5 Natural Ways to Keep Cats Out of Your Garden Without Harming Them

Cats can be adorable companions, but when they start digging in your flower beds or vegetable garden, frustration quickly follows. Instead of turning to harmful chemicals or traps, there are plenty of natural ways to keep your garden safe while respecting your feline friends. From clever barriers and scents to cat-repelling plants and motion-activated sprinklers, you can protect your seedlings and flowers without hurting your curious kitties.

My cat “Kitty Boy Floyd” can be useful to have around the garden, keeping unwanted rodents at bay, but he can be destructive as well. 

My cat loves to dig in the soft dirt, especially after I have planted some tender seedlings, and just the thought of cat poop in the vegetable beds makes me nauseous. Not only disgusting, but it can also harbor many harmful pathogens and parasites. 

Natural Ways to Keep Cats Away

Barriers and Fences

Wire - Freshly turned soil is very appealing as a litter box, so we have found that laying down chicken wire, plastic fencing, or even bird netting on top of the soil keeps him from digging. He won’t even walk on it. It is easier to do it before planting and just clip the wire to make larger holes for the plants. It can be covered with mulch to make it look more pleasing.

Row Covers - We use a lot of row covers on our plants and have found that if they are well anchored, he stays out of those beds; otherwise we often find him taking a catnap in the warm, protected environment the covers offer.

Fences - It is hard to fence cats out. The fence needs to be very tall with a floppy top so they can’t land on it. It must also be buried at the bottom so they can’t sneak under. It can be an expensive but effective solution.

Mulch and Rough Surfaces

Cats dislike stepping on rough or prickly surfaces so try scattering pinecones, brush or twigs over the surface of the soil. Thorny clippings from roses, holly, or raspberries are especially effective but will also prick you, so wear gloves. Rough mulches like coarse wood chips or stones are hard for cats to dig in.

Water Deterrents and Motion Sprinklers

Cats like dry soil, so keep yours moist to make it less inviting. Or go one step further and squirt them with a hose if you catch them in the act. 

If neighborhood cats are sneaking in at night, try a motion-activated sprinkler. They’ll soon get the message!

Cat-Repelling Plants and Sprays

Cats have sensitive noses, and strong smells can act as deterrents. Citrus is not a feline favorite—so next time you eat an orange or squeeze a lemon, cut up the peels and spread them around the area you want the cats to avoid. 

Sprays made from citrus, citronella, lavender, peppermint, lemongrass, or rosemary oil mixed with water can be applied to those areas as well. Vinegar, hot pepper, or garlic sprays may have some effect too. Don’t use mothballs because they are toxic to you and the cats. Urine deterrents should be avoided since they just provoke male cats into spraying over them to mark their territory.

Instead of making sprays, you can grow cat-repelling plants such as rosemary, lemon thyme, rue, lavender, or Russian sage. Or you can sprinkle the dried leaves of these plants around the spots you are trying to protect. Plants with prickly leaves like sea holly or globe thistle may deter them, too. Look for Coleus canina, called the scaredy cat plant; it is said to be very effective at keeping cats away.

Creating a Cat-Friendly Area Elsewhere

To keep kitty out of the flowerbed, why not try giving him a place of his own—preferably on the other side of the yard, away from your precious plants. Cats will be drawn to catnip or valerian plants. If you construct an outdoor litter box filled with dry sand for them to dig in, they just might make use of it and leave your garden alone.

Love your kitty? Find out how old your cat is in human years with our Cat Age Calculator.

Do you have any furry friends causing chaos in the garden? Please share your experiences!

And see our article about how to keep certain troublesome birds away from the garden!