Cat Thinking? , I can help you with what might seem like mission impawssible. After all, I've spent my whole life living and working with cats, and teaching people how to better understand them. It's not just about how they're likely to perceive the world around them, but also their biology, instincts and what motivates them to want to spend time in the great outdoors. You're definitely going to need to know exactly what cats do not like if you're going to stand a chance at deterring them.

Fighting the tide of misinformation 
I've put together a few cat facts designed for everyone who might be looking to deter cats from their garden or yard without compromising their health and welfare in the process. There's too much misinformation out there and I am concerned that those people who don't love (or even like) cats, may otherwise be easily misled by inhumane suggestions and old wives tales circulating on online forums.

Offering up cruelty-free tactics for cat haters 
I think it's so important to realise that there are other logical steps to take alongside using humane deterrents or repellents. No one should need to resort to harmful poisons or toxins (eg mothballs, rat poison etc) either maliciously or out of ignorance.

Reducing frustration and public health risks
​It's not just animal-haters that need help with the problem of local cats on their land though. You might actually have arrived here on this blog as an all-animal lover, feeling miffed that someone else's darn cat is lingering near your bird feeder or toileting in your favourite vegetable patch, flower bed or your kids' sandpit. This can be both very frustrating and unpleasant, as well as pose significant health risks such as Toxoplasmosis and Toxocariasis (round worms).

Minimising stress for cat lovers and their own resident cats
And then there are the cat lovers, with cats of their own that don't realise they should be actively deterring other cats from visiting them. Resident cats actually find it very stressful when other neighbourhood cats visit their personal space. The visual presence and lingering scent of a strange uninvited feline in their home or garden is very threatening and it's a major cause of anxiety and frustration for them, as well as a source of infectious disease. How would you feel if some random person suddenly appeared in your back garden on an ongoing basis and even stared in through your patio doors? Most unsettled and annoyed I'd imagine!

Keep reading to get an insight into the mindset that a cat brings to your back garden.

Understanding why cats are intrigued by your garden or yard in the first place

Whether you like them or not, it's easy to see why cats are in their element when they're roaming the gardens that form their territory. They are often misjudged and persecuted for their antics which are simply driven by their biology and the natural urges that come along with being a normal cat. 

I'm not saying you have to love (or even like) cats, nor overlook the issues their behaviour may cause you; however, a little understanding can go a long way in helping reach a more tolerable situation for both you and the cats. If you're interested in the why behind a problem, here are a few useful points about cats (click each heading to reveal content):

The ultimate adventurers

Whether it's your neighbour's pampered Bengal or a local stray, the simple truth is that cats don’t mean to wreak havoc all around the neighbourhood they're just exploring the great outdoors. Cats are wild at heart no matter how well fed or pampered they may be. That natural inner wanderlust is the key to securing their next meal, a suitable mate, new vantage points, sunny dozing spots and allows them to refresh their scent marks so other cats know they're still around. 

And if they get caught short and need a toilet stop on their travels, well then it makes sense that they’d answer a call of nature in that nice loose easy-to-dig spot (your garden bed). There’s nothing spiteful or pre-meditated about it and it's very important to understand that. This whole concept that cats have some kind of personal gripe or agenda with you couldn't be further from the truth. They are simply animals acting on instinct - that's all!

Cats are territorial

Cats are programmed to identify a chosen space (territory) as theirs. Why? Well, just like us, they need to claim their own personal space to set up a base camp called 'home' and live their life. Wildcats (the pet cat's ancestor) and free-living strays and ferals, need to base themselves in a patch of earth that offers all they need to survive - resources such as fresh water, food to hunt, shelter, safe places to rest, sleep and survey the world around them and answer calls of nature as and when they arise.

It's how every animal survives and human beings are no different if you take the time to think about it. We find ourselves a home, somewhere safe that we can make and call our own as we decorate with all our personal items. We have a fresh water supply and somewhere to safely cache our food. It becomes a sanctuary, a place that we can retreat to, that protects us from the elements and intruders too. We might even nurture our young there.  And we'd likely defend it if it came under threat. We can entertain ourselves in our homes or venture out to the big wide world and explore if we fancy it. In fact, in typical human style, we've even gone to the extreme of inventing boats and planes so we can explore and conquer the furthest parts of planet Earth. ​

It's mine, all mine

A pet cat's 'territory' usually translates as the house their humans call home, their garden and any areas that surround them. Although some cats seem content to share this space (and all that it contains) provided there's plenty to go around, most however, prefer not to. On average most cats wander within 300 metres of home (although some will venture much further). As far as they are concerned everything they encounter within that space can be used freely by them whenever they choose. Cats create their own idea of where any boundary lines lie. They don’t recognise the fences, gates and walls, humans have erected as anything more than a physical challenge on their roaming route. And any trees, hedges and bushes just represent great climbing points, shady retreats to hide from the elements and enticing hunting grounds. 

