Cats are cute, but when pooping all around the garden, they can be the most annoying creatures ever. If you are tired of cleaning your garden and don’t know how to stop cats pooping in your garden, this is the article you need to go through right now!
In this article, I will share with you how to stop cats pooping in your garden and some home remedies for how to stop cats pooping in your garden naturally. In the past few months, I became sick of having cat poop all over my lawn. I tried everything to sway them, but nothing was working, so I looked for ways to stop cats pooping in my garden.
After many tests and trials, I found some of the best ways that actually helped me, and I have compiled them here, so you don’t have to suffer. So, let’s get to know how to stop cats pooping in your garden using home remedies.
Table of Contents
Understanding Why Cats Poop in Gardens
To stop cats pooping in your garden, it is important to understand why they do so in the first place. Initially, I thought of this as a naturally occurring behavior. However, later after thorough research, I found that there can be several other reasons why cats poop in gardens. I’ll be sharing all of these reasons below in detail.
Natural Instincts
One thing that I learned about cats is that they are very possessive creatures. After owning cats for a very long time, I learned that they can poop in the garden to either mark their territory or that the soft soil in your garden might seem extremely attractive.
Marking Territory
As I explained before, cats can be possessive at times. And for this time they would love to leave their scents wherever they go. So, if your cat has been pooping in your garden, understand they are trying to tell other cats that this area is reserved.
They simply mark the territory with their scent so other cats would avoid trespassing in their area. You would also notice that this behavior is more common among male cats than females. To stop cats pooping in your gardens, train them to use litter boxes. You can also try rewarding them when they use their litter box to reinforce good behavior.
Preference for Soft Soil
Another reason your cat might be pooping on your beautiful garden is their preference for soft oil. These furry friends have a natural instinct of burying their dump in soft soil. For wild cats, this is a way to protect themselves from predators by eliminating their scent.
The same behavior is prevalent in domestic cats. Your home cats would love to dig through soft soil because of their natural instincts. So, if your garden has loose soil or the soil is soft, a lot of cats are going to use it as litter.
To stop cats pooping in your gardens you can cover the soil with rocks. This will make the soil appear less attractive to cats and help you keep your lawn clean. One of the best home remedies to stop cats pooping in garden is to install motion sprinklers in your garden. These sprinklers will detect the motion of water and will spray water onto them, therefore scaring them away.
Stray or Feral Cats
Now stray or feral cats might be pooping in your garden for some other reasons. Here are some common reasons that I will be explaining in a much more clear way.
Lack of Litter Box Access
Stray or feral cats don’t have the right access to litter boxes which may compel them to poop in the garden. Because these cats aren’t often preferred by people, they might not be able to access bathrooms or proper litter boxes. As a result, they might often turn toward a garden to do their business.
If by chance you suspect that a stray or feral cat is pooping in your lawn you need to provide them with a designated spot to poop. You can also stop cats pooping in your gardens by placing a container or box filled with dirt in your garden’s corner. Make sure to clear this corner regularly so the cats are attracted to it.
Survival Instincts
Stray or feral cats might also poop in your garden due to their survival instincts. Such cats often have limited food and shelter; they would often dig various sites to explore resources. In some circumstances, they would use the garden as a source of water or food. They might also use this same spot to hide from predators or just dump their business.
If you find out that a stray or feral cat is using your garden as a source of food and water, try to remove any attractions including pet dishes or bird feeders. Also, search for any kind of hideouts in your garden that cats would use as shelter.
Home Remedies to Stop Cats Pooping In Garden
You don’t have to purchase some new tools to get rid of cat poop in your garden. You can get rid of the cat’s poop by doing very little by using remedies from your kitchen
Get Rid Of Existing Litter
If your garden is full of cat poop and you don’t get rid of them, you are inviting stray cats to poop there. I learned that none of the methods would work well until and unless I had cleaned the existing litter.
So, I got some newspapers and cardboard boxes and collected the cat’s poop. Once I had enough of it, I started taking them to a local trash bin. This way, cats won’t smell any poop and assume this can be their community bathroom.
Utilizing Natural Scents
Utilizing natural scents is one of my favorite home remedies to stop cats pooping in garden. For this reason, I advise using eucalyptus oil. Below I have explained how this oil can stop cats pooping in your gardens.
Eucalyptus Oil
You all know how eucalyptus oil can have this pungent and annoying smell. And as cats have these sensitive noses you can imagine how easily this oil can repel them. Because of this reason, an area having a pungent smell of Eucalyptus Oil will never be visited by a cat.
To apply Eucalyptus Oil to stop cats pooping in your gardens mix one part of essential oil with three parts of water in a spray bottle. Make sure to mix this solution well so it becomes uniform. Spray this solution onto the spots where cats have been pooping in your garden. This is one of the most effective home remedies to stop cats pooping in garden.
Install Anti-Cat Fence
Remember that chicken wire lying around in your storeroom? Well, you can put that to good use here. Here’s a quick video showing some tips and tricks for installing chicken wire that will help prevent cats from getting into your yard and making a mess.
