If you’ve been struggling to find out how to keep cats away from your garden, you’re not alone. Cats and gardens don’t mix and, unless you have a completely fenced in garden, you’ll probably encounter a cat problem at some point in your gardening career. There are many ways, both diy and products you can buy, to keep cats away your beautiful garden; a little bit of creativity will go a long way in protecting your garden from the feline species for years to come. Below is our top ten list of the best ways to keep cats away from your garden and to keep your flowers and vegetables safe.
1. Use Ultrasonic Gadgets
Yard Sentinel – Electronic Pest & Animal Control Repeller with Motion Sensor
If you want to keep cats (and other annoying critters) away from your garden, the Yard Sentinel electronic pest repeller is an excellent choice. This high-powered electronic repeller uses advanced energy-saving technology to guarantee that the repeller works 24-7 to keep your yard free of pests and damage-free. Using ultrasonic waves, the repeller is a very humane way of keeping unwanted guests out of your yard and comes with many settings, including motion-activated or continuous. As a bonus, the repeller also doubles as a burglar alarm so that you can protect your home as well as your crops!
2. Make a Litter Box for Your Feline Friends
A great way to prevent cats from using your beloved garden as an outhouse is to construct an enticing alternative. You can easily make an outdoor litter box for cats to use. If you’re handy, you can build a sandbox with plywood; alternatively, you can use a large plastic container for your box. Once you have your box, just fill it with sandbox sand and you are done. The one downside to having an outdoor litter box in your yard is that you’ll have to scoop out the litter once in a while to prevent odors.
3. Use Plant Power
The Dog’s Gone Away Plant  is a secret weapon to keep cats away from your garden. It’s simple; plant the Coleus Canina plant in your garden and start watching your four-legged friends wander somewhere else. This plant has been approved by naturalists and is used by city parks and corporate landscapers. This plant emits a smell that is very offensive to cats, dogs and bunnies; it’s an earth-friendly way to keep your garden healthy.
4.Naturally Deter Cats Away from Your Garden
Find ways to make your garden less enticing to felines. Chicken wire is a great way to keep four-legged friends out of your garden as it’s not comfortable for cats to stand on and dig through. Bury the chicken wire just below the top layer of soil (tip: cut the chicken wire as needed so that your plants can grow). Pinecones, strategically placed around your plants, are an excellent deterrent to use in your garden as they are sharp and cats will not like them.
5. Use Repellent Granules
Ortho 490310 Dog and Cat-B-Gon Dog and Cat Repellent Granules, 2-Pound
Repellent granules, such as the Ortho Dog and Cat B-Gon, are an easy and effective way to keep felines from digging up your hard work. These repellent granules work by using the power of essential oils (castor oil, geraniol and peppermint oil) to keeps cats and dogs away from your garden. The granules are safe for people and pets and are made with a “no-stink†formula. The Ortho Dog and Cat B-Gon granules are resistant to rain so that your granules last a long time; they are an innovative and non-toxic way to keep the digging at bay.
6. Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne Pepper is said to be an excellent way to deter cats from entering your yard or garden. Though not as instant as products such as ultrasonic repellents, cayenne pepper can help with your feline problem. Cayenne pepper is for sale at most supermarkets and, as cats do not like the smell or taste of cayenne pepper, they won’t want to spend much time with it. Try sprinkling cayenne pepper around your garden and yard to detract cats from making themselves too comfortable!
7. Use a Motion-Activated Sprinkler
| Image | Sprinkler | Price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Image | Sprinkler | Price | Rating |
  |
Havahart 5266 Spray Away Motion Activated Sprinkler Animal Repellent 2.0 |
67.19 | 3.4 |
  |
Contech CRO101 Scarecrow Motion Activated Sprinkler |
45.81 | 4.3 |
  |
Orbit 62100 Yard Enforcer Motion Activated Sprinkler |
69.97 | 4.2 |
  |
Havahart Spray Away Elite II Hose-Free Motion Activated Sprinkler Animal Repellent 5269 |
179.99 | 3.9 |
If you’re sick and tired of cats taking up residence in your garden, think about investing in the Havahart motion-activated sprinkler. This sprinkler is designed specifically to keep unwanted pests (cats, dogs, deer, rabbits) away from your garden. The Havahart sprinkler can protect as much as 1,900 square feet of space and comes with several motion sensitivity settings that you can easily adjust. Setting up the sprinkler is as easy as inserting a step-in stake to your yard.
8. Do Damage Control
If cats are overwhelming your yard, it won’t hurt to talk to your neighbors about the problem. Though you can’t prevent your neighbors from keeping an outdoor cat, let them know their cats are becoming a problem in your yard and brainstorm ways to reduce the damage. Maybe your neighbor can feed their cats somewhere away from your yard; perhaps your neighbor’s garbage bins don’t have lids and are attracting cats to your neighborhood. Observe where the cats are coming from, and if you can, talk directly to the source.
9. Organic Messina Wildlife Stopper
A great way to stop your plants from being eaten is to make them unappetizing. TheMessina Wildlife Stopper is an organic solution that you can apply to your flowers, plants and shrubs. The stopper does not smell and dries completely within 20 minutes of application. This wildlife repellent lasts for as long as 30 days and doesn’t wash away with rain.
10. Don’t Lay Out the Welcome Mat
Your yard and garden might be too inviting for cats to resist. Cats love to find cozy places to nest; whether it’s wood to sleep under or an open shed door, cats will find it. Take a close look at your yard for places that may be too inviting for a cat to pass up and fix the problem. Be sure doors are tightly closed and boxes or similar structures are removed.
Though cats and gardens don’t go together, from motion-activated sprinklers to ultrasonic repellers, there are ways to humanely deal with these loveable yet annoying feline friends. Remember in your quest to keep cats away from your garden to remain positive, keep calm, and garden on.