Leaving their mark

Because a cat's territory is vital for their entire existence, they mark their presence in it in various ways by leaving visual claw scratch marks and scent traces behind in key locations in their territory. Scent particles are secreted from their paws, face cheeks and in their urine and faeces. These biochemical signals not only flag an individual's presence to other felines that may be sharing that space, but also their reproductive and health status. 

Leaving odourous and visual marks is a strategic way of communicating with other cats in an attempt to prevent face to face conflicts and it aims to deter other cats from muscling in on their patch. If this fails, or there are too many cats living in one residential area, then that's when you end up with a feline duel on your front lawn at dawn #TurfWars. Cats aim to avoid physical altercations at all costs - as injury and infection impacts their survival so this really is a last resort.​

Never miss an opportunity for a meal

Cats are instinctively driven to explore the world around them in part because they're biologically primed to hunt pretty relentlessly - they do need to catch 10-20 small meals a day after all. Of course what ends up being "prey" varies with the individual cat - vermin, wildlife (not so good), cat toys, even socks and human underwear.

It's not greed or a desire to pillage the Earth of rare species or maim cute small furry animals. ​It's a feline instinct to seize any opportunity that comes along that could result in their next meal because their survival depends on a hunting drive that is independent of their current hunger status. That's why even though they're just had breakfast, they're so preoccupied with those tweeting baby birds in the hedge, the erratically jumping insects in a patch of long grass, the rodents scurrying under a shed, the fat squirrels raiding your bird feeder or the thrill of snaffling tasty tidbits from a barbecue or unattended human dinner plate.

Things to consider before you buy that "quick fix" repellent

TAKE A MOMENT to understand how CATS learn

To stand a chance of deterring cats, you need to understand how they learn. Cats are clever, and learn from humans all day long, whether it's being rewarded with a tidbit for showing up when they hear the sound of a fridge or tuna can opening, or realising that yowling at a closed bedroom door at 4am ends with it opening, attention, a snack or games. It's possible to train cats to learn other things too. By 'training', I'm not talking about cutesy high fives or similar tricks, just consciously helping them to learn new habits through repetition and making associations between cause and effect.

Humane, modern animal training is all about rewarding any desirable behaviour while offering an alternative outlet for something you’d prefer them to do instead. ​Experiencing a negative outcome for an interaction leaves a lasting impression too - as anyone with a cat knows, they are gone for dust when they hear or smell the flea treatment, see the cat carrier etc! I rarely recommend exposing cats to negative consequences, no matter how mild, when trying to modify their behaviour when there are so many more positive options in our toolkit; however, in certain specific scenarios, applied correctly and humanely, it can be necessary.

When deterring cats who have a home elsewhere and are bonded to other humans (not you), it's possible to humanely present situations that a cat may perceive as undesirable. This is not necessarily how you would approach training a cat that was living with and trusted you personally. Unlike a cat that's under your own care, those visiting felines have no requirement to stay socially connected with you nor are they reliant on your home and all its resources (food, water, shelter, toileting, love, affection etc) for their survival. Ultimately a roaming neighbour's cat has the freedom of choice - they can go elsewhere and avoid something they don't like.

I will say however, that before you think you have the green light to deter any cat that comes your way, be kind. It may be obvious to most of you out there, but in case you're not a natural animal person, if you happen to see a cat that is in anyway vulnerable or obviously uncared for visiting your garden (thin, limping, weak or lethargic, starving hungry, matted coat, scabby, itching, persistently meowing or clingy etc), then please seek appropriate help from your vet and local animal rescue. You might actually solve your problem that way too and you've shown compassion to another living creature - no matter how frustrated or anti-cat you may be - that can only be a good thing right?

If you're trying to put a cat off coming into your garden it's vital that you consistently get the right message across, at the right time, without causing pain or suffering. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is exposing them to a momentary startling or a brief mildly unpleasant (not painful or damaging) sensation. Just enough to help the roaming cat realise that it's not as fun, relaxing or safe to be in your garden as they might've first thought. This is the main logic behind most of the products you'll come across for repelling cats, which I do have some appropriate examples of in the next section, so please bear with me.

There are some big conditions for using this approach though: the negative experience must at all times be humane, mild, brief, timed correctly and associated with an action they take themselves, rather than by an individual person. That last point is important - if you're tempted to make a cat terrified of YOU to increase the chances that the cat will never return, then be warned, apart from being cruel, it's unnecessary and counterproductive because the cat simply associates the nastiness with you and will just adapt their behaviour and visit when you're not around.

