Cats can be a nuisance. They can knock down plant pots and poop and pee in the soil. Therefore, as a gardener, repelling cats is as important as keeping away other pests. There are several home remedies you can use. So let’s consider one: Does apple cider vinegar repel cats?
Yes, apple cider vinegar does repel cats. It can be applied by spraying it or by soaking things in vinegar.
Cats have a strong sense of smell and are sensitive to powerful odours like vinegar. If we humans find the smell of vinegar strong, cats find it even more overpowering.
Using apple cider vinegar to keep cats away is an excellent option. The cats will smell the scent from some distance away and will stay away from your garden.
Does Other Vinegar Repel Cats?
If you do not have apple cider vinegar available, do not worry, we have you covered.
Not just apple cider vinegar, but you can also use white vinegar to repel cats. White vinegar also has a powerful smell that cats do not like and cannot tolerate. Malt vinegar can also deter cats.
Unfortunately, as with many repellents, some cats are exceptions and will not be affected by the scent. You should not be completely reliant on this method and will instead have to use some trial-and-error to determine if it works.
Is Vinegar Toxic to Cats?
No, vinegar is not toxic to cats, fortunately.
One of the best things about using vinegar to deter cats is that you do not need to worry about harming them. As long as you dilute the vinegar, you should not see any signs of adverse reaction to vinegar.
However, it is important to remember that all cats are different and will react differently towards it.
Some cats are more sensitive than others and vinegar can irritate their eyes or skin. It would be best to remember not to spray the vinegar, whether diluted or undiluted, directly onto the cat.
On the other hand, you must use the mixture to target those spots where cats often come to poop or pee.
How to Repel Cats with Vinegar
Vinegar is quite an effective way to repel cats. You can either use apple cider vinegar or regular white vinegar to keep cats away from your garden.
What is great about using this method is that it is affordable. You do not need to spend much money on cat deterrents, and you can make do with the items you find in your home.
However, you must be careful using vinegar as it can harm the plants you spray. Therefore, you must ensure that you dilute the mixture or risk burning the plants.
Here are a few ways you can use vinegar to repel cats:
Spraying
One way to use vinegar to repel cats is by spraying it around your garden. We suggest using diluted vinegar to protect your plants and the cats if they come into contact with it.
You can spray the mixture on your garden entrance, the fences, posts, plants and any spot where cats visit the most. Watch your neighbour’s cat, and it follows the same route every time.
Soaking
Another way to use vinegar is by soaking a piece of cloth or sponge in vinegar. Then, you can place these rags or sponges in different places around your garden.
You can place the sponge in the entryway of your garden or any location from where cats prefer to enter. In addition, it would help if you kept the sponge or rag in a container to avoid it from getting dry.
Hot Spots
Cats habitually return to the same place and leave their mark. If you are experiencing this situation, you can use undiluted vinegar as it is much stronger.
One way you can use undiluted vinegar is to soak tea bags in the vinegar. Once soaked, pop the teabags into an empty plastic bottle without a lid. Place this bottle where a cat often visits.
Does Vinegar Keep Cats Away?
Yes, most types of vinegar will keep cats away due to its strong acidic smell. When using vinegar to deter cats, it’s worth using cheaper vinegar types such as white wine vinegar.
Does White Vinegar Keep Cats Away?
It is likely to keep cats away if it has a strong and acidic smell. White vinegar has a strong, acidic smell, so it will work well like most other vinegar varieties.
Is Vinegar Effective in Repelling Cats?
Since cats do not like strong smells, you can use vinegar to repel them. Vinegar has a strong smell which most animals dislike, including cats. For some cats, it can become unbearable to be around a location sprayed with vinegar.
How effective vinegar solution is for repelling cats depends on the consistency in which you use it. Since this is a home remedy, you need to use it daily for successful results; otherwise, the vinegar smell can wear off.
However, you must know that some cats can be stubborn and still enter your garden despite using vinegar.
Vinegar may not be effective against some cats, and if you are unlucky, one of them may enter without reacting to the smell of vinegar. Therefore, you should look out for other methods and scents to deter cats in such a case.
Fed Up With Cats In Your Garden?
We’ve Put Together a Complete and Free Guide on How to STOP Cats From Pooping In Your Garden – Including 9 Deterrents to Try:
Summary
Cats can be a nuisance in your garden as they are quite stubborn and will damage the soil by pooping or peeing.
A way to deter cats is by using apple cider vinegar. Cats have a sensitive sense of smell and will avoid any area with vinegar, a powerful-smelling substance.
Other than apple cider vinegar, you can use white vinegar too. To avoid damaging your plants, you should dilute the vinegar. You can create a spray, soak cloths or use undiluted vinegar on hotspots.
Ryan is a keen gardener from the UK who’s spent years dealing with countless, common pests over the years so knows the ins and outs of how to deal with pests in the garden