Line all the boundaries and flower pots in your garden with this chicken wire, and say goodbye to cats forever. The fence should be high from the ground with several spikes, which will deter cats from entering the garden.
Setting up Physical Barriers
Another way to stop cats pooping in your gardens is by setting up physical barriers. Here are some common barriers that helped me get rid of cats from pooping on my lawn.
Garden Netting
Garden netting is one of the most common home remedies to stop cats pooping in your garden. Purchase a good quality garden netting and install it around your garden. This will create a barrier around your garden. Additionally, they will be unable to dig or find reliable spots to rest in your garden.
Spiky Mats
One of the best and most humane home remedies to stop cats pooping in garden is installing spiky mats in your garden. This mat had spikes made of rubber that were extremely uncomfortable for cats to step on.
To stop cats pooping in your gardens you can place spiky mats in various areas of your garden. Make sure to cover those areas that are frequently visited by cats for pooping. It is one painless and harmless way to encourage cats to seek other spots for their pooping needs.
Using Water
We all have those water sprays in our garden, and if not, then this is the time you get some. Cats hate water, which is obvious from how they refuse to bathe every time. You can have these water sprays in your garden and let them work the way they usually do.
Just make sure that there are no kids around when it is on. Use a hose with a long wand to spray the cats. If you don’t have a hose to water your garden then you can check out my review of the 7 Best Garden Hose Reels in 2022. It will be so much easier, and it will save you from a lot of trouble, and it is also good for scaring cats away.
You should know that you should never spray water directly at a cat. It can be very dangerous, and it is best to just keep an eye on them and try to spray them from a distance.
Use Orange Peels
If you are still thinking about how to stop cats pooping in your garden naturally, then using orange peels can be a good solution. Cats are not fond of orange peels, and they would just get irritated by their smell.
Simply place them around the perimeter of your garden, and they will go away. You can also use other citrus fruit peels and have them in your garden. So, you don’t have to throw away those citrus peels after squeezing the juice out of them; you just have to sprinkle them in your garden.
Sprinkle Coffee Grounds
Cats do not like coffee grounds. They will find its smell repulsive, and will just go away. If you want to keep coffee grounds in your garden, you should sprinkle them around the boundary of your garden.
You can also buy coffee grounds for gardening and use them in your garden. I sprinkled coffee grounds around flower beds and the spots where these felines poop most often. Coffee grounds also helped me get rid of the weed, so I actually loved this method.
Toothpicks at the Edges
Cats hate to come in contact with something that is spiky. They tend to avoid such places at any cost. If cats have been pooping in your garden, then using toothpicks can be the perfect solution.
All you have to do is grab a pack of toothpicks and have them at the edges of the flower bed. These will help create a barrier against cats trying to get into the flower bed. You can also install these toothpicks around the outside edges of your garden.
You don’t have to wait for long to have these toothpicks in your garden. Once cats have changed their spot, you can remove these toothpicks. This is one of the easiest and most straightforward ways to get rid of cats pooping in your garden without harming any of the plants or animals.
Cover Soil with Wooden Pellets
Cats love to dig holes in the ground. If they find a hole in your garden, they tend to dig and fill it with dirt. They will dig a hole in the spot where they have been pooping. If you have these problems in your garden, then cover the entire area with wooden pellets. Cats would not litter in a place that they cannot dig.
Wood pellets are very affordable and easy to find. You can buy these pellets at most gardening stores or use the ones if you have them in your backyard. Once you have covered the entire area with these pellets, you can remove them after a few days.
This will ensure that there will be no more cats pooping in your garden. You can also use wooden pellets to cover any area you want to protect from cats.
Use Cat Repellent Sprays
You can also get rid of cats pooping in your garden by using a variety of repellent sprays. No, you don’t have to purchase one, as I will share how you can make them using ingredients from your own pantry.
Try Homemade Cat Repellent Spray
One of my friends introduced me to these amazing homemade cat repellents, and trust me, these worked wonders for me.
Here you have to take a teaspoon of cayenne pepper, cinnamon, dry mustard, a clove of garlic in crushed form, and 3 drops of lemon essential oil.
Mix these ingredients in a spray bottle. When you can get a perfect mixed-up consistency, you can add water to it. Shake well to combine all the ingredients together. You can spray this mixture in your garden so no cats will come to the party.
Spray Vinegar
Another simple natural remedy to get rid of cats pooping all around your garden is vinegar spray. You can mix one part white vinegar and two parts water. Spray the mixture in the area where you want to keep your plants healthy and free from cat poop. The mixture should be sprayed on the soil once a week. This will also help your plants grow faster and better. This method worked well but not for as long as the previous one I discussed above.
There is another benefit to spraying your plants with vinegar and that is it will help get rid of snails in your garden. While you are going around your garden spraying vinegar to keep cats away, have a look around for snails and give them a direct spray with the mixture. Keep doing this and you will be rid of cats pooping on your garden, plus you will have gotten rid of the pesky snails as well.
Use Lemon Grass
Lemongrass, the strong-smelling grass that grows in tropical climates, is naturally repellent against cats. It has the power to repel cats, making them leave the garden alone. You can also add it to your garden soil.