It’s never about forcing a cat to do anything against their will - anyone who has any experience of cats will know this is a fruitless venture anyway. Nor is it about barricading your garden so it's a kitty proof Fort Knox. It's more about creating a set of circumstances that allow the individual cat to choose whether or not they want to stay. Making their experience in your garden less pleasant and more frustrating can make other places seem relatively more appealing.

Have you considered good, old fashioned communication? 

​It's easy to say ok Jo, get to the point, I just tell me which gadget or home remedy I should buy to get rid of cats from my garden. Sure, I hear you, and there are definitely lots of techy devices and tactics that may be helpful when used together. I'll get to them soon, I promise, but you can't go past the basics - fact gathering and logic.

A problem like unwelcome felines visiting your land needs to be tackled holistically. That's why thinking about the cat's background story and engaging with other humans about how to find a solution can actually in many cases be more valuable than anything else you might try or buy - and it can cost nothing but your time!

​Talk to your neighbours (nicely)!
​Don't yell or demand they need to keep their cat under control. A cat that wanders onto your property does not necessarily belong to an irresponsible person. Many responsible cat people are curious about what their cats get up to and are very receptive to chatting about their antics. I meet lots of people with cats on my clinic rounds who are very keen to take more responsibility for the impact they may be having on wildlife and the greater community of cats and people.

Some areas that can be discussed with your neighbours include:

• Neutering – cats that are not spayed (females) or castrated (males) have hormonal urges to wander and look for a mate and are more inclined to scent mark by spraying urine (eg on fences and patio doors)
• Illness/Medications – cats with certain health conditions may be driven by increased hunger and thirst or suffer with confusion, memory loss or be seeking the attention they're not getting at home. You might be helping flag a change in behaviour pattern that could be remedied by a vet visit.
• Loneliness - some people don't realise that their cat is seeking companionship elsewhere because they're missing their own humans. A new work pattern may be driving a cat to wander further afield for the attention they're lacking at home. Again their humans may be oblivious to this without you mentioning it.
• Home life stresses - DIY, building works, a new baby/dog  are big stresses in a cat's home (at the core of their territory). If cats feel insecure or their needs are not being met at home, then they’re more likely to wander in search of feelings of security, home comforts and human attention elsewhere. ​ 
• Ways to limit the success of hunting - cats tend to wander and hunt more between dusk and dawn so a curfew and microchip cat flap can be really helpful. Quick-release (break away) collars with a bell and bright colourful or reflective surfaces may also hamper their efforts. Being well fed won't necessarily turn off their instincts to hunt, but a 2021 study in Current Biology showed that a diet higher in meat content, preceded by mock hunting (ie playtime) can reduce a cat's tendency to hunt and offer them a way to express their predatory urges in a less gruesome way (although I'm not sure the toy mice would agree with that!). 

Please feel free to share this page with your neighbour after your discussion if that helps - there are some icons to common sharing media at the top of this page.

Does that "nuisance" cat actually have a home to go to?

If a cat is literally fending for itself, or getting what it needs to survive from the charity of local kind-hearted people, then the problem you're experiencing can actually be a clue about the cat’s welfare. 

• Some cats accidentally get into delivery vans near home and end up miles from home
• Others are abandoned by locals who have relocated and not cared enough to take their cat with them
• If the cat is approachable, then it won't hurt to pop a paper collar on like this one on my Found A Cat or Feeding A Stray Cat?​ advice page, asking their human to contact you to discuss their welfare.
• You could pop up a post on your local social media community page and pop up a memo and photo on local streetlamp posts.
• Your local vet or cat rescue centre may well have some contacts that can trap the cat and check it for a microchip - especially if you suspect it to be sick or injured.

Have you been sending out mixed messages?

Make sure you don't confuse them. You need to decide what the household stance is on the visiting cat and then stick to it. If one minute you're thundering down the garden in your wellington boots, booming profanities and the next you (or someone else in the family) is enticing them with strokes, food or high pitched "here kitty, kitty, kitty" endearments, then the poor cat doesn't know where it stands. Chances are they'll remain forever optimistic that in the game of garden roulette, you'll be pleased to see them next time they visit.

Don't forget the obvious things...

Don't cut your nose off to spite your face when it comes to deterring cats from your garden.  You may feel you shouldn't have to take special measures in your own garden but sometimes the easy things are the best ones. For instance, if you have a sandpit that doubles as a local cat litter box, then for goodness sake, get yourself a lid or cover!

​Cat Deterrent Tactics & Products

So you're itching for me to tell you which is the best cat repellent product to use. The truth is, it's not that simple. There is no single solution to the issue with cats visiting your garden. Instead, I think it's far more helpful for you to understand the basic tactics for deterring cats and the logic behind the plethora of products out there, then you can decide which ones will work best for the problem and budget that you have.

As you may have noticed by reading this far, when it comes to keeping cats away, it's as much about how you deploy a tactic as the product itself.  The key to success, is understanding some basic cat logic and the general principles and science that I have discussed already, and teaming it with the tactics below that most suit your situation.

