There are humane ways to keep cats away from your yard.
Planting certain plants, using natural sprays, setting up simple barriers, and even utilizing some higher-tech options can all deter stray cats.
Many people have a preference for either cats or dogs, while others enjoy both.
People who have a strong affection for dogs tend to get agitated when stray or nearby cats intrude into their yard and provoke their furry companions.
It is natural for dogs to bark in such situations.
What should be done if complaints arise and it’s difficult to prove that the dog isn’t at fault?
Thankfully, we have some effective solutions to keep cats away from your yard while ensuring your dog’s safety and happiness.
After all, our furry friends are just trying to do their job as good guard dogs.
Keep reading to discover how you can achieve this without causing any harm to your dog.
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Table of Contents
1. Plant Strong Scented Shrubs
Many cats dislike the strong scent of rue, including lavender, rosemary, thyme, and eucalyptus.
If you’ve been considering taking up gardening as a hobby, this is an excellent chance to develop a green thumb.
It’s important to be aware that essential oils can be harmful to cats. In fact, the plants that produce these oils often have a scent that repels cats.
Consider planting these specific plants in your garden or raised garden beds located near fences that are easy for animals to jump over.
As they explore, they will discover that these plants are permanent fixtures and eventually reduce or stop their visits altogether.
Your garden will smell lovely in the meantime too.
Please note that certain plants, such as lavender and eucalyptus, may pose a toxicity risk to dogs.
Therefore, we suggest either opting for raised garden beds or training your dogs to avoid consuming plants altogether.
However, rosemary is considered safe for dogs and may even offer some health benefits, according to the ASPCA.
2. Use Citrus Sprays to Keep Cats Away From Your Yard
Using citrus sprays as a natural cat repellent is safe for your dog and won’t cause any harm.
It’s important to note that essential oils can harm cats, but you can use citrus sprays to keep cats away from your yard.
There are several citrus scents that cats dislike, which include orange, lemon, lime, lemongrass, grapefruit, and bergamot.
These scents are known to be effective in keeping cats away.
An added benefit is that most people enjoy these fragrances. Spraying them in your yard and around your fence will create a pleasant scent.
Are you aware that certain scents have the ability to boost energy, improve moods, and promote relaxation?
It’s important to be mindful of the scents you choose, as some citrus scents can be harmful to cats, while others may offer benefits for your own well-being.
3. Put Up Humane Barriers
Installing barriers can be a costly solution and there’s no guarantee that it will keep cats away from your yard.
However, if you’ve tried other deterrents without success, it might be worth considering this option to keep cats away from your yard.
If you want to prevent cats from climbing over your fence, you can request permission from the council to increase its height.
Another option is to plant tall trees that cats will find difficult to squeeze through.
An additional option for containing cats is the ‘Cat Fence In’, which was initially created to ensure their safety by keeping them inside the yard.
This can also prevent cats from entering the yard by deterring them from climbing the unclimbable polypropylene netting and instead staying near the fence.
It’s possible that your dog will bark while the cat perches on the fence, but with the help of a net barrier, they can both enjoy playing safely in the yard.
While the barrier is effective against most cats, its success also depends on the determination and bravery of any persistent visitors.
4. Don’t Leave Food Out and Don’t Feed Them
Some may argue that cats are intelligent enough to cleverly control the world by manipulating us humans with their wit and charm.
If the cat belongs to your neighbor, you’re likely only one of the many people who feed them on a specific day of the week, with other neighbors taking care of them on different days.
It is advisable to avoid leaving the dog’s food outside. This is because cats, like dogs, tend to eat anything when they are hungry. This will defeat any effort trying to keep cats away from your yard.
5. Spread Coffee Grounds in the Garden
Cats consider the odor of coffee to be another unpleasant smell.
For those who rely on coffee as a daily necessity, it’s not an issue since sharing coffee is not something most people enjoy doing anyway.
Additionally, using coffee to keep cats away from your yard is a cost-effective solution, as most individuals have coffee in their pantries, even if they don’t personally drink it.
In addition, guests or relatives who enjoy coffee will probably bring some.
You can collect coffee grounds or request a nearby café to save theirs for you.
After drying them, sprinkle the coffee grounds all over your garden. It’s worth noting that dogs also dislike the smell of coffee, just like cats.
However, it’s crucial to prevent them from consuming large amounts of caffeine.
The scent of coffee should be enough to keep them away from your garden.
We suggest trying this while at home so you can supervise your dogs and prevent them from consuming the coffee grounds.
If this approach proves effective and your dog is prone to digging, you may have successfully addressed two issues at once by preventing cats from entering the yard and stopping your dog from disrupting the flowerbed.
Hopefully, this solution will work for you.
6. Motion-Activated Sprinklers
When I was younger, I owned a Border Collie who enjoyed being splashed with water. She would chase after it, attempt to eat it and play with the sprinkler or hose all day if given the chance.
Unfortunately, some dogs are not fond of water and may even be afraid of it as it appears to come from nowhere and feels cold.
If your dog doesn’t like water, you might want to use motion-activated sprinklers to deter cats from entering your garden.
As many of us are aware, cats typically do not enjoy interacting with water except when drinking from a small, safe bowl.
If a motion-activated water sprinkler were to activate whenever they walk by, it would likely startle them enough to leave the garden quickly.
7. Sound and Motion Sensors
If you want to keep cats away from your yard, an ultrasonic animal repeller could be a helpful tool.
However, it’s important to note that dogs are also capable of hearing the ultrasonic sounds emitted by this device.
Ultrasonic sounds do not harm animals, but they generally do not like them and would prefer not to hear them.
This makes ultrasonic technology an effective cat repellent, and it can also be used to train dogs to avoid specific areas of the yard without causing them any harm.
These devices are activated by motion and some even have flashlights to deter unwanted animals. Additionally, some models emit small alarm sounds.
This device is eco-friendly as it contains no toxic chemicals and is powered by solar energy.
It can be easily mounted on fences, and some models can set timers for activation.
For instance, if you prefer keeping your pet indoors at night, you can set the ultrasonic motion sensor to only activate during those hours.
8. Garden Scarecrows for Cats
Scarecrows have the potential to be frightening, not only for crows but also for humans and even cats.
One way to prevent cats from entering a garden is to hang reflective “cat’s eyes” in trees or place them on the ground in flowerbeds.
This creates the illusion that other cats are already present, which may deter them from entering.
Stray cats entering your yard tend to avoid other cats to avoid confrontations.
However, it’s important to note that some cats enjoy asserting dominance through fights, which may undermine the effectiveness of this method.
Nevertheless, these cat statues make for charming garden decorations and are a cost-effective solution worth exploring.
Additionally, they may deter other unwelcome guests, such as birds, from invading your fruit and vegetable garden.
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Conclusion
Although cats may be adorable and cuddly, having uninvited feline visitors is not ideal for dogs.
These cats can agitate dogs, causing them to bark incessantly and wreak havoc in the garden without regard for your beautiful flowers and lush green grass.
These methods for deterring cats from your yard are dog-friendly and humane and won’t break the bank.
Some of them may even have additional benefits for you and your furry companion. It’s a win-win situation!
Enjoy living the outdoor life!!!