A particular herb will force cats to run a mile from your garden claims gardening expert

British gardening expert Suzanne Hall, speaking on YouTube on the Lovely Garden channel tells us that there is a particular herb that forces neighbour's cats to run a mile from your garden. Note: I think the damage done by trespassing cats is greatly exaggerated. Perhaps it is the hole digging which concerns gardeners more than the urine and faeces.

This is the magic plant according to Suzanne Hall: Coleus canina. As mentioned it is a variety of herb and it is from the mint family Lamiaceae. It has even got a nickname: 'scaredy cat plant'! 😃As you can see the plant has acquired its nickname because it is so efficient in getting rid of domestic cats trespassing on your garden.

The scaredy-cat plant. Image: Wikipedia and therefore licensed.

The leaves of this herb are sticky to the touch and it has a scent that is similar to eucalyptus which cats and dogs dislike.

If it doesn't work Ms Hall has some other clever tips which may be effective alternatives.

You can add ground black pepper to hot water in a spray bottle. You shake it up and spray it near plants. It's effective because cats dislike the strong smell. It is safe for both cats and plants.

Lavender is also good thanks to a potent odour.

Comment and some more tips from me

Comment: one of the most commonly discussed topics in the world of cats is how to stop neighbour's cats trespassing on your backyard when you are a devoted gardener and are very proud of your flowerbeds.

Of course, domestic cats have no conception of trespass and they don't trespass under the law. They can go where they please and there is no law stopping them.

I can't tell you how many tips and tricks and clever hacks I have seen on the Internet to repel domestic cats. Cat deterrents are the Holy Grail for non-cat owners.

In my years of working on these websites, I can tell you that if you achieve a 50% deterrent success rate you are doing well and there is a device can achieve that. This is the ultrasonic acoustic deterrent. They have been found, as mentioned, to be about 50% effective which should please most people. Click this link to read about them:

Ultrasonic cat deterrents

They are recommended by the RSPB in the UK. No better recommendation.

I have some other tips and tricks on this precious topic which you can read by clicking the link below. It covers quite a lot of ground on this topic.

Gardeners’ tips and tricks to deter neighbours’ cats from using their gardens as a toilet!

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.