The UK's bestCat Repellents2022 Review

When it comes to deterring animals, sometimes the simplest routes are the most effective. The Get Off My Garden Cat & Dog Repellent is made up of a jelly-crystal gel that can be applied across your garden to prevent cats from fouling in certain areas.

Easy to apply thanks to the included ‘squeezy’ applicator, this is a good value option – you get 2 x 640 g bottles. The gel can simply be spread around your garden, slowly releasing a strong, citrus-scented odour which cats (and dogs) dislike. This repellent contains no garlic, unlike many others on the market.

This repellent is safe for use on concrete, paving and flower beds – all the spots that cats usually frequent! However, be warned that it may discolour the lawn so it’s recommended that you only spread it around the edges.

Whilst this product can be applied in all weathers, you may need to reapply after heavy rain.

Each bottle contains enough gel to treat an area of approximately 71 m². Whilst this won’t be an option to treat the whole garden, it’s one of the best cat repellents if you want something easy to use that will keep animals away from certain areas. It’s also a simple alternative if you don’t want to disrupt flower beds by putting down textured mats or similar repellents.

These Cactus Cat Intruder Deterrent spikes are a great choice if the intruding cats are scaling fences to gain access to your garden! The spikes can be laid across the tops of fences to make it uncomfortable for cats to walk across.

This deterrent is made up of plastic spikes that prevent animals accessing your garden. They also add an extra layer of security to your home, helping to deter human intruders as well! Although relatively sharp, they cause no physical harm to cats, they are simply uncomfortable to walk across.

These spikes come in a set of 20, with each strip measuring 45 x 4.5 cm. They can be placed on very narrow fences, or grouped together for wider areas. To reduce the width further, they can be cut to size using scissors – although you should take care when doing so as the plastic is surprisingly sharp! Each spike measures 1.5 cm across.

One of the easiest deterrents to install, these spikes can simply be screwed to the fence. The screws need to be purchased separately, but once installed, there’s nothing else to do. The strips are fully weather resistant, made from hard UV resistant plastic which won’t weaken if exposed to rain, ice or frosty conditions.

Whilst most effective when combined with additional deterrents, these spikes can help prevent cats from scaling fences to gain access to your property. They’re best used as one “prong” of a multi-pronged attack against visiting cats!

The Orbit 62100 Yard Enforcer Motion-Activated Sprinkler uses sprays of water to actively scare cats away, as opposed to just deterring them.

Although the jet spray may not always make direct contact with the cats, the sound of the jet is relatively loud which also causes an element of surprise. The jet spray is motion activated, using an infrared motion sensor to detect movement from cats, foxes and other unwanted intruders. Once the motion has been detected, this sprinkler releases a jet of water to scare off the intruder.

This deterrent has a few adjustable options that ensures it’s only activated when you need it. It can be used during daylight hours, night time, or be on all of the time. If you’re going to be using the garden during the day, switch to the night time mode to make sure you don’t set it off by accident! Cloudy days can occasionally fool the sprinkler into thinking it’s night, so unless the sun is shining you may wish to turn the unit off completely during the day instead.

This sprinkler has a smart motion sensor that detects animals up to 12 m away, even at night. The line of sight can be adjusted, angled down for smaller animals, or angled up to detect large animals and birds. The viewing angle is an impressive 120°, offering a total detection range of almost 500 m².

On occasion, the sensor can be a little too sensitive, activating after detecting leaves and branches on windy days. This is something to be aware of, as it may drain the batteries over time. 4 x AA batteries are reported to last for approximately 7,500 activations.

The repellent comes supported on a spike that can be pushed into your ground. It’s relatively easy to set up and connect to the water system. It uses approximately 470 ml (2 cups) of water per activation, so shouldn’t add too much to your water bill.

Overall, this is one of the best cat repellents if you want to use a more hands-on approach compared to ultrasonic deterrents. It also has a lot more adjustable features than more basic water-jet sprayers. Thanks to its effectiveness and adjustability, this deterrent is well worth the extra effort to set up.

The Pestbye® Jet Spray Motion Activated Cat Scarer has a range of adjustable settings and sensors that detect across an area of approximately 100 m².

