How to Keep Cats out of Your Yard and Garden

It’s unlikely that a stray cat or two will do damage to your gardens or lawn. In most cases, they’re not interested in eating your plants or destroying your landscaping. 

The real problem is that stray and feral cats use the world around them as their litter box, which not only carries potentially harmful bacteria, but also leads the cats to dig and hide their droppings in places that can disrupt your yard.

It’s important to remember that all cats, stray, feral, or domestic, are animals who are simply trying to survive. Kind and humane deterrent methods are always recommended. Use this guide to discover how to keep cats out of your yard and garden without causing harm.

Reasons Why Your Yard Is Attracting Stray Cats 

There are several factors that can contribute to an uptick of stray cats on your property and in your neighborhood. 

The most likely reasons include:

• Your neighbors got a new outdoor cat

• Your neighbors have unneutered indoor or outdoor cats

• Food has been left out at your house or a neighbor's (trash cans, grills, etc.)

8 Ways to Keep Stray and Feral Cats out of Your Yard

Photo: Meinzahn / Getty Images

Are you having problems with stray and feral cats roaming around your yard? Keep them away using one or a combination of the following methods. 

1. Minimize Areas of Shelter

Stray cats will often search for areas of shelter in garages, wood piles, and shed rafters, as well as underneath decks. Start by minimizing access to these areas by patching up openings. For spaces that can’t be blocked, make the area uncomfortable by laying down pebbles or chicken wire. 

2. Keep Food Inside 

You may not realize all the food remnants outside of your home that are attracting cats to your yard. Be mindful of covering trash cans tightly, and avoid feeding your pets outside. If you grill, be sure to clean the grill and surrounding area completely before wrapping up.

3. Use Repellents 

It is never recommended to use any type of poison when deterring stray animals and pests. Try a harmless store-bought repellent spray instead. 

You can also make homemade repellents with gentle and natural ingredients including mothballs, mustard, citrus, coffee, and cayenne pepper. Sprinkle or spray these ingredients in locations where stray cats frequent your yard. 

4. Gently Scare Them Away 

Use humane scare tactics such as timed sprinklers and motion-activated lights. Ultrasonic sirens are also an option if you don’t have domestic pets of your own. For current pet owners, know that it’s not recommended to use your dog to scare or hunt stray cats. Not only is it cruel for the cat, but your dog also runs the risk of coming into contact with a rabid cat. 

5. Neuter and Spay Your Domestic Cats 

Cats can sense when other cats are near, especially if they are in heat. Keep your house cats from attracting strays by getting them spayed and neutered. Either way, it’s best to keep your house cats indoors if you’re experiencing a stray cat issue. 

6. Install Fencing

Depending on the size of your property, installing a fence may be a worthwhile investment—not just to prevent curious critters from crawling through your yard, but also for the overall safety and privacy of your home. Our tips for choosing the best fence can help you narrow down your options if you’re planning to go this route. 

However, you don’t need to install a fence around the entire perimeter of your yard just to keep out a cat. You can instead add a fence to a smaller area you know the cat likes to frequent, such as the dirt bed of your garden. Be sure to add chicken wire 1 foot below the ground around your new fence, as cats like to dig. 

7. Plant Cat Repellent Plants

Though it’s never recommended to poison cats using toxic plants, there are variations known to deter cats without harming them. Consider growing the following plants around your home or in your garden:

• Lemon balm

• Lavender 

• Thyme

• Rosemary

8. Use Humane Traps

For humane reasons, this tactic should only be used for severe stray cat problems and after exhausting all other options. If you do decide to go this route, be diligent in your research before purchasing to make sure the trap you choose is gentle and won’t inflict harm on the cat. 

Before purchasing a trap, have a plan for what you will do once the cat has been caught. Contact local no kill shelters around you for guidance and advice. Some organizations participate in what is called TNR (trap-neuter-return). This is where a stray cat is humanely caught, neutered, and then returned into the wild to help cut down on overpopulation.

Cat Deterrent Methods to Avoid

While stray cats can be an annoyance, they do not deserve to be harmed in any way. Keep deterrent methods humane, and stay away from these unfavorable tactics:

• Poison

• Harmful traps (kill traps, glue traps, etc.)

• Shooting (even with pellet or BB guns)

• Toxic plants (daffodils, azaleas, tulips, lilies, etc.)

• Domestic dogs (especially hunting breeds)

How to Prevent Cats in the Future

Even though they’re cute and generally harmless, you still may not want cats in your yard, digging up your petunias and lounging on your new patio furniture. 

Here are a few ways to prevent cats from congregating in your yard. 

• Trap and release: Sadly, most neighborhoods have stray cats that were dumped or left behind. You can help end the cycle by trapping these stray cats, having them spayed or neutered, and returning them to the area. This will help reduce the population by preventing kittens.

• Get rid of food sources: Keep trash cans covered and pet food indoors. If you have a lot of birds in your yard, remove bird feeders and baths until the cats move on.

• Eliminate hiding spots: If your yard is filled with cat-friendly hidey holes, you’ll want to remove them or block access. These include warm, dark spaces underneath decks and patios, and boxes. Use chicken wire or lattice to block off these enticing areas.