One Household Staple Could Keep Cats Out Of Your Vegetable Garden

Maintaining a vegetable garden takes a lot of work and commitment, and there's a good chance you don't want anyone coming in to ruin it, even if that someone is an adorable kitty. Perhaps your own outdoor cats are roaming your garden, or maybe feral or stray cats (yes, there is a difference) in the neighborhood are pooping in your veggie garden, using it as a makeshift litter box. No matter the reason, it can be frustrating when a cat harms your plants you work so hard to maintain. Thankfully, there's an easy way to keep cats out of your beloved garden, and it only requires one common household ingredient.

Vinegar is all you need to keep pesky felines out of your vegetable garden. Cats have a strong sense of smell, and they are not fans of vinegar's pungent scent, so spraying it around your garden can be enough to keep them away. Using vinegar as a cat repellent is quick and simple, and with only a couple of steps, you'll be on your way to saving your garden from troublesome kitties in no time.

Using vinegar in your vegetable garden is easy. When it comes to the type of vinegar to use, both white vinegar or apple cider vinegar are good choices. Vinegar is nontoxic to felines, so it's safe to use as a repellent. However, if consumed, it could cause gastrointestinal problems in cats. If you notice your plants still seem to be getting chewed on after spraying vinegar, it might be best to not use it in your garden to prevent harming the cats if they happen to not be fazed by it. 

To use vinegar in your garden, you most likely don't need to dilute it, but you may choose to do so to prevent cats from experiencing irritation. If using undiluted vinegar, pour it in a spray bottle and spay around the edges of your garden. If using diluted vinegar, The New Zealand Cat Foundation recommends mixing one part vinegar with one part water and one part liquid hand soap in a spray bottle. You can then get to spraying around the garden. If spraying your plants directly, it may be best to dilute the vinegar to prevent damaging them.

Along with vinegar, there are other ways to safely keep cats out of your vegetable garden. Another scent cats are not fond of is citrus, so putting orange peels in your garden can be a safe and natural way to keep cats away. Other scents cats don't like include cayenne, black pepper, and coffee grounds, all of which you can sprinkle around your garden. It's probably also a good idea to avoid growing catnip, as felines are attracted to the plant. 

There are other ways to keep cats out of your garden that don't involve using a smell to repel them. While some cats actually like water, many of them are not fond of it, and motion-activated sprinklers can catch them off guard and most likely prevent them from returning, not to mention the devices can help keep your plants hydrated. Another hack is using chicken wire right underneath the soil in your garden to prevent cats from roaming around in it, as it isn't going to feel nice for them to step on.