​Reviewing individual products and brands is beyond the scope of the article, but I've included some affiliate product links where relevant to illustrate the types of products available from Amazon UK.  I am sure there are similar alternatives in other countries. You can read my affiliates disclaimer at the bottom of this post.
The products largely rely on unpleasantly stimulating four of the five senses: scent, sound, sight and touch (you shouldn't be aiming to feed the cats so the fifth sense, taste, is not relevant here).

Using unpleasant scents as a deterrent

Cats have supersensitive noses, which you can read more about in my book What's My Cat Thinking?. 
This means that adding odours around your garden that cats find unpleasant, can be a very effective way of deterring them, as long as the source of the smell lingers and is used safely. Most of commercial products that use this tactic need regular topping up, especially in wet weather. Always bear in mind that none of these suggestions are guaranteed and like the other options on this page, the response will depend on the individual cat. 

Plant based scents

Remove cat attractant plants
It might sound obvious, but be sure to remove common cat-attracting plants like catnip (Nepeta cataria), catmint (Nepeta x faassenii), valerian (Valeriana officinalis), cat thyme (Teucrium marum) and even counterintuitively, lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) which contains the citronella oil used in cat deterrent products citrus based scatter granules, gels and sprays. ​

'Catnip' Nepeta cataria and 'Catmint' Nepeta x faassenii are well known cat attracting plants, but about a third of cats are non-responders, so don't seem to see what all the fuss is about.

Conversely, if you're having problems with cats in a certain area of a large garden, and you don't completely object to cats being in your garden as long as they steer clear of that area, then you could experiment by planting cat-attracting plants in an area far away from that spot.

This approach does run the risk of sending them mixed messages though - they might be lured in by the plants and then follow their curiosity to the area you don't want them to visit, or perhaps they'll need to go to the toilet in your plant beds while they're there (cringe!). You can find out a lot more about catnip and other cat attractants on my The Black Cat Apothecary ​pages

Grow cat repellent plants
Most cats dislike the menthol and citrus oils that are found in many plants, so if you're looking to deter a cat from spending time in one area of a garden, then it may seem logical to take the natural approach and plant lots of this sort of vegetation in that area. ​

Some common planting options to repel cats that have been recommended by gardeners include:

• 'Scaredy Cat' plant (Coleus canina or Plectranthus canina)
• Lavender (Lavandula spp)
• Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium)
• Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
• Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis)
• Lemon thyme (Thymus citriodorus)
• Curry plant (Helichrysum augustifolium)
  

Avoid planting Rue (Ruta graveolens), which is commonly mentioned on garden forums - it causes skin irritation and blisters so is probably not the best choice.​

Coleus canina  (pictured above) is
​known as the "scaredy cat" plant

​The potential problems are:

• It can be pot luck whether the cat in question will actually like or avoid these plants.

• The aromatic oils from these plants tend to mainly be released when the stems or leaves are damaged or when it's in bloom, so it may be a tall order to expect a flowerless, undamaged plant in the open air to emit a potent enough scent to deter a cat.
• Plonking a few of these plants at one end of the garden will definitely not deter a cat from entering the garden at all.
• If the perceived benefits of being in your garden outweigh the unpleasantness factor of the plants, then they won't dissuade a determined feline, whose instincts are telling them to hunt the birds from a feeder nearby or the rodents living behind your shed.
• Occasionally cats may decide to nibble on these plants and some ,can be toxic to varying degrees if significant amounts are chewed.  This is something to bear in mind, although plant chewing is more of an issue with indoor cats in my experience.​

Essential oils
There may be some merit in trying concentrated oil preparations made from some of the common cat repellent plants. It's usually this potent form that is the most offensive to a cat's nose but you need to be extremely careful with where and how you use them as they are also contact irritants to pets, people and many painted surfaces. Be sure to wear gloves and clean up any drips. Do not place any scented oils anywhere near where cats can walk through them or rub against them accidentally as they are damaging to paws, skin, and eyes, and internally when licked off contaminated fur. 

If you think you can take this route safely, then you could strategically dangle or peg cotton wool balls that have been slightly moistened with oil at the cats' preferred entry points to the garden (or near to specific areas you want a cat to avoid). You'll have to refresh the balls with oil regularly to maintain their potency though. ​

Citronella is the most commonly used plant oil with cat repellent properties (but peppermint, tea tree and eucalyptus may have a similar deterrent effect). Citronella comes from the Cymbopogon species of lemongrass with the common oil types on sale being C. citratus, C. nardus (Ceylon variety)  and C. winterianus (Java variety).
They are the basis of most of the proprietary scatter granules, gels and sprays available. If you come across a lacy-leafed geranium plant sold as "citronella" it is likely to be a completely different plant (Pelargonium) which has a citronella scent, but it is toxic to cats, if they chew it. 

