In as much as cats look harmless and adorable, on the other hand, stray cats can cause a mess in your yard. In the guide below, I will explore some of the possible ways on how to do away with neighbors’ cats in the yard.
Cats that have strayed from your neighbor into your yard can cause a lot of havoc in your yard, more so if it happens daily.
They will make your yard their litter box while spreading fleas and parasites. In fact, they will make your well-cured garden a breeding spot.
The aggressive cats will even attack your other pets or even cause a fight, not forgetting they can even scratch and harm your small babies crawling around.
These stray cats will keep on knocking down your flower pots as well as dig holes in your garden.
It can be very stressful to have unwanted cats in your yard.
Therefore I will compile some of the most acceptable ways how to do away with neighbors’ cats in the yard.
Read more on How To Hide A Pet From The Landlord
11 Tips On How To Do Away With Neighbors Cats In The Yard
Not everyone loves cats, and even though you may like them anyway, not everybody would entertain stray cats.
Stray cats can be annoying, especially if they are everyday visitors to your yard.
Anyway, below are some tips on how to do away with neighbors’ cats in the yard without raising agreements with the owner or even without hurting the cats.
Read more on How To Keep Your Indoor Cat Entertained At Home
1) Plant/Use Cat Repulsive Plants.
There are some plants to which cats are allergic.
They produce some smell that is not friendly to the cats, and as a result, cats try and avoid areas with those plants.
Such plants include lavender, pennyroyal, geranium, lemon thyme, and rue.
Cats hate the smell of the above plants and cannot dare come close to them.
Plant a mixture of the above plants in your garden where the cats like to visit and watch them do the magic.
Other than being cat repellent, the above plants can as well beautify your garden.
2) Clear All Food Sources.
Food remains in your yard are a significant reason why you have stray cats in your yard.
Since they have no one to take care of them, they will automatically be attracted by the smell of food that remains in your yard.
If possible, minimize the number of times you eat from the outside.
Burning food will attract any hungry cat to your yard as they scavenge for food. Ensure all your grills and barbeque pits are clean.
To prevent foods from falling into your yard and attracting cats from the neighborhood, ensure to feed your pets from inside the house.
Also, all trash cans should be closed tightly with the lid and possibly a rope.
This will prevent the cats and other animals from scattering whatever is in the bin and dropping the trash on the ground while looking for food.
3) Make The Ground Uncomfortable.
Cats love comfortable spaces and enjoy walking on soft grounds.
Once you make your garden uncomfortable and inhabitable, definitely your feline friends will o longer visit anymore.
Cover your flower garden and yard with thorny twigs, crushed eggshells, or any other thorny plant.
Covering your yard with chicken wire will also do the trick.
Available on Amazon is the scat mat. The mat has sharp surfaces where no cat can dare to walk over as they are uncomfortable to their paws.
To protect the areas they dig, you can mulch the ground with pine cones or even twigs and pebbles.
4) Invest In A Motion-Detecting Water Sprinkler.
The majority of cats don’t like water, especially any abrupt water that is being splashed.
If you have observed keenly, when it starts to rain when a cat is outside, it will quickly run into the house.
Take advantage of the fact that cats do not like water and clear your yard.
Invest in a motion detection water sprinkler and see how your yard will be free of stray cats.
The sprinklers will spray water towards the direction it has sensed any movement.
It is upon you to set it as you prefer. Water sprinklers will not only keep the cats away, but they will also be watering your lawn.
5) Scare Them With Noise.
With this method, you can use ultrasonic instruments or the old-fashioned means such as wind chimes, stones, or pebbles in a glass plot to keep cats away from your yard.
The ultrasonic devices usually produce a very high-pitched sound, sometimes together with some lights which can only be heard by animals such as cats and mice, and at all, they will not affect human beings.
Usually, the cats and other animals cannot stand the piercing sounds from the ultrasonic device; thus, they will be scared to visit your yard.
The device is motion-triggered, and all you need to do is set it strategically in your garden so that the cats’ motion will trigger it.
The ultrasonic device can easily be found on Amazon. This device is potent such that it can scare animals up to a distance of 40 feet from where it is installed.
Other old-fashioned devices such as a chime can also come in handy when trying to keep your yard safe.
