Deterring Cats from Garden

[YorkshireBear]

So I have an ongoing war with one of the neighbourhood cats. Not only does it crap in the garden all the time but it has learnt to sit in a spot in the shrubs and tree and catch birds.

I have just watched it do so again.

Has anyone had any success in deterring Cats from their garden? So far I've just shooed it in the hope it will stop coming but I've lost that battle.

 

[jfollows]

I saw an article about a Raspberry Pi project with a motion sensor and a water squirter which was claimed to be quite effective at deterring cats from a specific area of the garden.

Cat Deterent - Raspberry Pi Forums

forums.raspberrypi.com

https://www.reddit.com/r/homeautomation/comments/pl1f7r/need_help_building_an_automated_cat_scarer/

Cat-a-way - Computer Vision Cat Sprinkler

Cat-a-way - Computer Vision Cat Sprinkler: Problem - Cats using your garden as a toilet Solution - Spend a too much time over engineering a cat sprinkler with auto youtube upload feature This is not a step by step, but an overview of construction and some code #BeforeYouCallPETA - The cats a…

www.instructables.com

 

[matt]

The best way is probably to get your own cat..

 

[Gloster]

About six months ago there was a thread about Dog fouling in front garden. In it @Peter Sarf mentioned successfully using pellets called Scent Off decades ago for cats.

 

[SteveHFC]

We have some gadgets that emit a high pitched noise when something comes near them - aimed at scaring away cats, foxes etc. They've worked a treat. Plenty of options on Amazon.

 

[fwsmVor]

We have some gadgets that emit a high pitched noise when something comes near them - aimed at scaring away cats, foxes etc. They've worked a treat. Plenty of options on Amazon.

Torturing the wildlife and your neighbours' children in the process!

 

[styles]

Torturing the wildlife and your neighbours' children in the process!

Not even just children. There's a street I've been walking down about twice a week for a month or so and someone clearly has one of those 'mosquito alarms'. I'm in my 30s and I can hear it, so I assume most people in their 20s can as well. If it was motion sensor activation I could potentially see the use, but I'd have to have a pretty persistent issue with antisocial behaviour right outside my front door to consider one.

I wonder what other wildlife it would impact having a motion sensor activated one in the garden. What are the frequencies heard by hedgehogs, field mice, insects, birds, etc.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Not even just children. There's a street I've been walking down about twice a week for a month or so and someone clearly has one of those 'mosquito alarms'. I'm in my 30s and I can hear it, so I assume most people in their 20s can as well. If it was motion sensor activation I could potentially see the use, but I'd have to have a pretty persistent issue with antisocial behaviour right outside my front door to consider one.

It'll be a cat scarer, not aimed at scaring kids off! I've had one when I had a problem cat coming in defecating everywhere daily. They do work. Interestingly I only had to have it in place for a month or so before the cat stopped coming entirely, I removed it and the cat never returned. (I too can hear them even at 46, apparently I have the hearing of someone in their late 20s).

The effect on other wildlife will be the same as the cat - they'll just avoid your garden, it won't kill them or anything.

 

[75A]

At the turn of the century we lived with my In Laws in Northamptonshire for a few months whilst our house was being built. They had this problem and decided to let our two German Shepherds loose in the garden at night (still had access to their Kennels which was a converted Stable) after a couple of weeks and a lot of barking the cat was never seen again. Downside was the very large Male discovered a Badgers Set in the grounds which led to a very expensive Vets bill to have his nose sewn back on.

 

[oldman]

Not only does it crap in the garden all the time but it has learnt to sit in a spot in the shrubs and tree and catch birds.

Similar problem. My neighbour's vermin avoids its own garden - mostly boring lawn, no fun, but loves to slink through my shrubs in search of prey. I've been putting short stakes between the shrubs to impede it and it seems to have some effect. I haven't seen it straining with arched back and tail in the air for a while, though there is still a smell in one area.

I also planted some lavender and rosemary at the main entry point which cats supposedly dislike.

 

[lachlan]

We have some gadgets that emit a high pitched noise when something comes near them - aimed at scaring away cats, foxes etc. They've worked a treat. Plenty of options on Amazon.

Please don't use these - I'm in my 20s, neighbours have these and the noise is painful while walking along public footpaths and pavements.

 

[Trackman]

Please don't use these - I'm in my 20s, neighbours have these and the noise is painful while walking along public footpaths and pavements.

You can set the motion distance on most of them, I guess some people dont bother.

 

[Calthrop]

At the turn of the century we lived with my In Laws in Northamptonshire for a few months whilst our house was being built. They had this problem and decided to let our two German Shepherds loose in the garden at night (still had access to their Kennels which was a converted Stable) after a couple of weeks and a lot of barking the cat was never seen again. Downside was the very large Male discovered a Badgers set in the grounds which led to a very expensive vets bill to have his nose sewn back on.

[My bolding] Moral -- do not mess with Tommy Brock ...

 

[fwsmVor]

You can set the motion distance on most of them, I guess some people dont bother.

You're still broadcasting an incredibly annoying noise at random intervals. If one of my neighbours did that I'd get an air horn and blast it at random intervals, because that's the volume mosquito devices are at.

 

[75A]

[My bolding] Moral -- do not mess with Tommy Brock ...

Exactly, my two certainly didn't.

 

[Bletchleyite]

You're still broadcasting an incredibly annoying noise at random intervals.

Not random intervals, just when a cat is detected via the passive infrared detector on the box.

If one of my neighbours did that I'd get an air horn and blast it at random intervals, because that's the volume mosquito devices are at.

Cat scarers aren't mosquito devices and aren't very loud. Maybe the one you encountered was an actual mosquito device?

 

[YorkshireBear]

Thanks for the various suggestions. Will look into some. I took to throwing shoes at it today because my water pistol is not powerful enough, in searching for a new water pistol

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

Get a goat. Keeps your lawn well trimmed as well!

 

[telstarbox]

On the upside you shouldn't have any rodents on the scene.

 

[Mr. SW]

Although my parents had cats, they seemed to attract the locals for yowling fights in our back garden, so my mother would have a squeezy bottle full of water on hand - so much more powerful than a water pistol.

 

[Bevan Price]

The best deterrent is a pet dog, if you can afford to feed one, and have time to take it for walks. .

 

[High Dyke]

Torturing the wildlife and your neighbours' children in the process!

Bonus!

If a rogue cat is intent on haranguing our own, then a well directed receptacle of water soon gives them a hint to jog-on.

 

[Trackman]

The best deterrent is a pet dog, if you can afford to feed one, and have time to take it for walks. .

The latter is really important. One of my pet hates (no pun intended) is people who do not exercise their dog(s).

 

[lachlan]

Not random intervals, just when a cat is detected via the passive infrared detector on the box.

Or when your neighbours (or complete strangers!) are detected walking on the pavement

 

[yoyothehobo]

My foxes seem to keep most of the local cats at bay...

 

[Cloud Strife]

Cayenne pepper is quite effective at keeping them out.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Cayenne pepper is quite effective at keeping them out.

I'd agree, but two important things:

1) Don't stand downwind when spreading it.
2) Don't rub your eyes after spreading until you've thoroughly washed your hands.

 

[YorkshireBear]

My foxes seem to keep most of the local cats at bay...

Can I hire your foxes?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 17 Oct 2025 ==

Cayenne pepper is quite effective at keeping them out.

Great thanks for that. Seems a very easy first try.

 

[Giugiaro]

Has anyone had any success in deterring Cats from their garden?

Having your own cat is a good deterrent. Mine got the others out of our barn.

 

[08221]

Orange peel works wonders, good for the human when we eat the orangea too!