To stop cats from pooping in a garden, several effective and humane methods can be used:
- Use natural scent repellents such as citrus peels, lavender, peppermint, cinnamon, or diluted lemon juice and white vinegar sprayed around the garden. Cats dislike these strong smells.
- Place physical obstacles in the garden like crushed eggshells, stones, bark, twigs, or chicken wire. These make it uncomfortable for cats to walk or dig in the soil.
- Install motion-activated sprinklers or sound detectors that startle cats when they enter the garden.
- Plant cat-repelling plants such as rosemary, lavender, lemon balm, scaredy cat plant (coleus canina), and shrub roses to discourage cats from approaching.
- Keep the garden soil damp and cover sandpits or sandbox areas to make the environment less inviting.
- Maintain garden cleanliness by regularly removing cat feces and odors to reduce attraction.
- In small garden areas, netting or fences can be installed to physically block cats, though this is less practical in larger spaces.
Combining several of these strategies usually works best for preventing cats from using a garden as a toilet.
