How to keep cats off gardens

Whether you love them or loathe them, cats can be a problem in the garden. Lawns, gravel surfaces, flowerpots and freshly cultivated soil can all be regular targets for neighbourhood moggies. You might bang on the windows, shout at them, or try to deter them with various barriers, but really you need to train them to stay away. Cats are sensitive to unfamiliar smells, which is to your advantage if you use unfamiliar odours to deter them.

Simple but effective animal repellents

Vitax Stay Off granules and pellets contain eucalyptus, citronella and pine oils and act as an effective animal repellent when applied in areas where fouling occurs or is likely to occur. In flower beds or areas of grass or gravel they can be applied direct from the pack, ideally after the area has been watered thoroughly or washed down with mild detergent if fouling has already occurred.   

Where to use them

The granules shake direct from the pack and are probably the best choice for grass and gravel areas or between plants in the border. The pellets are longer lasting and are ideal to use on patches of soil where seed, such as that of hardy annuals, has been recently sown.  These are the places that are soon discovered by visiting cats looking for a new place to scratch.  

Protecting pots and containers

Newly potted plants, or established containers that have recently been topped up with fresh compost are particularly vulnerable. These offer a cat a fresh, dry spot away from the discomfort of the open ground. These are easily protected using Vitax Stay Off animal repellent spray. Just spray over the surface of the soil and the edge of the pot to keep those feline visitors away. It can be used on both ornamental and edible plants. Repeat every week for a few weeks, until the compost in the pot settles and becomes a less attractive place to explore.

Do they work on other animals?

Stay Off is an effective training aid and repellent for dogs and cats. They should also work to keep foxes away and may help to discourage pigeons. Deer and rabbits are more difficult to deter. If you want a more definite animal deterrent to keep unwanted animals out of your garden, rather than just encouraging them to go elsewhere, try Vitax Stay Off Dual action Ultrasonic Animal Deterrent. This is a solar-powered device with rechargeable batteries which is activated by infrared motion. Once triggered it delivers an ultrasonic blast and powerful strobe-light to keep animals away at night. This can work effectively with cats, dogs, foxes and rabbits, even badgers and deer. It is best positioned near to a point of ingress with the objective of keeping them off your plot altogether.

Andy McIndoe