Recipes for cat repellent

Are the neighborhood cats constantly using your garden or favorite rose bushes as a toilet? Many people have trouble with the neighbor’s cats digging up their plants, as well as fighting (or other things) on their patios at night.

Keeping the neighborhood cats out of your yard is easier said than done. Luckily, it can be done with some homemade cat repellent and a little patience.

Cats use urine to mark their territory. Once a stray has used your flower bed or yard as a litter box, it will consider your territory hers. While this creates a nuisance for you, the cat means no harm. As long as stray cats feel safe and comfortable in your yard you will have to contend with it.

Even if you have cats, or are just a cat-lover, there may are a lot of stray cats in your neighborhood. This could be a problem if a stray tom cat has been sneaking into your yard and spraying. After all of this; you end up spending weeks cleaning up after someone else's mess. Wouldn’t it be good if you could keep cats out of your yard?

Some cat repellent can be poisonous to cats or just down right mean and should be avoided. These include traps and mothballs; which can cause liver damage to both the cats and your family.

Here are some recipes for homemade cat repellent to help keep your flower in great shape.

1. Mix together Vinegar, liquid hand soap and water, in equal parts. Spray it liberally on your lawn.

2. Cats seem to run from Rosemary Essential Oil. Mix a little of rosemary with water and spray it onto areas that are problematic.

3. Another cat repellent that they seem to hate is a little crushed garlic, cayenne pepper, sugar, water, lemon and cinnamon.

4. Plant a bush called Coleus Canina, also known as Scardy Cat. It grows in almost any kind of soil, has grey/green foliage with little blue flowers and when crushed releases a horrible odor. Most cats seem to not be able to stand this plant at all.

5. Try mixing 5 tablespoons each of flour, powdered mustard, cayenne pepper and chili powder with 2 quarts of warm water. Mix these together and spray the perimeter of your yard or garden.

6. You could also try mixing together 20 drops of lemon oil, 10 drops capsicum (liquid cayenne pepper), 20 drops of eucalyptus oil and 1 quart of water. Mix and shake well. Spray on furniture, carpet, upholstery and around your plants.

7. Try commercial cat repellent.

8. Place citrus rinds and used coffee grounds in your flower beds or garden to keep most critters out.

9. Add some herbs to your beds. Add to your garden some citronella, rue, lavender, rosemary or garlic and chives. These are attractive plants but are a natural cat repellent.

10. Rub a sliced onion around fence posts or deck chairs and spread the slices around your garden areas.