Cats are curious creatures, and well, you know what they say about what curiosity did to the cat. Felines’ inquisitive natures indeed have the potential to land them in trouble, but they can also cause problems for you, too. Picture clawed couch cushions, toppled vases, and flower beds becoming litter boxes.
To protect your cat and your things, you need a way to keep your feline friend out of harm’s way. Cats have super sniffers, possessing an incredibly sophisticated sense of smell.
This characteristic provides the perfect way to keep your cats away from specific things and places. You can use scents that cats find offensive as deterrents.
Why Do You Need Cat Deterrents?
There are a bunch of reasons why you might want to keep your pet away from something, such as safety, pet allergies, or just personal preferences. It’s not just about protecting a garden or a piece of furniture. Here are common reasons for using cat deterrents.
- Prevent marking or spraying areas with urine
- Protect furniture, curtains, carpet, rugs, etc., from scratching
- Keep outdoor cats from using mulch and flower beds as litter boxes
- Block access to certain spaces that you want to keep free from pet dander
- Keep cats from chewing on wires, shoes, clothing, etc.
- Reinforce litter box use by preventing cats from going outside their box
- Keep cats off of designated surfaces, like kitchen counters or tables
- Protect delicate, breakable items
- Prevent cats from getting close to dangerous spots, like near fireplaces or hot stoves
- Keep stray cats from coming onto your property
- Use as a training aid to help teach boundaries without using punishments
Cat-Safe Deterrent Scents
Thanks to their sensitive sense of smell, many cats steer clear of strong odors, bitter smells, and intense fragrances. Spraying certain scents on items or in areas you want to keep away from cats is a good way to keep things feline-free.
It’s important to choose scents that deter cats but are also not harmful to cats. Here are several scents that cats tend to avoid.
1. Citrus Fruits
Various citrus smells, like orange, lemon, and grapefruit, are usually offensive to cats. Citrus fruits have strong odors that are overpowering when it comes to cats’ sensitive olfactory systems.
It’s best to avoid using essential oils to deter cats. Use citrus peels instead. Essential oils and cats aren’t a good combo. Cats can get sick from breathing in the vapors and also from potentially ingesting the oils.
Keep in mind that cats are masters when it comes to self-grooming. Therefore, if they have essential oils on their fur or skin, they’re going to end up ingesting the oils when they clean themselves.
2. Some Spices
Cats also tend to avoid overly spicy smells since these intense scents can be overpowering for them. Spices that cats find unpleasant, but aren’t toxic to them, are cinnamon, paprika, mustard powder, chilli powder, and black pepper.
However, even though not toxic, use caution when you use spices to deter cats. It’s best to stick to small quantities and mix the spices with something else. You also want to make sure your cat doesn’t ingest the spices.
Mustard can be particularly strong, and it’s best to use it sparingly. When using spices, mix them with water or coffee grounds instead of using them in their pure form.
For example, a mix of paprika and coffee grounds in your garden can keep inquisitive cats from digging. Mixing some mustard powder with water and dish soap creates a deterrent spray. (Spray it on the objects and items you want your cat to stay away from, never directly on your cat!)
3. Vinegar
You just need to take one whiff of vinegar to understand why cats would find it unappealing. Vinegar doesn’t have a pleasant smell, but the odor is especially intense for cats and their super noses.
4. Certain Flowers, Plants, and Herbs
These are some good plants and flowers to keep in your garden if you want to protect it from cats.
- Lavender — evergreen plants with pretty purple flowers and a distinct lavender scent
- Rosemary — a popular herb that adds great flavor to your cooking, but cats don’t like the bold fragrance
- Lemongrass — a tropical, grassy plant with a citrus scent
- Scaredy Cat Plant — has a strong ammonia-like odor that repels cats and dogs (the scent gets more intense when something touches the leaves, so consider planting it near the front of your garden where a cat may brush up against it.)
Tips for Using Cat Deterrents Safely and Effectively
Use deterrents around entry points to rooms you want your cat to stay out of or the fronts of garden beds. Don’t put items like citrus peels and spice mixes where your cat can potentially ingest them. Instead of placing these things out freely, put them inside a mesh bag to create a sachet.
As mentioned previously, steer clear of using essential oils, even in homemade sprays and mixes. Instead, use the natural forms of the items, like citrus peels, dried lavender leaves, etc.
When using deterrents outside, make sure to reapply after rain to maintain effectiveness. Be aware of other animals or children that use the area where you apply deterrents (inside and outside), and make sure the things you use are safe for everyone.
Do not spray deterrents near your cat’s food mats, dishes, and water bowls. Although most cats find these odors offensive, there’s always the off-chance that your cat will decide they love it and want to take a taste. Therefore, watch your cat carefully to see how they react to your choice of deterrents before you start using them regularly.
DIY Cat-Deterrents
Here are a few DIY recipes for cat deterrents. See which ones work best for your frisky feline. (Always spot test sprays before applying them to a larger area.)
1. Citrus and Vinegar Spray
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup white vinegar
- A peel from 1 orange or lemon
Add the citrus peels and vinegar to a jar and let it sit overnight. Strain the jar into a spray bottle and add an equal amount of water. Spray lightly on areas you want to protect from cats.
2. Lavender and Rosemary Deterrent Spray
- 2 cups water
- 2 tbsp dried lavender or thyme
- 2 tbsp dried rosemary
Boil water and pour it over the herbs. Steep until cooled, then strain into a spray bottle.
3. Scaredy Cat Sachets
- Dried scaredy cat leaves (Coleus canina)
- Mesh pouch
Fill the pouch with the dried plant leaves. Place the sachets near the areas you don’t want cats investigating.
Intense Scents That Keep Cats Away
Your cat’s extraordinary powers of smell are the ticket to keeping them out of the garden, off the couch, and out of harm’s way. Cats dislike intense odors, bitter scents, and other overpowering smells. Creating sprays, sachets, and similar deterrents can keep your cat and your home safe.
Citrus peels, dried lavender and rosemary, and intense spices like black pepper, parika, and mustard powder are good contenders. Try out a few options to see which ones your cat seems to dislike the most. After a bit of trial and error, you’ll learn which scents make the most sense for you and your feline friend.
Get more useful pet-care information and tips by exploring the rest of the Neater Pets blog.