A safer (but less potent) option would be using citrus peels from your kitchen on your garden beds if you eat them regularly. Whichever option you choose, it may be best to strategically position them near to where the visiting cat likes to emerge, along the boundaries of your property and specific areas that they use as a toilet.

​NB: Citronella lamp oil used in outdoor burners (eg torches, lanterns) contains volatile flammable  ingredients so please do not use this around cats!

Mace, Chilli, Cayenne Pepper (please do NOT use these!)
Avoid using preparations that contain the Capsicum spp. Whether it's a powder, flakes or spray - mace, chilli, cayenne peppers and the like, can damage eyes and airways - that's why it's used as the active ingredient in pepper (mace) sprays. I know there are products on sale that are marketed as cat deterrents but I'm not a fan. You are aiming to deter, not injure, the cat! Giving a cat sore, watery eyes and breathing issues won't teach them a lesson "not to come back". Besides, there are plenty of kinder methods that are far more likely to be more effective.

Animal-based scents

Predator scents 
There are commercial products that utilise predator urine, and even some that harnesses the essence of big cat faeces. So what's the logic behind these types of cat repellent products and do they actually work?

​The theory behind one, Silent Roar, is that cats will take a sniff of the lion dung smell, register that it's from their natural predator and run a mile. Whether they believe that Mufasa himself has risen from the dead and may be lurking in your suburban garden that very moment or have at least visited it recently, is not something I can give you any further insight on I'm afraid.

But scientific research does show that olfactory communication between predators and prey (i.e. where animals leave and sniff each others' lingering scent "messages"), is much more complex than this oversimplified Silent Roar analogy would have you believe. It's more likely that when small cats detect the unusual pheromones and other scents found in predator pee and poop, some may indeed recognise that a real predator is visiting this spot regularly, perhaps choosing to avoid it in future.

The trouble is, several studies have actually shown, that cats can equally be lured in by a scent's novelty appeal and that means they'll then stick around longer to investigate it further, while others may show little interest at all. Not really what the marketing wants you to hear. So this may explain in part why some people swear products like these work for them and others are disappointed. And if you don't believe a scientist, perhaps this MythBusters video will convince you ...

Would I use them to deter cats from peeing and pooing in my vegetable patch? Silent Roar is also marketed as being an organic plant fertiliser, so it may be worth trying in that scenario. If you're thinking of this as an easy fix, then you need to be aware of its limitations.  As anyone who spends time with cats knows, a cat will decide a product's efficacy, thank you very much! 

​By using it, you need to be aware that it runs the risk of piquing the interest of even more cats in the area in the process. Perhaps trialling the "borrow a dog" approach I mention later would be a better option if at all possible, as that's at least offering you the benefit of the smell, sight and sounds of a real, live predator which if timed well would be a far more impactive deterrent.

Other unpleasant household scents

Coffee grounds 
Reusing the strong smelling byproducts of all those cups of coffee you might consume has been suggested as a way of deterring cats. And if like me, you don't drink coffee, then your local cafe may want to offload some to you.

If you're thinking it could be a good, natural option for deterring cats from your vegetable patch though, you might want to reconsider. While the smell may repel some cats, even slugs and snails (although the evidence isn't that convincing that it does), the problem is that it could potentially negatively impact on earthworms and the soil's microbiome (bacterial balance) too, which isn't so great. Some say used coffee grounds enrich the soil and improve drainage but scientific studies have shown that the caffeine hampers plant growth, so perhaps it's better suited to reducing moss and weeds instead?

Alcohol 
Ask any vet, cats hate the smell of alcohol hand gel or surgical spirits (rubbing alcohol, isopropyl alcohol). Like the citronella option above, you could try soaking cotton wool balls and dotting about near a specific area you wish them to avoid. It does tend to evaporate very quickly and will need topping up regularly but the odour may well still detectable to a cat's supersensitive nose.
​Safety advice: Just remember 99.9% alcohol is highly flammable and irritant to eyes and can damage some surfaces, so think carefully about whether it's appropriate to be using it the way you intend to.

Using unpleasant sounds as a deterrent

Cats have ultrasonic hearing so can detect sounds with a much higher frequency than we can. It's part of the skillset required for hunting small mammals who communicate with high pitched voices.

Motion-activated high pitch noise
There are some electronic gadgets on the market that utilise PIR (passive infra red) technology that emit an unpleasantly high frequency sound in response to detecting motion. Some people say they work and perhaps they do, but I always wonder what effect any sound pollution emitted has on all the other animals that live in the area – you may be more likely to drive local wildlife away and any nearby pets up the wall! Since they are not audible to humans you would never know if it was malfunctioning and emitting constant noise.

