Cats are known for being clean animals but they can be a nuisance when they decide to use your garden as a toilet. There is a simple way to deter them using their sense of smell
10:15, 07 Jun 2025Updated 10:19, 07 Jun 2025
Stop cats using your garden as a toilet with one fruit they hate the smell of(Image: undefined via Getty Images)
If you’re tired of the neighbours’ cats leaving their mess in your garden, don’t worry — there are natural solutions to this problem.
Cats have a strong sense of smell, around 9-16 times as powerful as humans’, and will tend to avoid a garden if there is a scent they dislike. Interestingly, it appears that cats aren’t fans of citrus, such as oranges, limes and lemons.
Experts at backyardboss.net suggest that you can use peeled or even chopped up citrus fruits and place them in the soil where the cats usually defecate to deter them. This is also an excellent way to put your food waste to good use and compost your plants with nutrient-rich fruit peels. If you’re concerned about your garden appearing untidy, you could hide the peels under plants.
There’s another citrus option if you’re not keen on the idea of scattering fruit peels around your garden, as experts recommend creating a DIY solution of water and essential oils. Citrus oils, along with lavender, cinnamon and peppermint are the ones to choose from, mixing a few drops of the essential oil into water and spraying the soil directly, reports the Express.
Ensure to avoid spraying the foliage of the flowers and plants and also be aware that certain oils can be toxic to cats if they inhale or ingest them, so make sure they are diluted.
But if you follow these steps, then your feline intruders should be deterred from leaving behind any unpleasant surprises once they get a sniff.
Lemons, limes and oranges can be used to deter cats(Image: Getty)
Elsewhere, Pam Farley, a gardener and founder of Brown Thumb Mama, has revealed a highly effective and safe method for keeping cats at bay definitively: pine cones. Pam said: “Cats don’t like pokey things in their bathroom, because they need room to scratch the soil. Covering the soil with pine cones doesn’t give them room to ‘do their business’.”
The aroma of pine strongly irritates their noses and causes them discomfort without causing harm, thus likely deterring them from frequenting an area. Pine cones also have a spikey nature, and the rough texture is off-putting for cats to tread on; therefore, they are less inclined to exert themselves to complete their ‘business’.
Sprinkling pine cones around the perimeter of your garden or in spots where cats commonly congregate can be a solution. The scent, structure, and crunchiness of the pine cones contribute to discouraging them from venturing onto your property. In addition, cats are not fans of unpredictable sounds.