Despite being a nation of cat lovers, cats can become a bit of a nuisance in our gardens which is why you might want to harness the power of plants that cats hate.
From digging holes and scorching foliage when they mark their territory, to pooping on our lawns and damaging the bark of trees and shrubs as they scratch their claws, even if you love cats we don't blame you for wanting to discourage them from entering your garden. You might not know that some scented plants can naturally deter cats.
'Cats have a great sense of smell, so if you’re looking to keep cats away from your garden, you’ll need to focus on plants that have an unpleasant aroma for cats,’ reveals Andrew White, Garden Expert at Rhino Greenhouses Direct.
As ‘these plants release strong odours that cats find offensive, it makes them less likely to linger in and around your garden,’ Georgina O'Grady, Managing Director at Evergreen Direct, explains.
However, it’s important to deter them in a safe and humane way, which is why we haven’t included plants which could be toxic to felines or other native wildlife. So, whether there’s a specific area in your garden that cats keep returning to, or you’re looking to keep cats from your neighbourhood from bothering your pets, we’ve rounded up the top 10 plants to help deter cats from your garden.
Whichever one or ones you choose, most ‘plants are best situated at entry points and around the boundaries of your garden to deter cats from entering your space,’ explains Paul Trott, Marketing Manager at Catit. ‘Others can be mixed within flower beds as cats will be wary of crossing or walking past them. This will also physically stop them from digging up the soil to use it as a litter tray.’
If you have a smaller garden, or find that cats are causing trouble in several different areas, it can be beneficial to plant some of them in pots or containers so that they can be moved around easily, depending on where you notice cat activity in your garden.
1. Lavender
If you're already growing lavender in your garden, then the good news is that it's a plant that cats hate. And because it is such a strong-smelling scent, it can overpower other fragrances in your garden, which makes your outdoor space much less appealing to them. It’s also relatively easy to grow and maintain, making it a great option if you’re new to gardening.
‘The most effective cat-repelling lavenders in the garden are those that grow tall and shrubby, making them difficult for cats to walk through easily,’ Sarah Elliott, VetHelpDirect.com’s Feline Health Expert, advises.
2. Scaredy Cat Plant (Coleus Caninus)
As the name suggests, this plant is extremely effective at keeping cats – and even dogs, rabbits and foxes out of your garden, thanks to its incredibly potent aroma. The scaredy cat plant ‘emits an odour similar to that of dog urine,’ according to Sarah.
But thankfully the smell shouldn’t bother us too much, unless you happen to brush up against it. So, you’ll want to have a good think about where you choose to plant it to stop it from becoming bothersome to you as well as any cats.
Where to buy online:
3. Rosemary
If you have your own herb garden or are a bit of a foodie, you might already have a rosemary plant but cats are not a fan of it at all. ‘Rosemary has a strong, woody scent that cats don't like,’ Jane Dobbs, Team Gardening Lead at Allan’s Gardeners, affirms.
‘Not only does the strong scent deter cats, but the leaves have a texture they absolutely despise,’ Andy Ellis, from Posh UK – who also just happens to be a former professional gardener – declares.
4. Curry plant
Giving off a strong, spicy aroma that resembles curry powder, the curry plant is another one which releases more of its scent if brushed up against. So, if a moggy happens to do that once, we have a feeling they won’t want to risk doing it again after they smell the pungent odour, teaching them not to make a repeat visit to your garden.
Where to buy curry plant online:
5. Lemon balm
‘With attractive white flowers in the summer and helping to attract pollinators into your garden such as honey bees, both the lemony scent and texture of this herb will help to deter cats from your garden,’ says Lucie Bradley, Gardening Expert at Two Wests & Elliott.
The easy-to-grow, low-maintenance, perennial herb will give you a beautiful fresh and zesty-smelling garden while simultaneously warding off feline intruders.
Where to buy lemon balm online:
6. Pelargonium Citronella
Another citrus plant which cats don’t like is Pelargonium Citronella and this is a fantastic garden border idea too, as it will provide you with beautiful pink-purple blooms, while creating an immediate barrier that cats won’t want to cross to get into your outdoor space.
You can also plant it in containers, allowing you to move it depending on where you’ve noticed a lot of cat activity in your garden.
Where to buy Pelagornium Citronella online:
7. Eucalyptus
Much like lavender, which has a soothing and relaxing effect on us humans, cats are also not very fond of eucalyptus. Actually, the experts agree that it is one of the scents that felines despise most.
So, you’ll want to ‘consider popping a couple of pots around your garden to deter feline friends,’ Alex Biggart, Brand Manager at 123 Flowers, recommends.
Where to buy eucalyptus online:
8. Thyme (specifically Lemon Thyme)
Thyme is another powerful scent that cats dislike and lemon thyme is particularly egregious to them. It’s great for introducing into a herb garden or even a rock garden to add some serious impact and will provide you with freshly grown thyme for some of your favourite dishes.
9. Geraniums
‘You might be surprised that geraniums are on here because they produce such a gorgeous scent, however, for cats the floral scent is unbearable,’ Morris explains. And ‘as well as deterring cats with their scent, geraniums are also good at covering the soil, which will stop cats from using it as a toilet,’ says Graham Smith MClhort, LBS Horticulture’s Gardening Expert.
Add in the fact that geraniums have prickly leaves, which cats also don’t appreciate and this is one plant which works well in a whole host of different gardens.
10. Thorny plants
Speaking of prickly leaves, any plant which is thorny or spiky will be off-putting for cats. ‘Thorny plants like holly and rose bushes make natural barriers,’ Jane professes. ‘Because cats don't like to go through prickly foliage, these plants are effective at keeping them away.’
Plants to avoid when deterring cats
Even though you’ll be keen to stop cats from making regular visits to your garden, there are a number of plants that are toxic to felines, which is why we wouldn’t recommend planting either of these.
Rue is often touted ‘as a great plant to use to keep cats away from your garden, but it can actually be physically harmful to animals,’ Andrew warns. If they consume some of its leaves, it can make them incredibly unwell, while skin irritation and blisters can even occur in humans if it happens to come into contact with your skin.
And even though ‘cats hate the smell of mint, pennyroyal releases a strong scent of spearmint which is actually toxic for cats,’ Andrew continues. ‘Generally anything mint related can be troublesome for cats, so it’s important you don’t use this as it can cause harm.’
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