How to keep stray cats away and your own cat safe
Why they come
- A litter box. Soft, dry potting soil is perfect.
- Territory. Tomcats spray to mark it, and pick fights with the cat who lives there.
- Food and shelter. Pet bowls, bird feeders, the gap under the deck.
What works
1. Cover the soil
Lay chicken wire flat on the soil and pin it down: plants grow through, paws can’t dig. In bigger beds, pine cones, river stones or coarse mulch do the same.
2. Take away food and shelter
Feed your pets indoors, move bird feeders away from the planters and close off the space under decks and sheds.
3. Wash away the smell
A sprayed spot tells every cat nearby “taken”. Flush it with plenty of water right away. On decks and tiles, use an enzyme cleaner made for pet urine.
4. Startle them, every time
In a backyard, a motion sprinkler works well: a burst of water, no harm done. Cats learn fast, so consistency matters. If every visit ends with a surprise, they move on.
The catch: a sprinkler or an ultrasonic repeller reacts to every cat, including yours. If your cat shares the yard or balcony, run them only while it’s indoors, or use a deterrent that recognises which cat is which. On a balcony, a sprinkler also soaks the floor and the neighbours below.
A neighbour’s dog?
The same fixes stop digging. A dog running loose is a bylaw matter in most cities: talk to the owner first, then call animal services.
Keep your own cat safe
- Neuter. Neutered cats spray and fight far less.
- ID and microchip. If yours goes out, a collar tag and a chip bring it home.
- Strays nearby? A local trap-neuter-return group can neuter them, which calms the whole street over time.
What to skip
- Mothballs and poison. Toxic to cats, your pets and children.
- Predator urine. Often collected inhumanely.
- Trapping and moving them. Another cat takes the spot. Call animal services or a trap-neuter-return group instead.
What to buy
| Item | What it’s for | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken wire or hardware cloth | Laid flat over the soil in pots and beds | Galvanized metal, about 1 to 2.5 cm openings; not plastic, which gets chewed |
| Cat prickle mats | Ledges, railings and bare patches cats walk or sit on | Flexible plastic with blunt spikes that you can cut to size; never metal spikes |
| Enzyme cleaner for cat urine | Removing the “taken” smell from sprayed spots | “Enzymatic” on the label and safe for outdoor wood or concrete; no ammonia |
| Motion sprinkler | Backyards with a hose, when your own cat stays in | Adjustable range and a day/night setting; it needs a garden hose |
Sources
- Oregon State University Extension: protecting your garden from cats recommends physical barriers like chicken wire and rough mulch, motion sprinklers, and flushing urine spots with water.
- Humane World for Animals: how to keep stray cats away covers neutering, motion deterrents and why to avoid predator urine.
- City of Toronto: cats in the city covers outdoor cats, ID and microchips, and the city’s trap-neuter-return partners.
Rules differ by province and city. This guide is general information, not legal advice.
When the problem is marking on the patio
A smell does not identify the visitor. Our guide to a neighbour’s cat marking your patio focuses on finding the visiting cat, removing reasons to return and choosing a response that fits your own pet too.