Top News

Cats make ideal indoor companions, being both affectionate and inquisitive. Provide them with a plaything, and they'll entertain you with their playful behaviour. Nevertheless, cats that venture outdoors can pose problems and become pests for gardeners.

They're inclined to treat gardens as toilets and, during this process, end up crushing and excavating your stunning flowers or treasured vegetables. Under legislation, cats possess the right to roam, meaning they're legally permitted to enter your garden. Cats are additionally safeguarded by the Animal Welfare Act 2006, so inflicting injury on a cat using any homemade or commercially purchased deterrent could be considered an offence and result in a substantial fine or even imprisonment. Bearing this in mind, @gardening.with.ish on TikTok has revealed four safe and completely natural deterrents that cats "can't stand".

He said, "My gardening tips will show you some simple hacks to prevent and repel cats from your flower beds and borders, whilst ensuring you don't do any harm to them or your plants."

The gardening expert observed that "cats can't stand" the scent of white vinegar, as anything acidic, "they're just not a fan of".

He suggests obtaining a spray bottle and filling it approximately one-third with water and the remainder with white vinegar.

Shake it thoroughly and apply this mixture on your gravel or along your boundaries, but avoid spraying directly on the plants.

The gardener said, "The watered-down vinegar won't have any smell to us, but they'll be able to smell it, and they'll sure as hell stay away."

It's not just the smell of vinegar that cats "detest", as there are also some plants that cats "really don't like".

Felines are put off by certain scents, including citrus, eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint, and rosemary.

The expert highlighted three particular plants that prove most effective, namely lavender, rosemary and lemongrass.

It is the powerful fragrance that acts as a "natural repellent", while the aforementioned plants are also "quite pretty in the garden", according to the expert.

Fragrance isn't the only way to deter cats. Densely packed borders are equally "effectively" deterring.

Tightly packed borders ensure that "they can't actually get through it", meaning they are unlikely to use the area as a toilet.

For those new to gardening without a densely packed border, the expert has a handy solution.

He suggests gathering some old, dried twigs and pieces of bark and placing them among your plants.

The gardener said, "That really sharp and coarse texture means that cats don't really fancy walking on it, and they'll naturally avoid it.

"The other pro of this as well is that the sticks will naturally rot into the ground, meaning you'll add a slow boost of nitrogen, as well as keeping those cats away."