Cat repellent plants

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Permalink Reply by Alison P on August 5, 2009 at 13:00

You have my sympathy, I've struggled with this for years.

There is a particular plant that is sold as being a cat deterrent because of its smell. I can't remember its name I'm afraid (I think it is a variety of Coleus), but personally I've not had much luck with it when I've tried. What seems to work better is either complete ground cover, so there is no bare earth, or plants that are spiky and form a barrier they don't want to get through. I appreciate this isn't much help to you now however. I have resorted to covering whole areas in order to protect new plants (both from cats and squirrels) - I made a grid thing one year out of bamboo and that worked pretty well.

Other things I've heard people suggest but which didn't work for me include having half full bottles of water lying around (no idea what the logic is here!) and orange peel. Some people swear by treatments you can buy from the garden centre (lions dung being one) but other's don't. The only thing that seems to be fairly effective are systems that are based on motion, which either emit a noise cats don't like or spray them with water. I've not got to that stage yet...

In terms of the safety issue, I did read a similar query in a magazine about dog poo. I'll find it and post what was suggested.

Permalink Reply by Sophie BBARR on August 5, 2009 at 13:09

Thanks Alison that's very helpful. I will look up the plant and consider some of the other deterrents. I should imagine exotic poo is under great demand at London Zoo for these reasons!

Permalink Reply by Danzigger on August 5, 2009 at 13:43

My mum's friend, who's a vet, told her that the best way to deter a cats is to spray them with a water pistol, preferably from a window. Cats hate it, and will soon learn to stay away if you can get them often enough. Of course, this rather relies on someone being in and alert most of the time.

Permalink Reply by Sophie BBARR on August 5, 2009 at 14:13

Love this advice Danzigger. I will try it but will make sure my neighbour (who tells me the cats are his babies) is out! Thanks.

Permalink Reply by Alison P on August 5, 2009 at 14:15

Yes, this does work, as does just opening the back door and yelling!

But I find it has unfortunate consequences, in that a) my neighbours probably think I am mad and b) my son now thinks that it is completely normal to make a funny loud noise when you see a cat. Which is a bit of a drawback when you visit friends who are cat lovers!!

Permalink Reply by Danzigger on August 5, 2009 at 15:11

The key is that the cats don't see you squirting them - if they know that it's you doing it, they'll just avoid you: if they can't see who's doing it, they'll avoid the garden

Permalink Reply by Anette on August 15, 2009 at 21:07

That's OK Alison, you can shout at my cats. :)

Permalink Reply by maggie on August 11, 2009 at 0:16

If I get a bit of bare soil I poke lots of sticks in it so they don't have room to get comfy, and also where there's new planting or seeds. My problem is that they then go on the grass. Ive heard that shaking curry powder around can work, anyone tried it?

Permalink Reply by JD on August 15, 2009 at 13:46

Hi, the only thing that has worked for us is a combination of very rough bark chippings, leaving orange peel on 'favourite patches' and packing plants fairly closely together, as soon as I do any clearing and expose soil they are back.

Permalink Reply by Anette on August 15, 2009 at 21:12

I have cats myself, and I would honestly not mind if a neighbour sprayed them with water to keep them out of their garden. To expect everyone else to love your "babies" is just absurd. Bit like human children, really...

I have tried, successfully, too surround plants with wooden skewers. Break one in half, that makes it tall enough, and make a small, spiky fence where you do not want the cats to go. You get a pack of, well, loads in a pund shop, so it's quite a cheap option. I tried the cat plant too, and my cats did not care at all. They crapped next to it.. Orange peel does not work either.
Another trick is to have as little loose or freshly dug soil as possible, as this is what they prefer. Step on it a few times and make it more compact, it puts them off.

Permalink Reply by Sophie BBARR on August 16, 2009 at 22:38

Thanks everybody. The packing in of the soil seems to have helped a bit but I will definitely try the sticks as I've just planted a whole load of new stuff and obviously it needs to grow before I have enough coverage. Next pest ... slugs. Aaargh - this gardening lark is full of peril!