Garden Plants to Repel Cats

Cats love gardens nearly as much as humans do, although they love them for different reasons. In a cat's eyes, a flowerbed or garden with tall plants is the perfect place to hide or nap. And then there's that soft soil to dig in. While you can't train cats to stay out of your garden, you can use plants to make it so unappealing they'll find another place for their bathroom chores and naps.

  1. The Scardy Cat Plant

    • Coleus canina, also known as Scardy Cat, is a compact annual bedding plant with small blue flowers and dark green foliage. According to the National Gardening Association, it has been proven to keep cats and dogs away from gardens, sandboxes and landscaped areas when planted as a hedge with plants spaced about three feet apart. Although the smell repels cats, it's noticeable to humans only when the leaves are rubbed.

    Herbs

    • Lavender, geranium, absinthe, lemon-thyme, citronella, rosemary and garlic chives are all herbs that can repel cats. Use them to make a border around your flowerbeds or scatter them among the other plants in your garden. Not all cats are offended by the smells of all herbs, though. So you might have to experiment with different plants until you find one that repels your cats.

      Rue, too, can repel cats. But it's toxic to humans if ingested and can irritate the skin if touched. Don't use rue around sandboxes or other areas where children play.

    Prickly Plants

    • Intersperse cactus and other prickly plants throughout your garden. The cats won't like brushing against them and will stay away. Or spread rosebush and other thorny plant clippings on the soil. The clippings will be uncomfortable underfoot, and the cats won't want to walk on them.

    Ground Cover

    • Ground cover or dense planting will make it difficult for cats to dig in your garden.

    Garden for Cats

    • Plant catnip, catmint, cat thyme and valerian in a sunny place away from your garden. Leave a spot of bare soil for digging and rolling in the dirt, and add a chair or pile of logs for scratching and napping. If the cats have their own garden, they should leave yours alone.