How to Humanely Get Rid of Stray Cats in Your Yard

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Deter feral felines from your home with our complete guide
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Cats are cute and fun to have around...until they’re not, like when they’re stray cats chasing away the birds in your yard and using your lawn as a litter box. Plus, stray cats can pass on illnesses to your domestic pets, which you definitely don’t want. Don't worry though—whether you're dealing with an occasional stray or an entire cat colony, there are simple steps you can take to keep them out of your yard and out of your life.

How to Get Rid of Stray Cats

To keep cats away from your yard, spread citrus peels and ground pepper around problems areas. Deter the cats with strong-scented plants, like lavender or lemon thyme. If cats are still an issue, install motion-sensor sprinklers or chicken wire to keep them out.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Trapping, Neutering, and Returning Cats

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  1. Trap feral cats on your property to neuter and return them. The most effective way to get rid of cats long-term is to first trap them so you can take them to be neutered or spayed. Buy a humane plastic or metal cat box trap with a door, and bait it with tuna, sardines, or cat food. Place the box trap near where the cats regularly feed and cover it with a blanket. [1]
    • When you catch a cat , don’t let it out of the box trap. Cover the trap with a blanket to calm the cat down.
    • You can purchase humane cat box traps at a local pet store, animal shelter, or home-improvement store.
  2. Most shelters don’t accept feral cats, since they are most often not adoptable. Feral cats are often shy and unsociable, so they shouldn’t be invited into people’s homes. Feral cats that enter shelters are almost always euthanized.

    Note: However, it is okay to contact your local shelter or animal rescue organization for advice. They’ll be able to advise you as to how to effectively trap feral cats and avoid being scratched or harming the animals. [2]

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  3. Many vets have programs that allow them to spay or neuter feral cats at no cost, since the feral cat population is known to be a problem. Call around to vets and shelters in your area to find a program suitable for your situation. Explain that you’d like to bring in a feral cat for neutering. Most vets will also clip the cat’s ear as a sign that it’s already been caught and neutered. [3]
    • Make sure the vet you use is aware in advance that you’re bringing a feral cat in, as they may not handle feral animals.
    • Spaying or neutering the cat is a humane way to keep it from reproducing and controlling local cat populations.
  4. Once you bring the cat to the vet, you’ll be responsible for its well-being in the short term. Take the cat home with you and to make sure it has healed enough to live in the wild once the procedure is complete. [4]
    • Never release a cat that is injured or anesthetized into the wild.
  5. The cat is likely already feeling traumatized and will adjust best to familiar turf. Additionally, male cats keep strange males away from their colonies. This keeps non-spayed females from additional opportunities to mate, which helps to control population. The end-goal of the trap-neuter-return strategy is to prevent the continued breeding of free-roaming cats.
    • In order for the trap-neuter-return method to be an effective way to control a cat population, most or all of the cats in the population need to be trapped, neutered or spayed, and returned. In time, the population will decrease, since the cats won’t be reproducing.
    • If you employ the trap-neuter-return method, it’s safe to feed the cats once you bring them home, since they will no longer be reproducing.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Deterring Stray Cats

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  1. It’s a well-known fact that cats and water do not mix, so felines will stay out of the water’s range and off of your lawn. Set the sprinkler to go off at night when an animal comes within about 4 feet (1.2 m) of it to avoid soaking passers-by on a sidewalk.
    • An added bonus is that your grass and flowers will get a nice watering in the process.
  2. Cats dislike the smell and taste of citrus fruits like orange, lemon, lime, and grapefruit. So, the next time you’re eating or juicing one of these fruits, throw the peels and rinds out into your garden. The cats should give the area a wide berth.

    Note: Planting citrus trees will not be effective in keeping cats out of a garden, since the smell won’t be as strong.

  3. If you find that stray cats keep digging up your garden or gnawing on exposed plant roots, you can block them with chicken wire. Purchase a length that’s sufficient to cover the length of your garden. Lay the wire directly on the ground, and put stones on the 4 corners so cats won’t be able to move the wire. [5]
    • You can purchase any length of chicken wire at a local hardware store or a home-improvement store.
  4. The idea here is similar to citrus peels. If you fill your garden or planter with herbs that cats can’t stand, they’ll be much less likely to dig through the soil. Put at least 3-4 cat-deterring plants in your garden to keep the pests away. Plants that will deter cats include: [6]
  5. The cats will be bothered by their spicy paws at grooming time. If you routinely apply the pepper to your yard, cats will soon learn that your property is the culprit. Sprinkle pepper under your porch, in your shed, on your back patio, or wherever you see cats playing or napping.
    • Pepper works to keep cats off of a grass-covered lawn, too. But, you will have to reapply it frequently, especially after heavy rains.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Removing Food and Shelter

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  1. Start by making sure your trash isn’t overflowing from the can, and that you secure the can with a tight-fitting lid. Make sure that you’re not leaving any organic food scraps sitting around outside. Also ask your neighbors to use tight-fitting lids to seal their trash cans.
    • Keep in mind, though, that cats can subsist on very little, so it may be impossible to completely remove their food sources in your area.
    • If you do feed cats, put the food at least 30 feet (9.1 m) away from your house. Don’t place it at your front door unless you want to encourage cats to collect there.
  2. Cats seek out warm, dry spaces for shelter from the elements. If they’re unable to find suitable places, they will move on to the next neighborhood. So, fence off any small openings under your porch or deck, and make sure your shed door is tightly closed. Remove woodpiles and trim thick brush so cats can’t make their homes in these areas. [7]
    • If you notice cats gathering in a particular area of your property, figure out what they’re using for shelter. Then block the cats’ access to it.

