Cat Accessories Cat Behaviour

Best outdoor cat repellents and deterrents

Black and white cat walking around garden

Are you looking for the most effective cat repellent? Even if you are an avid and cat and kitten lover (like us!) you will know that there are areas where you or others don’t want your cat to go. After all, you don’t want to find a mess amongst vegetables, or for your neighbour to angrily report dug up flowers!

Why do people use cat deterrents?

The most effective cat repellent is one that keeps cats from ruining your garden while also preventing them from harming themselves. You need something you can rely on to produce good results every time, whether it’s a water cat scarer or an ultrasonic gadget.
Thankfully, we’ve done the legwork for you and found the best cat repellant reviews, so you can get back to enjoying your yard.

What are the best outdoor cat repellents?

The most effective cat repellent is dependent on what you need and the space you are deterring cats from. Whether you want to deter your own or other cats from your vegetable patch, flower garden or childrens’ sandpit, it’s important to ensure cats are safe and unharmed. Therefore, we don’t recommend using any potentially unsafe DIY methods to deter cats.

If you want to deter cats off your sofa, you may want to use something basic such as a scented spray. However, if you are trying to keep cats from mistaking your grass for their outdoor litterbox, you will need to use an outdoor cat repellent that doesn’t get washed away with rain. For this, a simple ultrasonic device or jet sprayer are the most economical and effective options.

These best cat repellents are rated independently based on our own research and experiences.

Top 5 cat repellents

Pestbye® Cat Repellent Device

1. Pestbye® Cat Repellent Device (Editor’s Choice)

The Pestbye® Battery Operated Motion Activated Waterproof Cat Repellent is a quick fix ultrasonic cat scarer that comes as a set of 2.

It’s the safe and humane way to scare cats away from a specific area by emitting an ultrasonic noise that deters cats that motion activate the device. The device also works on dogs, foxes, squirrels, rodents and certain insects – encouraging all to stay out of your garden or space.

The Pestbye ultrasonic cat deterrent device can detect motion from up to 7m away, but also has adjustable sensitivity to prevent unnecessary activation.

The devices are all-weather waterproof and can either be mounted using the zinc-coated ground stake or attached to a fence.

The biggest benefit of an ultrasonic cat deterrent device is that it doesn’t get washed away in the rain like many powders and sprays. However, the main downside is that the Pestbye cat repellent needs 4x AA batteries (not included) that have to be replaced every few months (depending on activations).

Pestbye® Battery Operated Motion Activated Waterproof Cat Repellent - Quick Fix Ultrasonic Cat Scarer with Ground Stake - Set of 2
  • Keep unwanted pests out of your garden with Pestbye Cat Repellent - safe and humane for cats, dogs, foxes, squirrels, rodents, and some insects.
  • Infrared PIR motion sensor detects movement and body heat up to 7m away, reducing fake activation and extending battery life.
  • Emitting a high-frequency sound that irritates cats and is almost inaudible to humans, this cat repellent is fully adjustable for sensitivity and frequency.
  • Easy to set up with a zinc-coated ground stake and tab for fitting directly to a wall or fence, this cat repellent is fully weatherproof and can be left outside in all weathers.
  • We're so confident in the effectiveness of our cat deterrent that we offer a 45-day money-back guarantee. Requires 4 x AA batteries (not included) with a battery life that varies depending on activations.
Zonpor Solar-Powered Cat Repellent Device

2. Zonpor Solar-Powered Cat Repellent Device

Looking for an ultrasonic cat repellent device but don’t want to worry about the batteries? The Zonpor cat repellent device is our best-rated solar cat repellent device.

Just like the top pic, this cat deterrent is also motion activated and has adjustable sensitivity and frequency. The infrared PIR motion sensor has a 110-degree field of view and can sense motion from up to 8m away.

The Zonpor ultrasonic cat repeller is very simple to install; simply place it in the ground and direct it toward the area you wish to protect.
Make sure your device is exposed to sunlight so that it can charge or power up using the USB power supply.

The Zonpor is also IP44 waterproof, which is great for rainy days in the UK, although we don’t advocate soaking it in water.

DANGZW Ultrasonic, Flashing and Solar-Powered Cat Repellent

3. DANGZW Ultrasonic, Flashing and Solar-Powered Cat Repellent

This ultrasonic and flashing light cat repellent comes with several modes, including those to scare off different animal types (based on frequencies). This includes settings for:

  • mice, rabbit and chickens
  • cats, dogs and foxes
  • birds, bats and larger birds of prey
  • snakes, deer and boars (bright flashing lights)

There’s also a final mode that combines all frequencies and flashing lights to scare off cats and all other types of animals.

This, combined with IP66 waterproof rating make the DANGZW ultrasonic cat repellent one of the best out there. Just like the others, this cat deterrent device has an infrared motion sensor that works up to 9m and can be adjusted for sensitivity. But keep in mind that you need to place it in sunlight for the solar panel to work.

The LED flashing lights and alarm buzzers will frighten unpleasant intruders and scare them away without harming any cats.

You can either use the ground stake or hand the device with a nail or screw.

Orbit 62100 Yard Enforcer Motion Activated Sprinkler

4. Orbit 62100 Yard Enforcer Motion Activated Sprinkler

The Orbit 62100 water sprinkler is a humane cat repellent – shooting a harmless spray of water when motion activated by cats or other animals.

Orbit claims this cat sprinkler deterrent is the only one on the market with options for day only, night only or 24 hour protection.

This cat repellent is easy to fit, with a spike that’s easy to press into soil or turf. Moreover, the Orbit 62100 can spray up to 21m in diameter, giving you coverage of over 355m2.

With sensing technology, you can achieve over 7,500 activation cycles with just 4x AA alkaline batteries and 2 cups of water for each activation. The intelligent sensing technology learns and distinguishes between trees and animals, preventing your cat water spray repeller from turning on every time the wind blows.

PestBye® Jet Spray Battery Operated Motion Activated Cat Scarer

5. PestBye® Jet Spray Battery Operated Motion Activated Cat Scarer

The PestBye® Jet Spray’s motion sensor has a 120 degree field of view and a 10m range (adjustable sensitivity). As a result, it covers an area of over 100m2 and keeps animals and pests out of plants, yards and gardens using a harmless spray of water.

When activated, this jet spray fires a 5-second burst of water to deter cats and other animals. The noise of the water spray is usually enough to scare the cat away and discourage it from coming back. It can also be less noisy than an ultrasonic cat repellent device – as long as you have plenty of grass and bushes that can get wet!

The only downside to a jet spray cat repeller is that it requires a constant water hose connection and regular battery replacements to operate. You can turn off the device when using the garden.

About the author

Kacper Jednorowicz

Hi, I'm Kacper! I have a four-year-old female Bengal cat, called Coco. She's an active and friendly indoor cat that lives with us in the UK, but also enjoys several hours a day in the garden. Just like any responsible and loving cat owner, I want to ensure that she's a happy and healthy cat! My articles cover guides and reviews based on professional vet advice, our own experiences with Coco and plenty of research!

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Meow Guide's Coco
Our furry friend is an 8-year-old Bengal called Coco – she’s crazy, has plenty of energy and is VERY noisy! More about us.