Cats are very curious and love to constantly explore new things. They always find something to dig, especially in the garden, and leave cat droppings all over the beds and lawn.It's certainly annoying when you've worked in the garden for hours and then a cat destroys the plants. Be it the neighbor's cat, a strange cat or even your own pet, it is always advisable to protect your flowers and vegetable plants from four-legged friends. We'll show you two completely natural ways to keep cats away from plants.
Even cat lovers will agree that the popular animals are less cute when they destroy garden plants. Since there isn't much you can do about their playful nature, there are a few methods to ward off cats using smells they don't like. These deterrents are harmless to the animals and therefore completely harmless. You can buy special sprays and granules, but there are also homemade remedies that work just as well and are much cheaper.
DIY anti-cat spray
It can be very annoying to find that cats have dug up the flowers and used the soil as a toilet. If you've already had enough of it, you can make a natural and non-toxic spray yourself that will certainly keep the four-legged friends at a distance.
Cats have highly sensitive noses and a strong aversion to certain strong scents. They particularly find citrus scents and some herbs overwhelming. They are also very cautious about smells that they do not recognize. These can be used to stop the cat from staying in certain areas of the garden.
For example, lemons, rosemary and vinegar are completely safe for cats, but their animal instinct causes them to avoid any area with an unfamiliar smell to protect themselves from possible harm. Try the following recipe.
What you need:
- a lemon
- fresh rosemary
- Vinegar
- an empty spray bottle
⇒ Mix the squeezed lemon juice with vinegar and a few sprigs of rosemary in a spray bottle. Shake briefly. Spray the repellent in the garden or on the patio around all the pots and plants that you want to protect from kitties. This is a humane way to keep cats away from plants because the ingredients are completely natural and harmless. After rain and if necessary, you can reapply the spray as the scent may wear off.
Do not throw away the peel of lemons and other citrus fruits, but also scatter them in your garden. The citrus peels also have a strong scent that can repel velvet paws. They are also useful for other purposes in the garden.Read hereHow to use orange peels in the garden.
Essential oils are also a useful repellent because of their strong scent. Here is a second recipe for homemade anti-cat spray.
Mix the following ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3-4 crushed garlic cloves
- 10 drops of citrus oil
⇒ Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and fill it with water. Spray it on your lawn and garden beds. The pungent smell is said to keep cats away.
Also read:What smells do cats not like?
Use coffee grounds to keep cats away from plants
Another home remedy for cats that often ends up in the trash is coffee grounds. Although many people throw them away, coffee grounds can be used in many waysbe useful in the garden. Its strong smell is a natural repellent against kitties.
In contrast to its use as fertilizer, you can use the coffee grounds fresh from the coffee machine for this purpose. Distribute it around the plants and beds that you want to protect from a cat's visit and your four-legged friend will avoid them. If it is about acid-loving plants, then the home remedy has a double effect - as a cat repellent and as a fertilizer.
Also read:Are tulips poisonous to cats? What you should know!
