Cat lover or not, these fiercely independent felines seem to have mastered the art of making themselves at home the moment we head indoors. For some, these unexpected visitors provide welcome company. For others, they're rather less charming when flower beds become litter trays, cushions collect muddy paw prints and the garden turns into an open-air cat café. If, like me, you're in the latter camp, there are thankfully plenty of kinder ways to encourage them to spend their afternoons elsewhere.
My own search for a solution began one morning when I opened the back door to find a beautiful tabby cat curled up fast asleep on my white garden furniture. To really make itself at home, it had thoughtfully plucked my alpaca throw and rearranged it into the perfect nest. Fair enough really, I'd have happily curled up there too.
The problem wasn't a one-off. Our garden backs onto an old red-brick barrack wall which doubles as the neighbourhood's feline highway, with cats regularly strolling along the top before descending into our garden. Rather than resorting to spiked wire or plastic scat mats, I wanted to find a kinder solution.
A colleague pointed me towards the Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips Facebook group, where 35p white vinegar was repeatedly recommended as a natural deterrent. That sent me down a rabbit hole of looking for other (kinder) ideas, from fragrant planting to coffee grounds and homemade citrus sprays. Better still, many of these suggestions come with added benefits, whether that's attracting pollinators, enriching compost or simply making the garden an even nicer place to spend time.
1. Plant scents cats avoid
Perhaps the prettiest solution of all is to let your planting do the hard work. 'Some plants may help discourage cats from using your garden as a toilet. Strongly scented plants, such as Scaredy Cat plant (Coleus canina) as well as thorny shrub roses, can make favourite toileting spots less attractive to visiting cats,' says Izzy Hocking from Cats Protection.
Plus, a fragrant border filled with lavender or aromatic rosemary in bloom may help to attract pollinators too.
2. Make flower beds less inviting
Freshly turned soil is particularly attractive to cats. ‘Plant bushes closely together so there isn't open, loose dirt for them to dig up or use as a toilet,’ recommends Dr Suzanne Moyes, a vet at Burgess Pet Care.
You could also cover bare earth with bark or gravel so there's less exposed soil to investigate. Izzy also adds that 'cats generally prefer to dig in dry, loose soil, so keeping borders well-watered may make them less appealing as a toileting spot.'
3. Treading on eggshells
Many gardeners scatter this common item in their compost around borders because cats are thought to dislike the rough feeling on their sensitive paw. Izzy says 'try putting some obstacles in their way to deter them such as crushed up eggshells'. As a bonus, the shells can also be added to compost for a calcium boost and may help discourage slugs and snails.
4. Try a citrus spritz
Possibly my favourite tip yet – part because it costs 30p and part because who doesn't want their garden to smell like an Italian piazza? Soak orange, lemon or grapefruit peel in boiling water for a day or two before straining the liquid into a spray bottle. Give fences, pathways and patio furniture a light mist with the citrus water.
'You could also try putting the peel in the soil (it will compost and give your plants added nutrients too!) or you could even soak some cotton wool in it and place this around your plants,' suggests Izzy.
5. Encourage cats to choose another route
Cats are creatures of habit and often patrol the same route each day. If your garden happens to sit on one of those regular journeys, small changes can encourage them to move on. 'Cats generally prefer private, undisturbed places to toilet. Making favourite spots less secluded and more difficult to access may help discourage them from using your garden,' Izzy tells us.
Motion-activated sprinklers and high-pitched alarms are options too, but if you'd rather avoid gadgets, reflective ornaments or lightweight pinwheels positioned near common entry points may be enough to interrupt their usual path without causing them any harm.
I've realised the goal isn't to stop cats being cats. It's simply to make my garden a little less tempting, protecting my plants, furniture and any soft furnishings I leave outdoors in the process.
