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26 Jul 2024

Best and worst cat repellents compared

If cats have become a nuisance in your garden, read our guide and discover the best ways to encourage them to go somewhere else

Ceri ThomasEditor, Which? Gardening

Cats are adored pets, but they can become a nuisance if they leave their mess in your garden, keep you awake with fighting or scare off the wildlife.

In a survey of more than 6,000 Which? members, over half noted problems with cats in their garden. Three quarters of respondents reported cats pooing in the garden, and more than four in 10 said cats were scaring off, attacking or killing wildlife – with birds being the main victims.

Members also gave their opinions on the effectiveness of common deterrents, including ultrasonic cat deterrents, citrus peel, water pistols and chilli powder. Below, we reveal the results.

If you're a Which? member, you can log in now to find out which cat repellents have worked for our members. If you're not yet a member, get instant access by joining Which? today.

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Our members' top cat repellents

Type	Member score	Sample size	Member comments
	67%	339
	58%	213
	48%	368
	44%	389
	43%	173
	43%	103
	39%	95

Note: This survey was completed in 2015, but these cat deterrents stand the test of time.

Want to attract birds into your garden? Explore our expert guides on gardening for wildlife.

Are cats a problem in gardens?

The best data we have is from a survey by the British Mammalian Society, which tracked dead prey brought home by cats. It suggests that during the five months of the survey, 9m British cats killed 57.4m mammals, 27.1m birds and 4.8m reptiles and amphibians.

Wildlife behaviour is altered by the mere presence of predators; in other words, fear of predation is a problem in itself, and this can reduce wildlife populations even if animals aren't actually being killed. So the presence of cats among other predators may mean that wildlife doesn't feel safe in your garden and so will steer clear.

All cats are legally protected from harm by the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and their Scottish and Northern Irish equivalents. Dealing with neighbourhood cats comes down to a combination of humane deterrents and tolerance.

What can cat owners do to help wildlife?

Fit a bell or electronic alarm to your cat’s collar; both have been shown to reduce predation.
Keeping your cat indoors more of the time reduces the number of animals killed, although a lot depends on when you do this.
Keeping your cat in at night tends to protect nocturnal mammals, while fewer birds are killed if your cat is kept in during the day.

Read our advice guides about gardening for wildlife.