# Simple ways to keep cats away **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 20, 2006, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-ways-to-keep-cats-away/361381 "2006-06-20T01:48:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lama\_Pacos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Lama\_Pacos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lama_Pacos)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-ways-to-keep-cats-away/361381/1 "2006-06-20T01:48:59Z")
Recently, two of the neighbors’ cats have been spending an awful lot of time on our property. Nobody in my household likes cats, but we wouldn’t mind much if the sole motive of their visits wasn’t to wait outside the crevices in our driveway where the chipmunks live, and then catch and torture them to death. All of us are bothered by this and, personally, I feel rather loyal to the chipmunks and it breaks my heart to see them meet that grisly, feline end. So does anyone know a simple way to keep the cats away? I was thinking maybe there’s some herb or plant that repels them, like a Bizarro Catnip? ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-ways-to-keep-cats-away/361381/2 "2006-06-20T02:16:40Z")
Cat’s don’t like citrus scents - I have been told citrus peels will repel them. ---
**Author:** ![diggleblop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@diggleblop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggleblop)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-ways-to-keep-cats-away/361381/3 "2006-06-20T02:32:40Z")
A big dog ---
**Author:** ![Lama\_Pacos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Lama\_Pacos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lama_Pacos)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-ways-to-keep-cats-away/361381/4 "2006-06-20T02:41:47Z")
> [@SnakesCatLady](#): > > Cat’s don’t like citrus scents - I have been told citrus peels will repel them. Excellent! We just bought a large crate of clementines. I will set the acidic artillery on the pipsqueaks as soon as I get a fruit craving. But will the mild inconvenience of the rinds be enough to dash their hopes of a juicy chipmunk? > [@diggleblop](#): > > A big dog We have two small dogs, and while I don’t doubt they could easily vanquish the catty curs, they can’t be at the post all day and night. These cats are craaaazay-- they hunt at all hours! ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-ways-to-keep-cats-away/361381/5 "2006-06-20T02:42:46Z")
I agree about the citrus. My cat won’t come anywhere near me if I’ve been eating an orange. But I don’t know how the chipmunks would react to it. ---
**Author:** ![cerberus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cerberus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cerberus)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-ways-to-keep-cats-away/361381/6 "2006-06-20T02:45:17Z")
Post guards with a garden hose, equipped with the pistol grip thingy. Everytime you catch a cat in range, blast away. This will convince the cats to stay away, and will not harm the cats. ---
**Author:** ![Aunt\_Flow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed655f/32.png) [@Aunt\_Flow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aunt_Flow)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-ways-to-keep-cats-away/361381/7 "2006-06-20T03:20:20Z")
> [@cerberus](#): > > Post guards with a garden hose, equipped with the pistol grip thingy. Everytime you catch a cat in range, blast away. This will convince the cats to stay away, and will not harm the cats. If they’re anything like my cats, it’ll only convince them to stay away when you’re out there 😛 ---
**Author:** ![cerberus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cerberus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cerberus)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-ways-to-keep-cats-away/361381/8 "2006-06-20T04:43:09Z")
Well, you could go to the Zoo, and ask to borrow a few gallons of scent from the big cats, then “mark your yard” with it. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-ways-to-keep-cats-away/361381/9 "2006-06-20T09:35:26Z")
> [@Lama Pacos](#): > > Recently, two of the neighbors’ cats have been spending an awful lot of time on our property. Then complain to the neighbor, and ask them to not let their cats roam. Cats can be kept inside, or leashed when let outside in their yard. Most cities have laws specifing this. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-ways-to-keep-cats-away/361381/10 "2006-06-20T13:57:17Z")
Another solution is not doing anything, and letting natural selection take over. After a number of generations, you’ll have cat-resistant chipmunks (and some very frustrated cats). ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Means\_Go](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cc9497/32.png) [@Green\_Means\_Go](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Means_Go)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-ways-to-keep-cats-away/361381/11 "2006-06-20T20:25:15Z")
My cat won’t come near me when I am having a cigarette. Maybe hand out a few packs of Marlboro’s to all the neighborhood chimpmunks??? Course then they’ll need matches. A likely a place to stop off and get a pint. Oh man, and then with the pubs comes the crime, possible chipmunk prostitites, tattoo parlors. Maybe you shouldn’t give them cigarettes after all. But I’ll take em… ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Means\_Go](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cc9497/32.png) [@Green\_Means\_Go](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Means_Go)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-ways-to-keep-cats-away/361381/12 "2006-06-20T20:30:27Z")
Here is a good little bit of information on using anchor tags to do this. [http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/it/itaids/publish/010/](http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/it/itaids/publish/010/) ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-ways-to-keep-cats-away/361381/13 "2006-06-20T20:31:59Z")
How about some lemon or orange juice in a squirt bottle? You only need to hit 'em a couple times before they get the picture. Works rather well in our house. To keep the little buttheads from scratching up the furniture, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Means\_Go](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cc9497/32.png) [@Green\_Means\_Go](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Means_Go)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-ways-to-keep-cats-away/361381/14 "2006-06-20T20:34:57Z")
Dargh! Sorry! Obviously that was intended to go elsewhere. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-ways-to-keep-cats-away/361381/15 "2006-06-20T20:35:42Z")
> [@Green\_Means\_Go](#): > > My cat won’t come near me when I am having a cigarette. > > Maybe hand out a few packs of Marlboro’s … My cat loves cigarettes. Marlboros are her favorites. Jumps up on my lap everytime I light up and let’s me blow smoke in her face. So no, don’t give them cigs unless you are willing to support thier habit! ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-ways-to-keep-cats-away/361381/16 "2006-06-20T20:45:55Z")
Some garden stores sell a sprinkler head with a proximity sensor as a trigger. It stays off until some creature comes near. It has a cutesy name, and the device is shaped like a bird’s head. ---
**Author:** ![ddgryphon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8c91f0/32.png) [@ddgryphon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ddgryphon)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2006, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-ways-to-keep-cats-away/361381/17 "2006-06-20T20:54:39Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > Some garden stores sell a sprinkler head with a proximity sensor as a trigger. It stays off until some creature comes near. It has a cutesy name, and the device is shaped like a bird’s head. Vengence is mine saith the robin! ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2006, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-ways-to-keep-cats-away/361381/18 "2006-06-21T02:10:28Z")
> [@Lama Pacos](#): > > Nobody in my household likes cats, but we wouldn’t mind much if the sole motive of their visits wasn’t to wait outside the crevices in our driveway where the chipmunks live, and then catch and torture them to death. AFAIC chipmunks are a very short step above rats and mice. Send the cats my way and they can chase the chipmunks around my neighborhood. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2006, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-ways-to-keep-cats-away/361381/19 "2006-06-21T02:15:11Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > leashed when let outside in their yard. > > Most cities have laws specifing this. I’ve seen two cats with a harness and leash, including one of mine on a visit to a nursing home. You know of a city that has a leash law for cats? That’s silly. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2006, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-ways-to-keep-cats-away/361381/20 "2006-06-21T02:20:51Z")
Back to the OP: You can keep them off a car by sprinkling pepper on it; they clean their feet and dislike the taste. It would probably take too much pepper to protect an area of a yard, and again, it may also deter the chipmunks. Everyone is just trying to make a living, from the cats that kill songbirds to the dogs that kill rabbits and the hawk that takes goldfish from my lily pond. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-ways-to-keep-cats-away/361381.md?page=2)