    Tip: Plywood and chicken wire are inexpensive and effective materials for covering openings. Staple or nail the plywood or wire over the openings to make them inaccessible to cats.

  3. Various companies produce cat-deterring chemical sprays. These sprays contain ingredients and smells (whether natural or synthetic) that cats find unpleasant. Follow the directions printed on the packaging as far as how often to spray the repellant. Spray areas of your yard in which the cats frequently spend time.
    • You can purchase cat repellants at most pet stores and home-improvement stores.
    • These products are safe and non-toxic to both feral and domesticated cats.
  4. If your property is being overrun by feral and stray cats, you may need to call your county animal control office. They’ll take steps to help remove the cats. Be aware, though, that animal control agencies usually trap the cats and euthanize them.
    • Removing a community of cats from where they are living creates a vacuum effect. New cats quickly move into the vacant area and start using the resources to thrive and survive.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How do I stop animals from using my pet door?
    Jessica Char
    Cat & Dog Behavior Consultant
    Jessica Char is a Cat and Dog Trainer, Behavior Consultant, and the Founder of Feline Engineering and Canine Engineering. She specializes in modifying challenging pet behavior problems, such as fear and aggression, using positive reinforcement training protocols. Jessica is a Certified Fear Free Trainer, a Certified Professional Dog Trainer, and a Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer. She is also a member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. Jessica received her BS and MS in Biomedical Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis.
    Jessica Char
    Cat & Dog Behavior Consultant
    Expert Answer
    You can actually buy pet doors that are microchip enabled, so they only open for your pet. Another option is to get ones that open with a magnetic collar on your cat or dog.
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  • Question
    I have a cat that is coming through the doggie door and I cannot shut it. I need a natural herb to repel it so it will go away. What can I do?
    Amelia Ashton
    Community Answer
    Try spraying the outside of the doggie door with white or apple cider vinegar. All cats are different, but most cats hate the smell, and it is nontoxic.
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  • Question
    Why does a stray cat keep attacking my pet rabbit?
    Community Answer
    Cats naturally attack smaller animals. The cat will attack, kill, and eat your pet rabbit. Make sure that your rabbit is in an enclosed area or inside at times you are not around him.
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      Tips

      • A trap-neuter-return (TNR) approach should only be used for truly feral cats. Stray cats that have been domesticated but no longer live with their owners should be taken to a shelter where they can be cleaned and re-homed. [8]
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      • If the offending cat is a legally registered pet, contact the owner and request that they keep the cat indoors. If the owner is uncooperative, contact your local animal control or police department to file a complaint.
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      • Stray cats are cats that have become separated from their owners, while feral cats are non-domesticated cats that were born, and survive, in the wild.
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      Warnings

      • Do not attempt to trap or corner a feral cat, as they can be quite ferocious. If you’re bitten or scratched by a feral cat, seek medical treatment to ensure you can be properly immunized.
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      • Never attempt to harm or injure a trespassing cat. Not only is this idea inhumane and cruel, it is also illegal in most states.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.peta.org/issues/animal-companion-issues/animal-companion-factsheets/trap-neuter-return-monitor-programs-feral-cats-right/
      2. ↑ https://www.alleycat.org/community-cat-care/tips-for-hard-to-trap-cats/
      3. ↑ https://www.peta.org/issues/animal-companion-issues/animal-companion-factsheets/trap-neuter-return-monitor-programs-feral-cats-right/
      4. ↑ https://www.peta.org/issues/animal-companion-issues/animal-companion-factsheets/trap-neuter-return-monitor-programs-feral-cats-right/
      5. ↑ https://davidsuzuki.org/queen-of-green/keep-cats-garden/
      6. ↑ https://davidsuzuki.org/queen-of-green/keep-cats-garden/
      7. ↑ http://www.wildlifeanimalcontrol.com/straycats.html
      8. ↑ https://www.peta.org/issues/animal-companion-issues/animal-companion-factsheets/trap-neuter-return-monitor-programs-feral-cats-right/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To get rid of stray cats, keep the lids on your garbage cans closed so the cats don't have a food source. Also, block off any shelters the cats may be sleeping in with plywood or chicken wire. If the cats stick around, try sprinkling pepper flakes around your property, which will irritate the cats' paws and make them leave. If there are a lot of stray cats, you may want to contact your local animal rescue to have the cats trapped and relocated. For information on trapping the cats yourself, read on!

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