Depending on where you live, your garden can be home to all kinds of pests, from slugs to deer. This cat lover had some tips for how to keep felines away if they are proving to be an annoying pest in your yard.
The scoop
TikToker Az_cat_lady (@az_cat_lady) is an advocate for cats who specializes in trap-neuter-return. Most of her content is cat-focused, and she made a video telling viewers how to keep cats at bay by adding a few different plants to your garden.
In the video, she details the types of plants that deter cats. "Let me clue you in on some plants that will keep cats out of your garden. You can plant rue and the scaredy cat plant in your garden because they emit very strong odors that will deter a cat."
@az_cat_lady Tough love gardening advice about cats #catsoftiktok #catsandgardens #catdeterrents #fyp #foryoupage ♬ Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) [2018 Remaster] - Kate Bush
Rue is an ornamental herb, and the scaredy cat plant is a flowering member of the mint family. The creator lists several other pungent plants that may keep your garden free of cats, including citrus and herbs such as rosemary. Additionally, she says you can use coffee grounds, garlic, mustard, or vinegar as non-plant deterrents.
How it's helping
Gardening is a healthy and fun way to spend time outside and save money while growing your own food. The fewer pests in your garden, the higher the yields, so anything you can do to protect your plot is essential.
In addition to damaging plants or digging up beds, cats are also invasive predators. According to the American Bird Conservancy, outdoor cats kill 2.4 billion birds in the United States each year.
Recent reports have found that the bird population in North America is in trouble, having declined significantly since the 1970s. Biodiversity is important for ecosystem balance and can help with the effects of climate change. "Protecting, managing, and restoring forests, for example, offers roughly two-thirds of the total mitigation potential of all nature-based solutions," the United Nations reports.
While your neighborhood cat is not the primary driver of climate change, it can cause issues for wildlife and biodiversity. Keeping them out of your garden could help protect birds, though keeping them inside is the best way to prevent them from hunting.
What everyone's saying
Folks in the comments were excited to try some ways to keep cats out. "Omg thanks I'm gonna look these up," one person said. "I had to take my entire veggie garden apart because the strays were pooping and peeing all over it."
Another commenter wrote: "Thank you so much. I'm trying these suggestions this week."
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