Motion-activated compressed air noise
An alternative product uses a portable pressurised canister of air that is released in a loud 'hiss' whenever motion is detected. It does rely on the cat coming in relatively close proximity to the canister, so it may be better for situations where you want to deter the cat from a small area of the garden. Alternatively it could be used at the usual point the cat enters the garden so that the rude shock may put them off returning.

Using unpleasant sights as a deterrent 

Half-filled water bottles 
It's not going to hurt to experiment with a few half-filled water bottles, either on their side or upright. Whether it successfully deters cats is a bit hit and miss. The logic here is that sunlight is refracted by the water and may spook cats enough to make them want to steer clear. 

​That said, cats' eyes are better equipped for low light conditions, so perhaps if the sun catches the water at the right angle, then it may appear very bright to a cat. It's the same logic as dangling old CDs or DVDs to reflect light unpredictably. Perhaps it's the equivalent of having a bright torch shone into their eyes? Unpleasant enough to turn and walk away maybe? A particularly timid or inexperienced cat may be wary of an unexpected object in the path, but it could just pique some cats' natural curiosity.   

I'd say most outdoor cats are savvy enough to have seen water shining in the light before and water bottles are pretty common place these days - some people swear by them though so it's an easy, cheap and harmless thing to try.​

​Cats eye silhouettes - simulating another cat
These can be very effective if you move them regularly to different locations to maximise the element of surprise and make them seem more authentic.

Chasing them away the old fashioned way
Thundering down the garden after a cat or reaching for the hose or a water pistol may scare them off in the short term, but cats aren't stupid. They will very quickly make the association with you being unpleasant, not the garden, so they'll just visit when they know the coast's clear. 

Getting your own cat 
I would strongly advise against this route if your sole motivation is deterring other neighbourhood cats. Having your own cat comes with all sorts of responsibilities - they're not the independent, 'out of the box' pets many people assume they are.

By increasing the density of cats living in your area further, it could actually even compound the situation you're trying to solve. Plus, you'll run the risk of more noisy cat fights at 3am in your garden, and a potentially anxious cat that may want to spend time indoors to avoid meeting the cats you were intending to shoo away. Not to mention a whole host of anxiety-driven behaviours like urinating on your interior door mat and developing stress-related health problems = vet bills. Enough said!

Getting a canine on the case
Dogs are cats' natural enemies in nature, and while I'm definitely not suggesting you adopt a dog for this reason alone, you could get clever and borrow one on a regular basis instead. Having the regular scent of "eau de canine" on your premises, as well as the visual and audible deterrent may be enough to make that kitty decide another garden is a safer bet. Some cats are very canine-savvy or see the prize of being in your garden and all that it offers them more enticing than the risks of confronting or outrunning a dog, so it's definitely not fool proof.

The smell, sight & sound of a canine predator is a great cat deterrent. Keep them on the lead to avoid any direct contact or pursuits.

Maybe there's a friend or neighbour you could be helping out by dog sitting? There are services such as BorrowMyDoggy (not an endorsement by the way, just an example of a service I'm aware of), so something like this could be worth pursuing. I am not suggesting you release a dog into the garden to chase and catch a cat as that could have devastating consequences. I'm suggesting more subtle tactics, like sussing out your local cats' routines - what times of day they tend to appear (perhaps using an existing webcam or security CCTV).

Suddenly emerging from the house with a lively, barking dog (on a lead) at a strategic moment (as the cat arrives in the garden or as they're thinking about jumping into your garden) is more what I had in mind. It may just break the habit in conjunction with some of the other measures for when you're not in eyesight or do not have the dog with you.

Using unpleasant touch sensations as a deterrent

There are a number of ways to make cats think twice about whether they're comfortable with the surfaces on offer in your garden. Avoid using anything with metal or wooden spikes as these can cause injury. Some options for fence tops and garden beds include:

Plastic prickly fence toppers & mats 
These are strips of plastic with raised flat topped prickles on their upper surface. You can nail them to fence tops so it makes it uncomfortable for supersensitive cat paws to walk along fence tops, walls, pipework etc without causing the cat direct harm. Cats are very agile so make sure that you cover the full width of the fence top or wall, or they'll just manoeuvre or straddle the strips.

Safety warning: Do not use metal pigeon deterrent spikes or any other metal-based spikes as these could cause serious harm to a cat. If possible, consider temporarily having a few stable surfaces nearby so that the first few times the cat encounters the new prickly surface, they don't panic or abort their jump halfway through and fall the entire distance to the surface below. It could just be until they've learned that the surface is no longer easy of pleasant to walk on.

Larger pebbles
Cats like loose, lightweight materials to dig and cover their urine and faeces like sand and soil and lightweight gravel. Some cats will dig in mulch and finely gravelled areas too. You may have more success deterring cats from using your garden beds as toilets if you convert them into pebble covered areas. Some cats will leave their faeces on the surface as a scent mark for other cats to find (without digging or bothering to cover it), so this technique by no means guarantee success.

