Tricks to get cats to avoid your garden and your house?

StefanZ

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Like said above.   We cat people are eager to discuss, how to get shy cats to come to us.

But the opposite?   Like one of my neigbours asked me:  " I like to have out veranda door open, but  neigbours straying cats cats come in, and even lays on the sofas and beds.  We dont want it so, some in our family are even allergic to cats."

I said he CAN be unplasant to this cat, shout and so, when he is in the garden or home, so this cat will connect the place as being unpleasant.   But its not enough.  Some are sneaky and returns when he is no longer around.   Also, there may come new cats...

So, is there some tricks?   Who are completely harmless to the cat, but make him avoid the place.

Some plants to have in the garden?  Some preparate to pour around the house??
 
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ritz

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Well, first I'd talk to the neighbors whose cat is invading your territory. That would be the most humane, neighborly thing to do.
If the neighbor won't do anything here are some suggestions. I know you live in Sweden, so I don't know how many of these suggestions, devices are available to you.
You can you deer (moose?) or similar animal repellant. Or a motion detector device that sprays water or makes a loud noise. The 'bad' side of me says use the latter--the cat is disturbing you, so you should disturb the owner.
You can also use bone meal fertilizer or blood (though that may alter in a bad way the pH level of the soil).
Rue, lavendar and pennyroyal are some plants cats don't like. Again, these may not even grow in Sweden. If the plant repells deer, it may also repel cats.
If applying mulch, use sharp pine cones; cats don't like to walk on sharp objects. Similarly, you can lay down on the ground chicken wire.
Or, maybe educate the neighbor how nice, useful cats are. Where I lived some people didn't like feral/stray cats: but they all agreed we didn't have a mice/rodent problem!
 
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StefanZ

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You can also use bone meal fertilizer or blood (though that may alter in a bad way the pH level of the soil).
Rue, lavendar and pennyroyal are some plants cats don't like. Again, these may not even grow in Sweden.
I suppose its possible to have them in pots, so it wouldnt affect the pH of the garden soil.

I shall look at all these and be sure I know the swedish or at least the latin names, and look up them.  Lavender is quite common here, a loved garden plant.  Also, as we do talk about a house garden, it is surely possible to both get and manage to keep alive plants which otherwise arent in Sweden...

Now writing this,  I remember something about male urine - best from coyotes, but if necessary, even human male can do...  Was it to repell cats??

Of course, who do like to have human urine smelling around your house??  So this is rather theoretical...

Ah,  I know. It was probably a trick to repel not cats, but - coyotes.

Of course, if you do live in a coyote or wolf  tight area, having some urine smell is a cheap price to get some safety from these coyotes...

After all, we do live in a rural area, and several times every year we do get enveloped in natural stench - its the farmers who give nourishment to the fields, by distributing  what pigs did produce...   :(

Tx for the response,  Ritz!
 

ritz

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I did a little more research. Apparently wolf urine is the preferable urine...
Here is a nice article. The author makes a good point: make some other area in your yard more attractive to use as his/her litter box than the garden.
 
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StefanZ

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I saw a somwhat similiar thread on a swedish forum one hour ago.  Their best tip was to make a  screen door.   Which tip is of course useful in USA too, especially as screen doors (anti flyies net)  is quite common in the USA - although not so common in Sweden.
 

MoochNNoodles

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I use a deer and rabbit repellent spray around my vegetable garden but I wouldn't want it near my house because it really stinks!  I try not to get it on my hands when I use it.  It is supposed to mimic I think fox urine (I may be wrong on that).  I looked briefly at the company website and they do make a spray for cats and dog that they say is safe.  http://www.liquidfence.com/Products/Natural-Animal-Repellents/Dog-and-Cat-Repellent.aspx  I have no personal experience with it myself.  I also can't see many details on their site to know what is in it.  I'm not sure it's available in Sweden either.  

The screen door may be a good option.  A really determined cat could break through it of course; but it may be enough.  Citrus scents are unpleasant to cats.  I have seen wreaths made from dried orange peels.  I have been wondering about using fresh ones as Christmas ornaments to deter cats from the Christmas trees; but I've never tried it.  Something like that may also help.  
 
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