Although it has a smaller range than the Orbit Yard Enforcer Sprinkler (also featured on this page), it’s a lot more affordable. This is one of the best cat repellents if you want a spray scarer on a budget.

Once triggered, this Pestbye Cat Scarer fires a five second burst of water in the direction set by you. After each activation, it resets itself automatically, so it’s able to keep deterring animals throughout the night.

With a range of easily adjustable sensitivity settings, this scarer can be used to deter a range of animals and pests. The motion sensor has a range of 10 m in a 120° arc, covering an area of around 100 m². The spread of the spray can be controlled to suit the size and shape of your garden. This is done by simply adjusting the red clips.

When spraying, the water jet also makes an audible sound which is an additional deterrent for cats (although isn’t loud enough to disturb you in the night).

It has a battery life of three to four months depending on how often it’s activated, and all you need to do is connect it to a water supply. Customers report that the instructions can be a little vague, but that the assembly process is straight forward.

As with most jet spray deterrents, you may find that this unit is also activated by moving branches and bushes. As this can drain the battery life and waste water, it’s best to install it in a wide open area to prevent false activations.

Considering this deterrent’s price and functionality, it’s a great budget option. The components are made of plastic, and it has a relatively small range, but is still reported as being effective against pests.

The Pestbye® Waterproof Cat Repellent Ultrasonic uses high frequencies to stop cats from hanging around your garden.

This ultrasonic cat repeller has a compact design and can be left out in all weathers as it’s fully waterproof. Like many repellers, it uses an infrared PIR motion sensor. Once it detects an intruder, it emits an ultrasonic sound to scare them off. The motion detector covers an 80° arc and a distance of 7 m.

This repeller is easy to install, simply insert the stake into soft ground or a plant pot (so that it’s easy to move around). Alternatively, it can be attached to a fence. It measures 4.8 x 10.4 x 10.4 cm and is a small unit that you’ll hardly notice in your garden. It requires 4 x AA batteries.

The sensitivity and frequency of this repellent are both adjustable. This can help conserve battery life, as the sensitivity can be altered if it’s picking up false activations. Additionally, the frequency can be changed using a dial on the body of the unit.

For cats, the ideal frequency is between 3 and 5, whilst for insects, rodents and squirrels, it’s between 2 and 7. Whilst the higher frequencies are unlikely to be heard by humans, those with very sensitive hearing  may find they can pick up on lower frequencies.

If you’re spending time in the garden and don’t want to waste battery life, turn the sensitivity down to zero. There’s no on/off switch.

Overall, this is one of the best cat repellents if you’re looking for a low-maintenance option. Although you will need to change the batteries every so often, it can mostly be left to get on with its job. Given the reasonably small range, it may be worth purchasing two of these repellers for maximum effectiveness.

Cats can cause a lot of damage in your garden, and there’s nothing more frustrating than seeing your favourite flower bed dug up! The Defenders STV628 Prickle Strip Dig Stopper has been designed to prevent exactly this scenario, and it’s effective against cats, dogs, rabbits, squirrels and foxes.

The plastic prickle strip mat is put on the ground and covered with a thin layer of dirt. When animals visit, the plastic prickles irritate their feet, causing discomfort.

Once covered, it’s virtually invisible, but it’ll still be extremely effective at preventing cats from digging. Plants can grow through the mesh, but it’s not as easy to position around existing plants.

This comes as a 200 x 28 cm roll and the strips can be cut to size with scissors if required in smaller areas.

Made from weather-resistant, UV-resistant plastic, this Prickle Strip is effective year-round at protecting plants, lawns, seedbeds, and vegetable gardens from damage. Whilst it won’t deter cats from your garden, it can help prevent digging in certain areas.

A couple of downsides to note. The first is that this mesh is delivered in a tight roll, which can be difficult to lay flat without some encouragement. Plus, whilst there are pegs included to secure the mat to the ground, they are only 4 cm long. If the ground is very soft, the stakes are easy to pull out. Some customers report buying their own ground spikes.

Another downside is that if you’ve got a large area to cover, using prickle strips can work out fairly expensive.

Overall, this dig stopper is highly effective at preventing animals from digging up your garden. It’s one of the best cat repellents if you want something versatile that works against different species, though it won’t deter animals from entering the garden altogether.