Cats in the garden
Cats in gardens are a common, and often welcomed, sight. Whether watching the world go by, stretching in a sunbeam or simply wandering through, most of the time, cats are brief and unnoticed visitors.
However, some cats may trample, dig and poo in gardens, or fight with other animals. On this page, you’ll find out safe and humane ways to deter cats, and how to create a cat-friendly garden, keeping them safe while outside.
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Why cats visit gardens
Whether to use the toilet, look for food or mark their territory, cats are known to roam – including into neighbours’ gardens.
Most of the time, cats in your garden will belong to those that live nearby. In some cases, stray or feral cats might visit, especially if there’s easy access to food and shelter. You might even find an owned cat that’s gone missing hiding in your outside space if they’re lost and afraid. Find out how to identify if the cat is owned, lost, stray or feral here.
Cats are often harmless and temporary visitors, leaving little trace of their presence as they pass through. It’s always best to peacefully co-exist with any feline frequenters, and simply enjoy the honour of being briefly chosen.
However, some might prefer their outside space to be a cat-free zone. If so, there are several humane and safe ways to deter cats without causing unnecessary harm or effects on their welfare.
Found a sick or injured cat, or a cat in danger?
If you’ve spotted a cat that’s injured, in a dangerous location or at risk of harm – and you’re able to safely get to them – take them to a vet immediately. Otherwise, find out how to help. Remember, don’t put yourself at risk to save them.
How to safely deter cats from your garden
To keep cats out of your garden, you can:
- Block their access: Plant bushes or shrubs side-by-side around your garden to fill any space cats may otherwise be able to get through. Or place high, solid fences next to hedges to make climbing over them difficult. Grow prickly plants or use small pebbles or chippings to make it harder for cats to dig.
- Don’t feed them: Putting out food for cats will only encourage them to return. If you’ve left out food for your own cat, make sure to supervise them, and remove the food when they’re done.
- Feed birds off the ground: Don’t scatter seed on the ground, or place bird feeders where the cat can get to them.
- Use strong scents: Cats don’t like the smell of things like lavender and citrus peels, so growing or placing these around your garden and onto soil may keep them away. Make sure the lavender isn’t crushed, as crushed lavender releases toxic essential oils that can be harmful to cats. A plant known as ‘scaredy cat’ is often used as a cat deterrent due to its strong scent.
- Secure bins: Cats may be able to smell food waste, so ensure your outdoor bins are securely sealed.
- Squirt water (not directly at them!): Using a light spray bottle filled with clean water, spray near to the cat (not at them) to deter them. This is most effective if the cat can’t tell where the water is coming from, so try to hide out of sight.
- Use specific soil: Manure and soil – such as chicken manure pellets – from reputable sources that are safe for use around pets, can be placed around flower beds and the edges of your garden. The unpleasant smell will help keep cats away.
- Water your flowers: Keep your flowerbeds well watered, as some cats don’t like wet earth.
- Ask them to leave: If you’re around when the cat visits, a simple deterrent is shaking your arms, clapping or shooing them off (you can even do so with a smile!).
Remember: Cats are protected by law and are free to roam. Make sure that any deterrents used are safe, humane and don’t lead to harm or suffering. Causing a cat unnecessary suffering is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. It’s also an offence to deliberately injure or poison a cat, so never put down snares, poison or traps designed to injure animals.
Have kittens been born in your garden?
If a cat has had kittens in your garden or around your home, don’t approach or disturb them. If they appear healthy and unharmed, leave them alone. Meanwhile, contact a vet for advice, or your local RSPCA rescue centre.
Preventing damage to your garden
Cats rarely damage gardens as an act of aggression – usually, it’s so they can go to the toilet or mark their territory. You may notice soil that’s been dug in, or even uncovered poo. While this is natural behaviour, digging and toileting can damage your plants and flowerbeds.
- Put stones and pebbles in your flowerbeds: This gives them less opportunity and space to dig and poo between your plants.
- Create barriers: Use twigs, branches or mesh around plants to prevent pooping and digging.
- Cover bare soil: With twigs or prickly branches to make the ground less comfortable.
- Redirect them: If you don’t mind the cat pooping in your garden, but you want them to avoid a particular area, create an inviting designated digging space for them to use instead
Cats love to explore the outdoors, and can be a joy to have in the garden. But for those who prefer to keep cats out, our humane deterrent methods can help keep your space cat-free.
Keeping cats safe outdoors
There are many things that can risk your cat’s safety when outside; nearby roads, cars, other animals. Severe weather, dangerous places (like sheds and outbuildings) and common poisons can also impact their wellbeing.
Outdoor cat safety means planning ahead to prevent accidents and knowing what to do if one occurs.
