Citrus smells are widely reported as being repugnant to cats. You can use this to your advantage by throwing orange peels around your garden to keep cats away or spritzing a citrus scent on indoor fabric that you don't want your cat scratching up.
Citrus or lemon scents (orange peels, lemon peels), garlic, ammonia, vinegar, coffee grinds, pipe tobacco, mustard, citronella, or eucalyptus all deter cats as well. The scents diminish over time, so re-applying is necessary.
As a general rule, cats are sensitive when it comes to smells, but there are a few scents they hate that might just surprise you. They can't stand citrus and as much as you might love the smell of fresh herbs, cats hate rosemary and thyme. Banana and mustard are a big no-no too, as well as lavender and eucalyptus.
Citrus – I bet you knew this would be top of the list! Cats really don't like citrus, whether oranges, lemon, grapefruit, etc. When you're trying to train your cat away from a certain spot in your house, citrus is often the recommended deterrent.
2. Lemon or orange peel. Cats hate citrus scents, so take your leftover orange and lemon peel and scatter it where you'd like to deter the offending felines. Just be sure to replace the peels once they get old and lose their smell.
Citrus smells are widely reported as being repugnant to cats. You can use this to your advantage by throwing orange peels around your garden to keep cats away or spritzing a citrus scent on indoor fabric that you don't want your cat scratching up.
Think about how your cat responds to the smell of anything citrus. It may pull back and run to another area of your home as cats find any citrusy scent offensive. All citrus fruits (grapefruit, oranges, limes and lemons) are mildly toxic to cats.
Interestingly, for cats who have come across this pungent smell before, it is likely that they will have an even stronger reaction to citrus smells than normal. Fortunately, this natural aversion to strong, citrusy smells means that cats tend to avoid eating it.
You may not realize it, but certain scents and pure essential oils like tea tree, citrus, and eucalyptus oil can be harmful toxic oils to your little feline. Many compounds in these pure essential oils contain toxins that can be fatal if your kitty breathes them in or ingests them.
Needless to say, should your cat consume pieces of lemon fruit or ingest lemon oil, it's advisable to get them to the vet as soon as possible. What is this? Consuming lemon may result in a combination of symptoms, including diarrhea, vomiting, drooling, weakness, lethargy, tremors, cold limbs, and low blood pressure.
Scent deterrents will either serve to repel (eg Citronella) or mark a territory (eg Silent Roar). Alternatively, try orange or lemon peel, since cats are not keen on the smell of citrus. A bucket or water pistol full of water, directed near but not at the cat, will help to chase an unwelcome cat out of the garden.
Vinegar as a cat repellent
Spraying Outdoors – Straight or diluted vinegar can be sprayed around the edges of a garden, and on plants, fences, posts and garden décor to keep cats away. Concentrate the spray on areas that the cats frequent or that you particularly want to protect.
Cats, being fairly territorial, are unlikely to feel comfortable doing their business in a place that smells like another, much larger, feline already frequents it. Put down extra strength hot chilli powder. It annoys cats' paws and whiskers without causing them serious harm. They'll stay well away.
This powerful nose alerts your cat to potential dangers, like another feline on the prowl in his territory. But it also explains why cats hate citrus. If the scent of a peeled orange is potent for a human nose, remember that it is going to be way stronger to your cat's nose.
Cat dislike citrus scents, so any combination of orange, lemon, lime, and/or tangerine peels that totals a cup (96 g) will work for the repellent.
The MGDYSS Cat Spray Deterrent is a natural cat non-scratch spray that uses a citrus scent that contains a naturally bitter taste to deter cats from scratching, making it a safe and effective option for pet owners. It also works to keep other pets like dogs, puppies, rabbits, and hamsters away from your cat.
Essential oils that are unsafe for cats:
Citrus oils (bergamot, grapefruit, lemon, lime, orange, tangerine) Birch. Cinnamon. Clove.
While citric acid is safe to consume for humans, it is very toxic for dogs and cats. Eating a few pieces of fruit will often lead to an upset stomach for your pet.
First, the bad news: humans can eat lemons, but dogs and cats should be kept away from citrus trees of any kind because they contain essential oils that are toxic to pets. Although the amount is most concentrated in the fruit, the roots contain some of the toxic essential oils as well.
Citrus fruit
Other smells that cats don't like include the strong, acidic scent of citrus. That's because oils from citrus fruits like oranges, lime, lemon, and grapefruit are toxic to them (7, 8, 9, 10), says Koski.
Cats dislike the smell of certain scents, such as citrus, eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint, and rosemary. You can use these scents to deter cats from entering certain areas of your home or garden by using essential oils, planting these plants, or using citrus peels.
Coffee Grounds
The strong smell of coffee can be enough to keep cats off of your garden. Simply take your fresh, wet coffee grounds and distribute them around your borders and plants where you want to discourage feline attention.
Unfortunately, the lavender plant and essential oils are toxic to cats and can lead to severe symptoms.
Most mint plants contain essential oils which can cause negative responses if consumed in high quantities. Both catnip and catmint are types of mint that are safe to cats. Garden mint may cause gastrointestinal upset if too much is eaten.
Spray Plants with Diluted Lemon Juice
While lemon juice is safe for pets to ingest, they don't like the smell of citrus-which makes lemon juice a natural deterrent. (It's also perfectly safe for plants.)