How to keep stray cats out of my yard

WikiEmuDriver927
02/04/25 10:15pm
Hello wikiHow! I’ve read some of the guides you fine folks have written in the past and they were really helpful, so I figured this would be a good place to seek help with my current predicament. I live in an area that has developed quite the population of stray cats. They mess with my plants, they harass the other wildlife that hangs out in my yard, and they’re so loud. Does anyone have any guidance on how to get rid of these cats without doing anything harmful to them or hurting other animals on accident?
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For a complete guide to this topic, read the wikiHow article How to Keep Cats Out of Your Yard .
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Expert Comments

02/05/25 9:38pm
Try catching any strays and taking them to a vet or nonprofit that specializes in neutering and spaying strays. This will keep your local problem from getting worse than it already is.

Additionally, you can try commercial cat repellents. However, some people have mixed feelings about them. Motion-activated sprinklers and ultrasound noise machines are also great options that shouldn’t be too disruptive to other wildlife in the area.

Cats don’t like the smell of lavender, citrus peels, coffee grounds, or cayenne pepper. Try sprinkling or spraying these scents around your yard and garden.
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Reader Comments

WikiCapybaraWhisperer764
02/06/25 7:12am
I put up a fence around my yard to keep cats out. If you don't want to build an entire fence you can try laying chicken wire over the parts of your yard or garden that you are most worried about. This should at least stop cats from digging into those specific areas.
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WikiLionSeeker401
02/06/25 7:19pm
I also used to have a stray cat problem. It turned out that they liked using the sand and dirt in my yard as a giant litterbox. When I swapped out my substrate for wood chips and rocks, they found somewhere else to go to the bathroom and I didn't have a cat problem anymore.
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