Ultrasound vs. Home Remedies for Scaring Cats – What Really Works?

The stray cat does not stop at constant cat droppings in the garden, rummaged through beds and also in front of the sandbox – an effective cat scare is necessary. Solutions to the problem range from certain home remedies such as cat scare plants to cat repellent ultrasound equipment. 

Here we present the most common home remedies that you can use if you want to drive away a stray cat. We clarify their advantages and disadvantages and make a comparison with ultrasound equipment that serves as an animal-friendlycat scare.

Driving away cats – initial considerations

There are a variety of methods that can be used to drive cats away. When choosing, however, care must always be taken to ensure that the cat is not harmed. Violence against animals must be avoided at all costs and is sometimes prosecuted. 

Cat owners, for the most part, have a close emotional attachment to their animals. Therefore, it is not surprising that conflicts can quickly arise when you express your displeasure about uninvited visits by the neighbouring cat. Even if the cat owners try to control their cat, this is only possible to a limited extent with free-roaming cats. In order to effectively keep the unwanted cat away, you usually have to take measures yourself. 

Not every method of cat repulsion makes sense or is effective. Cats are known for their high intelligence: it is therefore often easy for them to bypass barriers and obstacles. If you have just invested a lot of money in a high fence, it can be very annoying.

Cat repellent with home remedies – an overview

Strange cats roaming the garden are a problem that plagues many landowners. There are therefore a variety of different home remedies that can be used foranimal repulsion – some with more and some with less success. 

Fragrances

Cats are almost allergic to some smells. These include, for example, garlic, chili or pepper. If you notice the smell, you will be more likely to avoid the spot in the future. However, to keep the cat out of the garden, you have to lay out cloves of garlic and the like in the entireoutdoor area.

Cat Scare Plants

In addition to spices and other home remedies, there are also so-called cat scareplants, the smell of which offends cat noses. These include, for example, lavender, lemon balm or the harp bush. However, there are differences in how sensitive cats are to this.

Natural barriers

A dense hedge can keep cats out of the garden. It is best to choose a thorn hedge that the cat does not want to venture through. However, you have to constantly check these barriers for gaps, otherwise they will not protect effectively. So if you don't want to surround the entire property with the hedge, the success is likely to be only moderate. 

Waterjet Animal Repeller

Cats are very water-shy animals. In order to drive them and other animals away, there are therefore certain water systems that are triggered by amotion detector (they are sometimes also used asa dog scare). As soon as the cat tries to enter the garden, a jet of water is activated. Due to the fright, the cat avoids the garden in the future. Often, however, the smart four-legged friends find a way around the system. 

Granules and sprays

To keep unwanted animals away, certain repellentmanufacturers offer granules and sprays that are coated with chemical fragrances. The principle is very similar to that of home remedies. The same applies here. The fragrances usually have to be applied generously around the property in order for them to work. And you don't always want to handle chemical substances – around the vegetable patch, for example.

Effectiveness of Cat Scare Home Remedies

In some cases, home remedies have proven to be effective. Unfortunately, due to the cat's high intelligence, there is always a risk of habituation. For example, a cat fright plant often serves its purpose at the beginning, but it usually does not take long before the animal has made a new way into the garden. 

Fences or hedges are also often ineffective, as cats can jump up on them or simply bypass them (for example, via a carport). The problem with water systems is the habituation effect. Once the cat has figured out how to bypass the system, it will spread out in the flower bed again. 

Garlic and other strong smells also have the disadvantage that they can be unpleasant for people. Granules and other fragrances can be effective, but they often have to be laid out over a large area and regularly in the garden and around the house to achieve an effect.

Keeping cats away with ultrasound – the principle behind it

Ultrasonic devices for cat protection produce high-frequency sounds that are hardly audible to humans, but are unpleasant and annoying for cats. These tones are usually in the range of 20 to 65 kilohertz – far above human hearing, but within the range that cats can hear.

When a cat enters the detection area of the device, it is activated by amotion detector and then emits the ultrasonic sound (or the device runs through permanently). The cat finds this tone uncomfortable and avoids the area in the future. 

The compact devices can be discreetly placed in the garden, sometimes even attached to the wall. Some models also offer the advantage that you can take them with you and even use them to ward off martens, rodents and other unwanted visitors.

Conventional Means vs. Ultrasonic Cat Scare

In contrast to home remedies such as certain plants and fragrances, ultrasonic animal repellers protect animals reliably, seamlessly and gently in theirarea of action. Since the frequency is triggered as soon as the cat enters the property, and it cannot dodge the sound like a jet of water, an ultrasound defense against cats is very effective. 

In addition, there is the great advantage that the device can be placed very discreetly. It is not audible to humans and probably provokes conflicts less quickly than a meter-high hedge (and it does not block the view either).

Here again the advantages of a cat repellent with ultrasound at a glance

• Humane and animal-friendly: Ultrasonic devices drive cats away without causing them any physical harm.
• Invisible and silent to humans: Since the frequencies are not perceptible to the human ear, the devices do not disturb the people around.
• Automated and low-maintenance: Many ultrasonic devices work automatically through a motion sensor and require little to no maintenance until charging or an occasional battery change.

IREPELL® – animal-friendly and reliable cat repellent

IREPELL® offers an advanced, humane and environmentally friendly cat repellent solution. With the help of motion sensors and ultrasound, the device is able to effectively drive away and keep cats away – completely without the use of chemistry, violence or noise. 

With an intuitive app, IREPELL ® can be controlled in a user-friendly way and activated with a simple push of a button on the device. In addition to the ultrasound function, IREPELL ® also has a strobeflash, which enhances the desired effect, but can also be deactivated if desired.

The activated 360° protective shield not only keeps cats away, but can also be used for dog repulsion or against wild animals such as martens or raccoons, as well as for pest control against rats or mice. It not only detects its surroundings with motion detectors, but also measures temperature and humidity. Using AI, this information is used to improve the defense algorithms of IREPELL ® with each successful defense. The stray dog or neighbour's favourite cat will have to roam around somewhere else in the future.

In total, there are functions for 16 animal species that can be repelled in an animal-friendly way with IREPELL ®. These include many insect species, such as ants, cockroaches, cockroaches, gels or moths. There is also a function for natural protection against mosquitoes, so that you can enjoy your next barbecue without these annoying pests. 

Since the device can be plugged into the socket via the power supply as well as used in battery mode, it is also suitable for mobile use – an all-round talent in the animal-friendly expulsion of cats and the like.

FAQs

How do cats respond to ultrasound?

Although it is not audible to humans, cats do perceive ultrasound. Some frequencies are perceived as particularly disturbing – a principle that ultrasound devices use to ward off cats.

What good are ultrasound animal repellers?

Ultrasonic animal repellers are an effective means of keeping cats out of a certain area. They emit frequencies that are perceived as disturbing by the animals. This way, they avoid a certain area, but without being harmed.

What can I do against cats in the vegetable patch or in the garden?

In addition to home remedies, physical barriers and chemical repellents, the use of ultrasound equipment is ideal for keeping foreign cats away from vegetable beds, herb gardens and other areas in the garden in an animal-friendly manner.