Cats and cars
Road traffic accidents involving cats are common. Keeping cats away from busy roads (especially during rush hour) can help to ensure they remain safe and don’t pose a risk to the safety of those on the road, too.
However, in the dark, there can be an increased risk of danger. Cats are crepuscular, meaning they’re most active at dusk and dawn. During these hours, your cat may be outside exploring, unaware of oncoming traffic. Headlights can disorient cats (their eyes don’t adjust as quickly as ours) and make it harder for them to get out of the way in time.
Keeping your cat indoors during busy times or overnight can help reduce these risks, particularly if you live close to a busy or fast road.
Even stationary cars are a hazard. Always check beneath parked cars – especially when it’s raining or cold out – before venturing out. In severe weather, cats may nestle beside warm car engines, so check there as well. Tap the bonnet or loudly shut a door to stir them into moving. After making noise, wait a few moments to give any cats time to get up and leave.
Cats and other cats
Cats often defend their own territory. When another cat (a neighbour’s pet, a stray or a feral cat) enters that area, the cats may fight, causing distress and injury, which can also lead to bacterial infections. Cats may also fight other animals, including dogs.
To reduce fighting, you can:
- Neuter your cat: This can reduce territorial and sexually motivated behaviours, including some types of aggression.
- Vaccinate your cat: To protect them against certain infectious diseases that can be spread between animals.
- Create a schedule: If the fights are between cats that live next door to each other, or in the same immediate area, create a schedule with your neighbour, selecting times when each of your cats will be outside. That way, both cats can enjoy the gardens without disturbing each other.
Check your cat regularly for signs of injury or changes in behaviour. If your cat is injured or behaving unusually, take them to a vet.
To stop other cats from coming inside your home, try fitting a cat flap that only opens for your cat's microchip. Provide a litter tray indoors so your cat can choose to stay in if they're feeling unsafe.
Cats and wildlife
Cats are instinctive hunters. Even well-fed indoor cats have that predatorial instinct to hunt (whether that’s bugs in the house, their toys – or your toes). Outdoor cats can stalk and catch their prey, sometimes to kill, other times to bring it home.
Though you can’t completely prevent their natural instinct to hunt, you can take steps to redirect their behaviour and reduce the impact on wildlife by:
- Playing with them regularly: Research shows that playing with your cat for five to 10 minutes per day can reduce their hunting by 25%. Use a feather and string toy (such as a ‘wand’ toy) and give your cat a toy mouse to play with after each game.
- Feed a grain-free high protein diet: Introducing cats to a grain-free diet with proteins that come from meat have been found to reduce the number of prey animals cats brought home by 36%.
- Use colourful ruffled collars: If your cat is comfortable wearing a collar, adding a colourful ruffled collar (such as a Birdsbesafe collar) cover over a quick-release collar can reduce the numbers of birds caught and brought home by 42%. These collar covers can be removed when your cat is indoors so they can fully groom themselves.
- Keep them indoors at night: Small mammals like mice and voles are active at dawn and dusk, as they’re crepuscular too. Keep cats inside so wildlife can roam freely and you won’t have any ‘presents’ to clean up in the morning.
- Place bird feeders, tables and nest boxes high up: Position them in spots your cat can’t reach, climb or jump up onto, to keep birds safe.
- Keep them indoors if baby birds are around: If there are known nests in your garden or fledglings, keep your cat indoors until the babies fly away.
- Avoid feeding other animals on the ground: Don’t place bird seed on the ground in view of cats, or where cats quickly get to.
Cats and poisons
Cats may be exposed to certain poisons when outside. If you think a cat has ingested poison, or is showing unusual symptoms and behaviours, take them to a vet immediately.
common poisons that cats could be exposed to outside:
- Antifreeze: Often used in cars, even small amounts can lead to kidney failure and death. Learn more about antifreeze poisoning in cats here.
- Rock salt: Used to grit roads in cold weather, even small amounts can lead to kidney damage and convulsions. Read more on rock salt here.
- Slug and snail pellets: Ingestion can be life-threatening.
- Materials you might find in a shed: Paints, varnishes and cleaners are all toxic to cats. Keep all potential poisons sealed and somewhere cats can’t access.
Cats and garden hazards
The outside world can expose cats to a variety of dangers, including diseases and parasites, dangerous buildings, poisons, severe weather and even people-made problems. Help keep them safe by learning about these below.
Poisonous plants
Certain plants are poisonous to cats, leading to a range of conditions, from mild to life-threatening. These plants include:
- Azaleas
- Chrysanthemums
- Crushed lavender
- Daffodils
- Foxglove
- Hyacinths
- Lilies (all varieties)
- Oleander
- Peonies
- Rhododendrons
- Tulips
- Yew
Parasites and diseases
Taking your cat for routine vaccinations helps to protect them against common illnesses, like cat flu.