The smell of lemongrass is strong enough to repel cats and dogs. If you have lemongrass teabags, you can cut a piece of it and sprinkle it in your garden to get rid of cats. Just sprinkle it around your garden so that it gets absorbed into the soil.
Plants That Stop Cats Pooping In Garden
If you have been wondering how to stop cats pooping in your garden naturally, you can do so by planting special plants in your garden. I have discussed some of these plants below
Coleus Canina
Just when I came to know my cats were using my beautiful garden as their litter box, I was extremely frustrated. I did try several home remedies to stop cats pooping in garden but the one I found the best was Coleus Canina. So this plant is also known as the scaredy cat plant that I will explain why it is named so.
The Coleus Canina had this unique and attractive appearance that quickly became the highlight of my garden. But guys, its look wasn’t something that scared away the cats from my garden. Instead, its smell made it an amazing plant to stop cats pooping in your gardens.
This plant with blue flowers had a distinct pungent smell that cats would find repulsive. Apart from home remedies to stop cats pooping in garden, using this plant was extremely effective in repelling cats.
To stop cats pooping in your gardens you can place the Coleus Canina in areas where cats visit frequently. I did so and the results were amazing! The cats that previously visited those spots now avoided visiting them.
Lavender
Lavender is a wonderful plant that has been proven to stop cats from doing their business in the garden. This plant works because it repels animals, and it also helps to control the odor. When you use lavender, you need to spray it around your garden and then let it dry.
It will work best if you mix it with the soil. I recommend planting it in a place with an abundance of light. This plant is perfect for someone who wants to grow many flowers but doesn’t have much space.
Rosemary
Rosemary is another great plant for your garden. This plant is good for keeping cats away from your roses and other flowers. You can use it as a repellent. Simply sprinkle rosemary on your plants and then leave it. If you do this regularly, the cat will soon associate your garden with the scent of rosemary and won’t bother your flowers anymore.
Cactus And Roses
If you have problems with cats pooping in your garden, try planting cacti and roses together. These plants have thorns and are known to keep animals away from gardens. Because of their bushy nature, cats would never want to come in contact with them, and if they get to see them anywhere, they will try to avoid going there.
Conclusion
Hopefully, I have provided you with enough information about how to stop cats pooping in your garden. I would always suggest natural ways to get rid of cat poop in your garden, as harming them is not a feasible solution here. So, now that you know the answer to how to stop cats pooping in your garden naturally, get up and start working on it.
Before I finish I thought I should share a link with you if you are having problems with dogs urinating on your lawn and how to combat this problem.
FAQs
What smells deter cats from pooping?
Some smells that may deter cats from pooping are citrus, ammonia, and lavender. Cats have these sensitive noses that can detect the smell from afar. Having citrus fruit peels or sprinkling lavender essential oil in your garden can actually prevent cats from pooping in your garden.
Does bleach stop cats pooping in the garden?
Bleach will not stop cats from pooping in gardens. There has been evidence about cats getting attracted to gardens because of bleach instead of repelling. In short, bleach is not known to eliminate the need for the cat to use the garden to urinate and defecate.
How to keep neighbors’ cats out of my garden?
There are a few things that you can do to keep your neighbors’ cats out of your garden. One way is to install a fence. Another is to throw some citrus fruit peels in your garden as cats are annoyed by their smell. You can also try installing toothpicks on the outer edges of your garden.
How Can I Modify My Garden Environment to Discourage Cats From Pooping?
You can modify your garden by covering the soil with rocks or mulching it using leaves. Additionally, you can also try scattering orange peels or citrus fruit peels to stop cats pooping in your gardens.
Can Wood Pellets Help Prevent Cats From Pooping in My Garden?
Yes, wood pellets can prevent cats from pooping in your garden. Wooden pellets provide a protective barrier to the soil that makes it difficult for cats to scratch or dig into the soil. Also, the smell might not be appealing for cats to visit the area.
How Effective Are Motion-Activated Sprinklers in Deterring Cats?
Motion-activated sprinklers are very effective in deterring cats. These sprinklers spray water whenever they detect the motion of a cat. This in turn annoys them and stops cats pooping in your gardens.
How Can I Create a Designated Cat Toilet Area in My Garden?
To create a designated cat toilet area in your garden you need to get a container or box. Fill this box or container using sand or dust. Place this DIY litter box in one corner of your garden where cats can visit to dump their business.
How Often Should I Reapply Natural Scents to Maintain Their Effectiveness?
You should reapply natural scents once a week to maintain their effectiveness. Natural scents or essential oil scents are some of the most effective home remedies to stop cats pooping in garden. However, these scents can lose their effectiveness way too soon so having them work and reapplying them is the best option.
Are Coffee Grounds and Citrus Peels Safe for My Plants and Soil?
Yes, coffee grounds and citrus peels are safe for your plants and soil. The best thing about these two is that it acts as a fertilizer for the soil. As a result, it aids a lot of essential nutrients into the soil and also stops cats pooping in garden.
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