Does Lemongrass Repel Cats?

Cats may look adorable, but they intrude and cause a mess in gardens. Cats tend to poop in the soil, which is dangerous as it contains toxins. In addition, cats can also knock down pots and spoil plants. Some herbs are known to repel cats. So, does lemongrass repel cats effectively or not?

Yes, lemongrass does repel cats as they dislike the strong citrus scent which is intense for their strong sense of smell.

Lemongrass is a natural way to repel cats. This is good news for gardeners who have an organic garden and do not want chemicals on their plants.

Using lemongrass is a good option because you can plant it in your garden. Not only will the herb help in repelling cats, but you can also use it for yourself.

Do Cats Like The Smell of Lemongrass?

Likely, cats do not like the smell of lemongrass because they are not big fans of citrus scents. However, lemongrass is a plant with a citrus scent, so it is safe to assume that cats will not like the smell. 

However, many pet owners have noticed that their cats do not react to lemongrass. Some cats are drawn towards lemongrass, especially young kittens.

Therefore, whether a cat likes the smell of lemongrass differs from one to another. If you choose to have lemongrass in your garden, there is no hundred percent guarantee that the neighborhood cats will avoid it as it depends on cats to cats. 

On the other hand, you may notice that fewer cats have been cruising in your garden because of the lemongrass, as it may affect some of them. 

Do Lemongrass Plants Repel Cats?

A convenient way to use lemongrass would be to have the plant directly in your garden. This is because lemongrass plants repel cats, and you can have lots of them between your more vulnerable plants.

In addition, you can also create a border with lemongrass plants to prevent cats from even entering. 

Does Citronella Deter Cats Too?

Citronella is an essential oil made from lemongrass leaves. However, people who do know about citronella know about its benefits. But, while humans enjoy the benefits, cats detest the smell of citronella. 

Citronella has a powerful scent that riles cats up. However, cats have a strong sense of smell. Therefore, they cannot tolerate some scents, and citronella is one of them. Hence, you can use this essential oil in your garden to repel cats. 

Be warned, however, because most essential oils which repel cats can be toxic. This means you cannot risk using them as cats ingesting them can pose serious problems.

You can use citronella by mixing a few drops of it in water and creating a spray. Making a spray with this essential oil is the easiest way to apply it to plants. You can spray the mixture on plants and any place where you find cats come the most. 

Do Cats Hate All Citrus Scents?

If you wonder if there are other citrus scents that cats hate, you must know that they do not like anything that smells like citrus. 

Cats have a much stronger sense of smell than humans. Therefore, citrus scents come off as too strong for them to handle. In addition, the acidity in the citrus throws cats off.

Therefore, many people use citrus fruits as a way to deter cats. The different kinds of citrus fruits include lemons, lime, grapefruits, and oranges. 

One of the ways you can use citrus fruits to your advantage is to use their peels. So next time, instead of discarding the peels, you can dry them and make a powder to sprinkle in your garden.

Or, you can also use the peels and place them around your garden and in pots and plants where cats come more often. Using this method is a good natural way to deter cats without harming them or your plants. In addition, your soil benefits too, as the citrus peels provide it with nourishment. 

The only problem with using citrus peels or their powder is that the rain can wash it away. So, it would help if you were consistent and multiple applications were required. 

As with citronella, you can also create a citrus solution. You can do so by using orange or lemon juice, mixing it in water, and spraying it on your plants. You can use the spray in areas where cats loiter the most. You must be careful about the acidity in the mixture as it can stain some surfaces. 

Summary 

Lemongrass is one of the herbs which gardeners use to repel cats. While some cats hate the smell of lemongrass, others are drawn towards it. So, there is no indication that all cats hate the scent of lemongrass.

However, lemongrass contains citrus scents, which cats do not like. You can use the lemongrass plant itself to deter cats. Growing lemongrass not only adds to variety but will also repel cats.