Even indoor cats can be affected or exposed to infectious diseases or parasites, so ensure they’re also vaccinated and have routine preventative care. All cats can also be at risk of flystrike, particularly if they’re unable to groom themselves properly.
Cats and weather
Pet cats should never be shut outside, and should always be able to return indoors when they want or need to. However, if they choose to venture out during cold weather, make sure they have access to warm and dry shelter. Feral, farm or stray cats may also benefit from having an additional shelter area during the colder months. Check water sources regularly to ensure they’re not frozen.
In warm weather, cats with white fur, pink skin, or thin coats are at risk of sunburn (which can increase their risk of sun-related cancer). Keep your cat inside during the hottest parts of the day, ensuring they have access to a ventilated and cool area in the house with plenty of water. If they do go out, ensure there are plenty of shaded spots in your garden, and ask your vet for advice on cat-friendly suncream.
Cats and places they can get stuck
Cats often explore any space available to them (especially cosy and dark spots), including open sheds and outbuildings.
Always check inside before shutting the door – a cat may be curled up inside. Cats can also get stuck in spots you can’t see, so listen out for any meowing or sounds of struggling. Be careful when putting away any equipment from the shed (such as lawnmowers or bikes). Keep the door shut and locked if you don’t want any animals getting inside – but only after checking there are no animals already in there.
Check bins, ponds, garages, football netting and other dangerous places they can get trapped or tangled in.
Cats and grass seeds
Grass seeds are a lesser-known hazard, common during the summer when seed from grass is spread. Grass seeds can get stuck in a cat’s eyes, ears, nose and paws, and burrow into their skin, causing a range of symptoms:
- Head shaking
- Skin swelling
- Paw swelling
- Licking their paws more than normal
- Scratching their ears more than normal
- Discharge from their eyes
- Discharge from their nose
- A visible seed lodged in their fur or skin
- Redness or irritation
If you’ve noticed any of these symptoms in your cat, or other behavioural changes and signs of illness, contact your vet immediately.
Grass seeds are common on cats with access to the outdoors. Make sure to brush their fur, and check their ears, eyes, nose and paws regularly to help you spot grass seeds or other irritants before they become a problem.
Cats, bees and wasps
Cats love to chase small, fast-moving objects, such as bees and wasps – and may get stung when doing so. The part of their body that was stung will most likely swell and become tender. Cats may lick and paw at where it hurts. If the stinger is visible, try to scrape it out if you’re able – but don’t squeeze the area. If you can’t or it’s not visible, speak to a vet for advice.
Cats can occasionally have a severe allergic reaction to the sting. Signs of a severe reaction can include:
- Excessive swelling
- Difficulty breathing
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Drooling
- Weakness
- Collapsing
- Pale gums
Creating a cat-friendly garden
For those who don’t mind whiskered visitors, you might consider turning your outside space into a safe and inviting haven.
Cat-friendly gardens can include:
- Cat-safe plants: Such as catnip, buddleias, cat grass, cat thyme, cosmos, gerbera, etc. Leave a part of your lawn long, as cats love to nibble on and lay in long grass. It’s great for pollinators, too!
- Things to scratch: Such as tree trunks, wooden posts or large logs.
- A toilet area: Dig up some soil you don’t mind them using, and add a small amount of cat litter to encourage them to use it. Dig it over regularly, and use gloves when cleaning the area. Cat poo shouldn’t be composted or flushed down the toilet.
- Shelter and shade: A cat house or DIY cat shelter provides a safe, dry space to sleep, hide in or escape bad weather. Shade is another must, especially in summer. Garden tables, thornless plants, evergreen bushes and ferns are great spots for cats to sit and sleep beneath.
- Hiding places: Plants provide great cover for cats. Add them to various areas of your garden so the cat has many different places to hide. Other garden furniture can be useful, too. Make sure to check your shed or outbuilding for any cats hiding inside.
- Perches and high spaces: Cats love to be up high, and may climb onto shed roofs, shelves, trees, walls or fences to survey their surroundings. Give them easy access to these spots; leaning a ladder against the shed or a route up to a high wall, for example, so they don’t injure themselves climbing up or down.
- An easy escape: Cut a hole in your fence, leave a gap beneath your gate or a space between bushes for the cat to flee through if they feel threatened or afraid.
- Provide water (but not food): A clean bowl of fresh water can help to keep cats and other wild animals hydrated and cool, especially in hot weather. Replace the water daily. If you have a pond, cats may be drawn there, so ensure they have access to an exit (sloped sides or steps) if they fall in. Learn how to make a safe, mini wildlife pond here. Don’t feed visiting cats, as it could encourage them back and away from their home, or they may have a specialised diet or medical conditions, so food that seems harmless could be unsuitable for them.
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