Chicken wire & Netting
Fine mesh like this 25mm diameter hole chicken wire can be used, provided any sharp/cut ends are not facing upwards. It can be used on top of the soil in garden beds to deter cats who choose to dig when toileting. As for the pebbles technique above, it won't really help if the cats are marking their scent. 
Superfine 13mm diameter holed wire mesh or netting can useful as a covering for deterring both birds and cats from getting into vegetable patches.

Motion-activated water jets
Most cats dislike unexpectedly getting wet, so rather than standing at your back doors, garden hose at the ready, consider one of the various motion-detecting attachments that turns your hose into a cat-activated super soaker.

​Just be warned that it detects any motion, not just feline, so if you forget to get that washing in and do a late night dash to the washing line, don't say you haven't been warned. Water scarecrows as they're often called can work well, but you need to be careful in subzero temperatures because when water freezes inside the unit, it can irreparably damage the parts. 

My top tip is to ensure you've made an effort to thwart feline hunting success

You can't reduce a  neighbourhood cat's desire to hunt but you can definitely reduce their opportunities and ability to succeed. If catching prey is too difficult, the frustration factor may make some cats give up the game, in your garden at least.
​
You could try the following tips to reduce the temptation to hunt:

1.  Avoid ground feeding stations and use low mess elevated bird feeders - surplus seeds on the ground encourages birds to feed at an unsafe level and it also attracts rodents. ​

​​2.  Consider where you locate any bird feeders to maximise visibility of any approaching cats. Pet cats are ambush predators meaning that they either creep up very slowly or stay under the cover of bushes and leap out when their meal comes into pouncing range. Position bird feeders about 3 - 3.5 metres (10 -12 feet) clear of nearby vegetation, so cats can't lurk within pouncing range of the distracted feeding birds. 

​3.  Raise bird nesting boxes at least 2.5 metres (8 feet) above ground level and think about lateral access from adjacent levels when choosing a location.
​​​
4.  Use baffles (tree guards, collars) around tree trunks to restrict cats from being able to climb or jump up to access them.  

5.  Store bird seed and other wildlife feeds in air-tight sealed containers so you're not attracting unwanted smaller critters like rodents, that entice cats to visit.​​

Locate bird nesting boxes over 2.5 m (8 ft) above the ground & think about other potential access levels.

6.  If you are supporting other wildlife like hedgehogs, consider things like choosing a hedgehog house that is fit for purpose, like this one by Riverside Woodcraft, so that cats cannot get inside.  Also check out this blog post from Hedgehog Cabin to build your own cat-proof hedgehog feeding station. You'll need the following items:

• 18 litre storage box 
• 110mm pipe with a 90 degree bend  
• hole saw blades ​​​

7.  Think about ways to deter rodents from compost heaps:

• Line the empty bin with fine 13mm chicken wire
• Ensure the lid is well fitted​
• ​Don't put any food waste scraps in there
• Keep the compost moist
• Buy a purpose built rat-proof composter 

Keep the garden tidy & block off potential rodent nesting sites

​8.  Block off any gaps between sheds, under decking etc.​​

9.  Keep the garden clutter-free to limit the number of inviting nooks and crannies where rodents may nest.
​
​10.  Do not resort to rat poisons like difenacoum, brodifacoum etc - the intoxicated rats will poison and kill cats if they are caught and eaten.

Cat lover? Visiting cats are stressing your own cats out - trust me on this one!

Roaming cats force your own cats to play 'security guard'. Constantly scanning for threats is stressful for them, causing unhappiness & illness.

Visiting neighbourhood cats can be just as frustrating for the most avid cat fans as those who are indifferent, or dare I say cat-haters! Many of the cats and clients I see on my home visiting vet clinic rounds either have local cats who regularly visit their garden, with some more confident cats even entering their homes through cat flaps or open windows/doors.

Interestingly there's a big misconception among cat people that their resident cats are either indifferent to or actively enjoy the visiting cat. "Oh, it's so cute seeing them sitting at the window looking out at their little feline "
'friend' who visits from number 42 every day". Sorry to kill the dream but the truth is 99.9% of cats who are visited by another cat do not enjoy it. At all! These cats are not friends, they're curious intruders. 

A fundamental part of a cat's territorial instinct is not wanting to share their precious territory (that's your home and garden) or its life-sustaining resources with other cats outside their family group. Harassment takes many forms and just because the visiting cat is not being overtly confrontational (eg growling, hissing, spitting or launching at your glass patio doors) does not mean your cat is not feeling threatened and anxious about them being there. The presence of another cat, whether they are passively glaring through glass into a cat's home, or leaving urine spray marks as a lingering reminder in their absence, threatens your cat's feelings of security.

