Cats can wreak havoc on a garden. These domesticated felines may seem, cute, but they can dig in your garden, leave unwanted droppings, use your plants as a napping spot, or chew on your plants. Too many “safe” techniques to keep them away simply do not work. Ultrasonic repellers, which do not cause any physical harm to you or the intruder, work surprisingly well. Keep those sneaky intruders away!
Kittens can be cute companions and charming animals. However, there is no doubt, they also can be sneaky animals that destroy gardens. I’ve seen first hand the destruction they can bring on gardens. I’ve seen months of work completely razed in a single day.
There are many products that are touted to be effective, but few of them work. Ultrasonic devices work surprisingly well and do not harm your plants and are also not harmful not animals. That being said, you need to buy a product that actually works. Some don’t have the right frequencies and others simply are not that effective.
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Below are the products that we recommend.
Comparing Our Top 3 Recommendations
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At A Glance
- PETBROO Solar-Powered Waterproof Device with Motion Sensor
- CLEANRTH w/ Triple Scan Technology
- Wikomo Solar-Powered Waterproof Device with Motion PIR Sensor and Flashing Light
- PREDATORGUARD PestAway Outdoor Animal Repeller with Motion Sensor
These are the products that we recommend. Keep reading below for some reviews of them as well as how they work (and how you should use them).
Best Ultrasonic Repellers for Cats
PETBROO Solar-Powered Waterproof Device with Motion Senso
This device from PETBROO safely scares away animals such as cats, dogs, mice, and birds without harming any wildlife or pets. The infrared sensor detects motion and emits an ultrasonic frequency that animals can hear but people can’t. The device also flashes LED lights in order to further ward off any pests. The device is solar-powered and is designed to be easy to install. It can be hung on a wall or mounted in a lawn or garden on the stake provided. In addition, this product is waterproof and will function in a variety of weather conditions.
TIP: Turn the PIR motion sensitivity to the highest sensitivity. Face the device in the direction where the animals usually enter from. If you do not get enough to cover your whole garden, then at least direct them in all areas where they enter your garden from. Make sure to tear off the protective film over the solar power panel or else the device will not charge properly. It also has a USB charger that can be used to charge the battery. IF there are multiple cloudy days, then you should charge it via USB for it to maintain its power.
CLEANRTH Advanced Animal Repeller w/Triple Scan Technology
CLEANRTH’s product is crafted to detect animals from farther away than most other products. This device’s sensors utilize three viewing points in a 120-degree angle and can detect animals up to 52 feet away. This means the device offers about 2,000 square feet of detection coverage and can deter animals with its ultrasonic sound for up to 5,000 square feet. The device features two 9-volt batteries and a 38-foot cord for easy recharging. The device is also water-resistant and can be easily mounted with the provided stake in a garden or lawn or hung from a wall, tree, or fence. The device is freestanding, however, and can be placed nearly anywhere.
Wikomo Solar-Powered Waterproof Device with Motion PIR Sensor and Flashing Light
The Wikomo repeller is a safe, effective option for deterring animals from harming your garden or lawn. This device is motion activated and can detect animals up to 30 feet away, at which point an alarm will sound. An ultrasonic sound will also be emitted, and LED lights will flash. The sensitivity and frequency of the device can both be easily adjusted with the twist of a knob. This produce is also simple to use and can be mounted or hung nearly anywhere. In addition, the device is weather-resistant and waterproof and can be used even in snowy conditions. A solar panel on top of the device makes charging a snap and ensures that the device will never run out of battery.
PREDATORGUARD Pest Away Outdoor Animal Repeller with Motion Sensor
This producer is a perfect option for those who are looking to keep pesky felines away from their plants. The device detects animals up to 40 feet away, in a radius of 70 degrees. Upon sensing motion, the device emits ultrasonic frequencies and also flashes strobe lights. A loud alarm can also be turned on. It is lightweight and was designed to be easy to use and install. It features two nine-volt batteries, which can be purchased separately. The repeller is also waterproof and weather resistant and, because it is freestanding, can be set up on a lawn, in a garden, or on a porch or patio.
