A natural, homemade recipe for cat repellent can help keep cats away from plants and furniture without adding toxins to your environment. This DIY version is easy to make and smells great to people, even if cats find it repulsive.
How to Make Cat Repellent
You can easily make your own cat repellent from herbs, vinegar, and water. You will need a clean spray bottle in which to store the liquid.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons rosemary
- 2 tablespoons lavender
- 10 drops tangerine essential oil
- 1/2 cup vinegar
Instructions
- Mix the herbs in 2 cups of boiling water, and allow them to steep overnight.
- Strain the liquid through cheesecloth, and pour it into a spray bottle.
- Add 10 drops tangerine essential oil and ½ cup vinegar to this mixture.
- Shake the spray before using.
- Use this spray on any area from which you want to keep cats away.
Tips for Use
- Since it is difficult to determine exactly which scent any cat dislikes, you can make a homemade cat repellent from several different scents. In this way you are more likely to include a scent that will repel the cat. You will want to make a tea from the herbs and boiling water. Let the mixture steep overnight, and then use cheesecloth to strain out the herbs. Keep the resulting mixture in a cool dark place.
- Always test fabric for colorfastness before spraying with any mixture. To do this, just spray a little of the mixture in an inconspicuous place. Look at it in about 24 hours. If it has not faded or bleached, the rest of the fabric should be fine to spray. Also note, spraying this mixture directly on plants may kill them or cause spotting of the leaves.
Dangerous Substances to Avoid
It is important that you never use a recipe for cat repellent that uses moth balls, cayenne pepper or other potentially harmful substances when making a mixture to repel cats from your garden or other areas. Moth balls are high in toxins and cannot only make the cat sick, they can also cause illness among family members.
Does Cayenne Pepper Keep Cats Away?
While cayenne pepper is not toxic, it can burn the cat's feet, tongue or even its eyes. A cat that walks through an area that has been sprayed with cayenne pepper can have the spice collect on its feet. When it grooms itself, the cayenne can cause discomfort and pain. Since you can't control the amount of cayenne the cat gets on itself, it is best to not use it at all.
Usage Suggestions
The spray will need to be refreshed often to stay strong. If you use a spray outside in your garden or on your yard, you should plan on refreshing the spray whenever it rains or you get heavy dew. If you have a period of dry weather, go ahead and refresh it every few days to keep it working.
Adjust Ingredients to Meet Your Needs
If the first spray that you make doesn't work as well as you would like, consider changing the amounts of herbs and essential oils that you add to it. Adjust the scent and the ingredients until you have something that works well for your situation. Making cat repellent can save money and the environment.
