If you belong to a cat, it is likely that you have experienced the surprise of opening the back door to find a strange cat burrowing in your garden beds or using your back lawn as a restroom. In addition to being obnoxious, having strange cats frequent your yard can also be dangerous, as they may attack your cat in a show of strength and territorial protectiveness. Fortunately, there are ways you can help safeguard your yard against unwanted kitty intruders by making it unattractive to other cats.
Make it Stinky
One of the easiest and least expensive ways to make your yard unattractive to other cats is to make it smell awful… to them. Most pet supply retail stores sell natural deterrents made from ingredients like cayenne and eucalyptus oil. These concoctions are non-toxic to cats but emit a strong enough smell that they will not want to frequent the area anymore.
Make it Uncomfortable
Cats love to use your garden bed as a litter box and simply making the space uncomfortable for them to do so can go a long ways toward discouraging unwelcome kitty visits. Place chicken wire just beneath the soil to discourage cats from walking in the area and consider placing landscaping plastic on top of the soil to prevent cats from digging.
Make it Wet
Anyone who knows cats knows that cats hate getting wet. An expensive but amazingly effective way to keep strange cats out of your garden is to install a motion-activated sprinkler system. This system will greet strange cats with an unexpected and chilly spurt of water that is just enough to dissuade them from coming back. Although this method will not harm the cat, it will certainly make him think twice about wandering into your yard a second time.
Make it Noisy
Similar to motion-activated sprinkler systems, ultrasonic sound systems work by sensing motion and emitting an unpleasant sensation, specifically sound. Although humans cannot hear the sound emitted by these devices, cats can; the pitch of the noise is just enough to make cats find a different yard to frequent.
Although having strange cats in your yard can be bothersome, it is seldom a permanent issue. By knowing what you can do to make your yard unattractive to other cats, you stand a decent chance of ridding yourself of kitty intruders and reclaiming your space, thus making your cat feel safer and more at home while also discouraging unwelcome digging in the garden.
Fortunately, many cat-deterrent methods are inexpensive and may be as easy as sprinkling some eucalyptus oil or cayenne pepper throughout the garden or laying down chicken wire or landscaping plastic. If these do not work, you have the option of installing motion-sensor ultrasonic or sprinkler systems that are typically very effective at deterring strange cats from visiting your yard. Being a good neighbor is one thing but allowing strange cats to take over your cat’s territory is another! Reclaim your cat’s domain with these easy tips and helpful hints.
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