How to Stop a Feral Cat From Marking My Yard
Nothing is more likely to ruin a budding friendship between a feral cat and a human than the sight of the cat spraying everywhere in the yard. To the cat, spraying makes perfect sense. It’s his way of letting the rest of the world know the yard belongs to him. While you might not be able to keep the cat from marking all of what he considers his territory, there are ways to limit the places where he sprays.
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Things You'll Need
- Humane cat trap
- Appointment with a neuter/spay clinic or veterinarian
- Electronic cat deterrent
- Coleus canina
- Cactus or other prickly plants
- Rosebush cuttings
- Catnip plants
- Cat mint
- Wood pole or other vertical surface
Instructions
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Get the cat neutered. Male cats who have been neutered are less likely to spray. If you can’t pick up the cat, borrow a trap from a local rescue group so you can take him to be neutered and then return him to your yard.
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Use an electronic deterrent that emits a high pitched sound or a spray of water when the cat comes close. It will keep him away from specific areas, like parked cars, the sides of the house or the patio furniture. Most pet supply stores sell electronic deterrents that will not harm the cat.
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Move the cat’s food and shelter away from the deck, patio and house. If everything he needs is away from the house, he’ll be less likely to come up to the house to spray.
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Plant coleus canina around areas where the cat is spraying. Also known as the Scaredy Cat Plant, it has a strong odor that repels animals. The National Gardening Association suggests making a hedge of coleus canina plants spaced about three feet apart around flowerbeds, sandboxes and other areas where cats are unwelcome.
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Use prickly plants like cactus against the sides of your house and your deck. The cat won’t like walking on them or rubbing against them when he backs up to the sides of the house or deck to spray.
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Put rosebush cuttings or other prickly branches in the flowerbeds along the sides of your house. These, too, are uncomfortable underfoot and should keep the cat away.
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Plant catnip. Catnip is a “friendly” scent and should keep the cat from spraying the areas where it’s planted.
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Create a cat garden with catnip, cat mint, some bare soil for rolling around and a chair for napping. Adding a wood pole or other vertical surface in the garden will give the cat a place where it’s okay to spray.
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Tips & Warnings
If you trap your feral, cover the trap with a towel as soon as he goes in and put the trap in the garage or other place where he’ll be safe until he goes to the vet to be neutered.
While mothballs and mothball flakes repel cats, they’re toxic to all animals and can contaminate the ground.
Never relocate a cat by dropping it off uninvited at a farm or feral cat colony. Chances are the cats who already live in the barn or with the colony will run it off.
References
Resources
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