They can be triggered by either the wind or motion if someone or an animal comes into contact with it.
The noise it produces will scare away the cats.
6) Wash Off Their Preferred Spot.
Cats usually have their favorite spot where they frequent now and then.
They usually mark the spot with their urine or scent such that no other cat can occupy it.
To clear the scent, ensure to wash the location thoroughly by flooding it with water such that no remains of their scent remain.
You can use a solution of apple cider and water in the ratio of 1:3.
When the cat visits and finds no trace of their scent, they will automatically know they are an unwanted visitor in that location and will move away.
7) Put Barriers On All The Openings.
Always ensure your yard is well fenced and that the cat’s small access to it is closed.
Any hole which will allow a cat to creep into your yard should be blocked at the earliest.
If you are determined to keep cats out of your yard, installing a good fence or wall should be a priority.
Any gap below the fence should be closed since if the cats cannot climb high enough on the wall, they will creep through the small holes beneath.
Do not put electric fences since they are not allowed in the U.S. A wire mesh fence will be appropriate, and a height of 1.8 meters will work well.
8) Uninstall Or Close Up Any Shelter.
Wild animals, cats included, always look for secure spots to sleep and raise their small ones safely.
If the cats visiting your yard have converted your garage, porches, and other sheds as their shelter, then it’s high time you cleared or blocked their entry.
Close any hole which may lead the cat to your garage or porch.
In short, cover any opening to any of the spots you think the cat may be seeking shelter from.
9) Keep Away Your Female Cats.
If you have female cats in your home, ensure to contain them when on heat, and they do not keep on wandering around the compound.
Male cats can detect a scent of a female cat that is on heat from a far distance.
Strange cats interacting with your cat can be very risky as they may infect them with harmful diseases.
If you cannot keep your female cat indoor, it is also advisable to have it spayed.
Once spayed, it will not ovulate and be on heat, thus attracting the male cats to your yard.
10) Use Commercial Repellents.
Available on Amazon and stores around you, there are countless varieties of commercial repellents that can help you keep stray cats from your yard.
Since cats have a sharp sense of smell, these commercial repellents will help prevent unwanted visitors.
Sprinkle cayenne pepper, mothballs, or even coffee grounds on your flowerbeds and along the fence.
The cats do not like the smell of either so they will keep away.
In addition, you can use orange oil or other citrus sprays.
Mix the concentrate with water and spray in all the pathways the cats use and see them avoid your yard without struggle.
Spread some coffee grounds or even some tobacco grains on your flower bed and other spots the cats like, and you will not see them again.
11) Engage Your Neighbor.
Make sure you talk to your neighbors and inform them of your predicament.
Let them know their cats visit your yard, and you are not ok with it, and they should look at how to contain them.
Make sure they understand that you do not want cats in your yard and the damages they are causing.
Let them come up with measures or even suggest some to them and discuss the way forward about the issue of the cats.
Reasons Why You Should Keep Neighbor’s Cats Out Of Your Yard.
Cats Can Be Destructive.
Cats are adventurous animals; thus, they can destroy your lawn by knocking down flower pots while still digging the ground and scratching the flowers.
ii. Poisonous Poop.
Poop from carnivores contains lots of pathogens that can be harmful to humans, especially crawling toddlers.
iii. They Can Hurt Your Pet.
Some stray cats can be very aggressive.
While your cat will be trying to protect its territory, the neighbor’s cat may end up hurting you during a fight.
iv. It Gives You A Lot Of Cleaning Work.
Since they will be pooping in your yard, this will give you a lot of cleaning jobs, trying to clear up any poop or dead animals they have brought to your yard.
v. The Conflict Between Neighbors.
While trying to sort the issue of your neighbor’s cat coming to your yard, some neighbors may find it offensive you don’t like their pets. And thus affect your relationship.
Final Thoughts On How To Do Away With Neighbors Cats In The Yard
Cats can be adorable, and at the same time, they can be very destructive.
They can turn your yard into a mess over time if not taken care of.
They will dig up flower beds knock the pots off, thus ending up spoiling your well-kept lawn.
In the guide above, I have explored some of the best and tested means of how to do away with neighbors’ cats in the yard without much struggle.
You can try one or several of them and pick which suits you the best.