Here are some tips for tackling the problem:
​

• Talk to the "offending" feline's humans. If you know where the cat involved lives, politely approach their humans. Focus on what you have in common - hopefully a love of cats! Best not to point out that their cat is a 'bully' or a 'pain in the backside' (even if that's what you believe)! Instead, perhaps try coming from a place of mutual care and concern. ​Many committed cat people have successfully arranged a timesharing rota with their neighbours that benefits all cats. ​

This essentially means that households with cats coordinate with each other and aim to let their cats outdoors at different times from each other, so that each cat can enjoy the outdoors without fear of who's lurking nearby.  It can work if you have amenable neighbours and are all committed to ensuring the happiness of all the cats.​ ​Setting up a Whatsapp group is a great way to help with this.
​
If you're not already doing your bit for the local wildlife and keeping your cat indoors at night with a large cat flap with a curfew setting, then this is very worthwhile idea. There are loads of other handy features too which you can it check out here and there's a handy comparison chart so you can make sure you're getting the right product for your needs.

• Prevent visual contact. One of the most useful things for relieving the resident felines' anxiety in these situations is attaching self-adhesive, removable, opaque window cling panels to the lower half of windows and glass doors that overlook the area where the cat visits. It helps reduce the feeling of needing to remain hyper-vigilant and obsessively be looking out for the cat returning. It also stops the visiting "peeping Tom" from successfully looking in anymore. 

• Deter visiting cats from sitting in front of the glass doors/windows. If you have issues with cats glaring into your house or altercations through a glass door you could place a piece of plastic runner matting so that the nobbly, prickly side is upwards, or buy prickly plastic outdoor matting specifically for this purpose.  

• ​​​Clean away the visiting cat's odours. Use a solution of Cruelty-Free, biological "bio" washing detergent. Biological washing detergents have enzymatic properties that break down odour molecules in the intimidating urine scent marks left by the visiting cat on your doors and walls. It can be very irritant to skin and eyes so be sure to wear gloves, avoid splashing and keep cats away. Always rinse the area well after it's been in contact for half an hour or so.
  

​

• Finish by wiping glass down with surgical spirit (rubbing alcohol) - there's no need to rinse this off as along with removing the urine's fatty residue (which can trap odours) the smell may persuade the visiting cat to steer clear as cats hate the smell of alcohol. ​

​

• Reinstate your own cat's odours. You could also try depositing your own indoor cat's litter box contents around the garden to mark their territory in their absence.​

• Make sure your cat has everything they need to feel safe and secure within your home - the right things, in the right amounts and in the right places. You can learn exactly how to give your cat the happiest, healthiest life by getting your paws on a copy of my book and signing up to hear about the release of my courses for cat lovers.

Method biological washing detergent is the purrfect choice for cleaning up cat pee . It's plant based enzymes offer a biological action against cat pee odours and stains, plus the wild lavender scented version contains several cat repellent essential oils too. It also smells lovely, is certified Cruelty-Free, biodegradable and the bottles are made from recycled plastic. You can find out how to use it safely and effectively in my separate blog post on How to get rid of cat wee stains and odours.

Work with them, not against them!

It may upset you that cats are coming into your garden and as much as you don't want to simply roll over and , accept them being there, it might be easier for your nerves. If you have a cat that visits to poop in your vegetable patch for instance, creating an area of soft, loose soil with some enticing catnip plants nearby might just make them consider using that area instead - or come to your garden for the catnip experience and go elsewhere to toilet.

---

Conclusion

At the end of the day, there are a number of ways to approach the problem of neighbourhood cats visiting your garden. Whether you like animals or not, before you reach for that promised "quick fix" product, try to empathise. Understanding a cat's perspective is the key to working out which methods will deter them from wanting to visit.

There are a variety of deterrents, from tech to chemicals and even biological repellents, but not everyone agrees on their efficacy. Now you have a thorough guide to the logic behind them all, make sure you check out the individual product reviews, pros and cons and stay open-minded.

It's a complex situation that ultimately depends on your perseverance, the individual cat and the reason that they are visiting your garden in the first place. There’s unlikely to be one simple fix but by applying some of the strategies I've discussed, you'll hopefully find a combination that works in synergy to get the outcome you're aiming for - a neighbourhood cat-free zone!

---

Affiliate links have been used in this article. Where appropriate I like to enhance your website experience by recommending products that I think you'd find helpful for your cat. This is using the Amazon Associates program. By visiting Amazon via one of these links you pay the same price for your purchase as you would have otherwise, but I receive a small 'thank you' commission from Amazon which helps cover some of the unpaid time spent providing free valuable content on my blog and servicing my email subscribers. Thanks for showing your support, it means so much.   >^..^<