How to Naturally Keep Stray Cats from Your Home

No matter how much you love your feline friends, stray cats can sometimes become a problem if they become frequent visitors to your home and mark their territory or disturb your pets. Fortunately, there are several natural ways to keep them away without causing harm. Let’s have a look at a few ways to do just that!

Secure Trash Bins

Stray cats by bin. Image by vicspacewalker via Depositphotos

Cats are often attracted to the smell of the food scraps we leave in our bins. Ensure your garbage bins are tightly sealed and regularly emptied to reduce the attraction of curious felines looking for an easy meal.

Plant Herbs

Some plants, like lavender, rosemary, and rue, are known to repel cats due to their strong scents. A great solution for those garden lovers who have a bit of a stray cat problem, because if you plant these around your gardens or near your home entry points it might just keep them from lingering in your yard.

Citrus Peel

White stray cat. By galdzer via Depositphotos

Just like some humans, cats don’t like the smell of citrus! This means if you scatter orange or lemon peels around your yard and garden beds, it could keep stray cats from wandering around yours. You could also use citrus-scented sprays to do the same.

Physical Barriers

Stray cats under car. Image by Elwynn via Depositphotos

If you have the means (and the energy) you could install barriers or netting around your yard to prevent stray cats from entering. But if you do, be sure that these barriers are high enough and have no gaps so that these sneaky felines can’t squeeze through!

Natural Repellent Sprays

Funny white black furry homeless cats are sitting on a city street in sunny day. Yard cat in an urban environment. Feline animals, abandoned missing felines outdoors. Moustached tomcat on a doorstep. Image via Depositphotos

As mentioned earlier, citrus spray can keep stray cats away. But natural sprays made from vinegar, garlic, or pepper can do the same! Mix these ingredients together with water, and spray the solution around areas where stray cats frequent and the strong smell will keep them away.

Alternative Shelters

Sometimes all stray cats are looking for is shelter. Providing an alternative shelter away from your home might lure them away. It doesn’t even have to be something flashy, it could just be a simple structure where they can stay warm and dry.

Talk to Neighbors

Street Cat, close portrait, wildlife animals, urban cat. Image via Depositphotos

Communicate with your neighbors about the issue, they might be feeling the exact same! If you and your neighbors join forces to keep stray cats away with natural solutions across all your properties, it would make your efforts more effective.

Last Say

Five greek street cats eat. Image via Depositphotos

By using these natural methods, you can effectively keep stray cats away from your home without harming them. Because, even if they might be a bit pesky, they are still cats – and we love cats!

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Nelleke van Niekerk, BSc Food Science (Biochemistry)

Author at Animals Around The Globe

Nelleke is an ex-food scientist turned copywriter chasing her dream of living a balanced and creative life filled with adventures and challenges. She is most likely to be found behind her laptop typing (and deleting) up a storm, reading a book in the sun, lost in the mountains admiring nature or playing in the waves somewhere.

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