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How to Keep Them Away
Cats are one of the many pests that can cause damage to your garden. There are so many techniques (some of which we will tell you below), which simply do not work in keeping them away. They will figure out ways around them or simply won’t be bothered by them. Other techniques may inadvertently hurt the your plants or the cat.
Ultrasonic repellers are the perfect devices to keep them away without harming anything or anyone. They are inexpensive and generally very effective.
Techniques that Do Not Work
There are too many techniques that are supposed to keep these unwanted visitors out of your gardens and flower beds that simply don’t work.
There are certain products that are sprays that are supposed to act as deterrents by exuding a bad taste or smell. These products often use bitter substances, such as “bitter apple”, or spicy substances, like hot pepper spray, to keep cats away. But these products generally do not work, simply take a look at the reviews buyers leave for them. When they do work, they require frequent, almost excessive, spraying. The products are not rain proof and you will need to spray your entire garden for it to even stand a chance in working.
Rose branches or floral wire can be used to surround your flowers. But oftentimes, cats still try to get into your garden. The fact that there is a prickly trap does not deter them. Instead, they may end up hurting themselves or in the process of dodging the spikes, actually damage your plants more.
Some gardeners use motion-sensor sprinklers. The idea is that these sprinklers will go off when they sense motion. These companies often brag that they not only scare off animals, but they also feed your plants. If you know anything about gardening, you will realize that this is NOT something you want. Over watering your plant can lead to root rot and other diseases. You want to be in control of how much water your plants receive and ideally it is water directed straight at your plants roots with a soaker hose. Furthermore, these motion sensor sprinklers will target humans as well. If you forget to deactivate them, they will drench you as your approach your garden as well.
Safe and Effective
Ultrasonic repellers are safe and they are generally pretty effective in keeping cats away. In addition to scaring them away, they also work to keep many other pests away from your garden. This includes rats, rabbits, moles, dogs, and raccoons.
How Do They Work?
These devices emit a high frequency wave that results in an irritating sound to many animals. The frequency of the ultrasonic sound waves are generally too high for human ears to detect. However, many other animals can hear this high frequency sound and steer clear of the sound. They make sounds that make the pests uncomfortable. The pests will then leave the area and find somewhere else to live.
What Features to Look For?
Not all devices are effective. In fact, 100% efficacy cannot be expected. But the bests devices out there have relatively good success rates at keeping cats and other pests away. When you are looking for a good device, there are several things that you will want to look for.
Power Source
A lot of the newer and best devices out there are economical. They use the sun as solar energy to stay charged. This decreases costs and forgoes the necessity of having wires or other batteries. You do not want to be constantly monitoring your devices to see if they are out of batteries. Solar energy devices are a set it and forget solution.
Detection Angle and Range
Almost all the products on the market are not constantly emitting ultrasonic waves. Instead they detect movement often with an infrared sensor and turn on when motion is detected. You will want a device with a wide detection angle (generally 90-110 degrees detection angle is considered good) and a wide effect range. Good devices have an effective range of about 8-9 meters.
Wave Frequency
Different animals are repelled by different frequencies. The best devices either let you set the frequency or will have different modes with different set frequencies. The frequency that most often work on feline range anywhere from 19-27Khz.
Other Features
Certain devices also have other features such as lights that go off in addition to the ultrasonic sound waves to also add an additional factor to scare away pests. This additional feature may scare away animals such as deer who tend flee when they feel like they are in an exposed area.
How to Place Your Devices
You will want to place your ultrasonic devices along the perimeter of your garden. One technique in research experiments that have been shown to be effective is to shift your devices locations every so often so that pests cannot guess where the devices are located. This will scare them away from visiting your garden.
You will want to buy enough devices (depending on their effective range) to encompass your entire garden.
Consider Pest Deterring Plants
In addition to buying a good quality product, you can also consider planting certain plants that cats do not typically like. This includes certain, beautiful and aromatic plants, such as Russian sage, coleus canina, and lavender. Having both an unappealing smell as well as the ultrasonic devices will work synergistically to ensure that felines do not wander around your garden.
Bottom Line
Again, I recommend buying the Petbroo’s ultrasonic repeller. High quality devices have a much higher chance of being effective. They are safe and hassle free. Any of the choices above will work well.
Happy Gardening!