Cats hate strong, pungent smells like citrus (lemon, orange), lavender, mint (peppermint, pennyroyal), rosemary, and eucalyptus, as well as spicy scents from plants like rue, curry herb, oregano, and cayenne/chili flakes, which overwhelm their sensitive noses; you can plant these or use citrus peels, coffee grounds, and vinegar around plants to deter them, but avoid mothballs and pepper directly on the cat.
Smells that repel cats: To keep cats out of yards or gardens, plant the herb rue or sprinkle dried rue. Citrus or lemon scents (orange peels, lemon peels), garlic, ammonia, vinegar, coffee grinds, pipe tobacco, mustard, citronella, or eucalyptus all deter cats as well.
Cats hate strong, pungent, or bitter smells, with citrus (lemon, orange), vinegar, and harsh cleaning chemicals (ammonia, bleach) topping the list, along with certain herbs (lavender, eucalyptus, rosemary) and spices (cinnamon, pepper) that can irritate their sensitive noses, with some being toxic if ingested. Strong odors like spoiled food, other animals' scents, or menthol are also highly disliked.
Rubbing moistened black pepper onto the leaves and placing stones on top of the dirt will dissuade Kitty from tasting or digging in the plant.
Anything with the smell of vinegar, bleach, ammonia, or other strong acidic or noxious smells is going to irritate your cat's respiratory system and make them uncomfortable. Many are also toxic if your cat licks them off of their paws or fur.
The top "silent killers" in cats are Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), often going undetected until 75% kidney failure, and Hypertension (High Blood Pressure), which damages organs without obvious signs until blindness or seizures occur, notes Muirfield Animal Hospital, Pet Health Network, www.springwoodvets.com.au, Close Veterinary Clinic, Killarney Animal Hospital, Physicians Mutual Insurance, Sykesville Veterinary Clinic, Mona Vale Veterinary Hospital, Nimbus Pet Hospital, Hill's Pet Nutrition, Covetrus North America, ASPCA Pet Insurance and PetCareRx. Other serious conditions include Hyperthyroidism, Heart Disease (like HCM), and Fatty Liver Disease (Hepatic Lipidosis).
1. Homemade cat deterrent spray. Mix together lemon juice, rosemary and white vinegar – three things cats detest.
How to Safely Keep Cats Away From Plants
Vinegar as a cat repellent
Spraying Outdoors – Straight or diluted vinegar can be sprayed around the edges of a garden, and on plants, fences, posts and garden décor to keep cats away. Concentrate the spray on areas that the cats frequent or that you particularly want to protect.
Cats jump when they touch aluminum foil due to sensory overload, their natural cat reflexes, and its uncomfortable texture. These combined factors make aluminum foil an effective deterrent for keeping cats away from certain surfaces.
Oils like tea tree, peppermint, citrus, pine, and eucalyptus are particularly harmful. Cats lack certain liver enzymes needed to metabolize these compounds, leading to a risk of toxicity. Symptoms can include drooling, vomiting, tremors, and even liver failure.
Peppermint contains a substance called salicylate, which is toxic to cats, and most moggies will avoid peppermint because they think it pongs. However, there's something extra in peppermint that smells a little like catnip, which can attract some. Planting peppermint should be avoided when trying to keep cats away.
Cats hate strong, pungent, or bitter smells, with citrus (lemon, orange), vinegar, and harsh cleaning chemicals (ammonia, bleach) topping the list, along with certain herbs (lavender, eucalyptus, rosemary) and spices (cinnamon, pepper) that can irritate their sensitive noses, with some being toxic if ingested. Strong odors like spoiled food, other animals' scents, or menthol are also highly disliked.
Cats are incredibly sensitive to smell so strong scents such as lavender, peppermint or cinnamon are great for keeping them away. Choose one of these scents, mix it with water and spray it around the garden. While this is just a short-term option, it's cost-effective and non-toxic.
A simple kitchen staple can hold surprising power outdoors. Many gardeners overlook the hidden potential of lemon juice in their everyday routines. When applied carefully, it can clean, protect, and nourish plants in ways that store-bought solutions often fail to match.
Cats tend to hate strong, sharp, or bitter smells. These are usually natural things that would warn them of danger in the wild. Think of citrus, vinegar, and strong herbs. These smells may stop cats from scratching or peeing where they shouldn't.
To stop cats from pooping in your garden naturally, you can try planting cat-repellent plants such as lemon thyme, oregano, and citronella. You can also sprinkle orange or lemon peels around the garden bed, as cats dislike the scent of citrus.
The best cat repellents combine motion-activated deterrents with scent-based barriers and physical obstacles, with popular options including motion-activated water sprinklers (like Scarecrow) for immediate startling, strong citrus or vinegar sprays, and planting repellent herbs like rue or rosemary, but remember to reapply scents and be aware that motion sprinklers may scare off pets too.
Conveniently enough, cats don't like the smell of citrus. You could soak a few cotton balls in lemon, orange, or lime juice and place at the base of your plants in the soil, or throw some citrus peels on top of the soil of your potted plant.
Strong spicy aromas like pepper, curry, and cinnamon also tend to ward off cats. However, we do not recommend using cayenne pepper or other pepper flakes to keep cats out of the garden, as this could potentially harm them. Cinnamon is non-toxic to cats.
Have you ever tried using aluminum foil to keep your cat off the counters, stop them from peeing in a particular location, or otherwise manage their behavior? While it's a common DIY deterrent, it's often ineffective and usually causes more problems than it solves.
Essential Oil Mixtures
Mix 10 drops of lavender, peppermint, or citronella oil with water in a spray bottle. Use it on paths where cats walk, but keep it away from plants. It needs topping up every few days, more if it rains.
Cats really don't like the smell of citrus, so a lemon juice spray is a pretty simple and natural way to keep them out of places they shouldn't be. Think of it as a gentle nudge rather than a harsh chemical blast.