Cat Repellent?

[shishylo]

Hi there, I’m new to this forum and I just got a cat! He is the most active and affectionate cat I’ve ever seen! So far, he’s been staying in my room for the past few days ever since I got him because of my fear that he’s gonna enter the garage.

Usually I keep the door leading to the garage wide open because I use it often, but I worry that sometimes I will forget to close it and my cat goes in there.

My garage has a bunch of boxes and probably hasn’t been cleaned in ages. I’m quite scared that he might go in there and get hurt. My car is also in there, and I’m frightened at the thought of him hiding under it.

Is it possible to get a cat repellent spray and just spray it near the door? I don’t even know if cat repellents are safe, but if they are, I would like some suggestions on what to get. (Do they even work? And how often would I have to respray it?)

I would like to spray it there just incase I ever forget to close the door.

 

[Kieka]

As much as I agree that might be nice, there isn't a spray to keep cats out of a space or area. There are products on the market that claim to be but they tend to more snake oil then real. The issue being that not all cats dislike the same thing, some cats investigate unknown instead of shy away, longevity of it, and humans being offended by the same smell.

Your best bet is to look into some sort of child safety mechanism for the entry into the garage. Which could be springs on the door, safety gates (although some cats have springs for legs and jump over them), or similar products. You also want to ensure you train him by telling him no and diverting him from the door as often as possible. But the most important thing would be to train yourself that the door always gets shut. I would also make sure he has a microchip (don't forget to register it!) and a breakaway collar with your name and number just in case.

 

[Kflowers]

Make sure you know where your cat is before you start your car. Many cats like to crawl up in the engine because it's small spaces, because it's warm, because of the smell. They can be badly hurt by the moving parts, sometimes fatally. Or they stay and get burned as the engine heats while you drive. Or they hang on for the drive and drop out somewhere along the way to be lost or run over on the street.

Until closing the door is an absolute habit, put signs on the door and on your car to remind you -- Where is the cat? Close the door.
You could hang the sign in the doorway so you'll literally run into it whenever you go through the threshold.