As gravel looks like a giant litter box to cats you may find yourself having to deal with their smelly litter in your driveway or other places they shouldn’t get into.
Read on to find out what you can do to stop cats from pooping in nearby gravel.
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How To Stop Cats Pooping in Gravel
Use Cat Deterrent Spray Scents
There are many scents that cats hate. You can make sprays yourself or buy them.
To make your own anti-cat spray:
- Make a mixture of essential oils and water. These essential oils can be citrus scents like lemon and orange or lavender.
- Spray the gravel areas where cats visit generously with your spray. (Be sure not to spray the oils directly on animals because they can be harmful to cats.)
Just make sure any sprays you buy don’t contain things toxic to cats and other wild animals like garlic.
Use Ultrasonic Cat Repellent Devices
Some devices you can buy will repel cats from certain areas. Ultrasonic devices will emit a sound that scares animals away.
They become less effective the farther you get from them, though, and they may not protect your yard so they’ll need to be close by the areas you’re having problems with.
Fence off the Area
Fencing off the area is the single most assured way you can put a fence up to help deter unwanted cats. This may not be very effective because cats can jump or climb over them.
You can also cover gravel areas with chicken wire on top to keep cats from visiting those areas but it may be uncomfortable for you to walk on as well.
Make the Gravel Uncomfortable for Cats
Using bigger gravel will help deter cats. If it’s uncomfortable to walk on they will not walk on it should move along to other places.
It depends on if it is too uncomfortable for people to walk on. Pointier pieces will hurt to walk on so you will be less likely to see cat poo in your gravel.
Use Motion-activated Sprinklers
Cats are notorious for hating water. While this stereotype may not be true for every cat, most cats will hate the surprise of the sprinklers. You can get motion-activated sprinklers that turn on when something comes near it.
Just make sure you don’t mind that they’ll go off if people are nearby as well.
What Size Gravel Deters Cats?
Pea gravel, which comes in the size of pebbles, is the most attractive to cats. It resembles their cat litter and is very inviting to neighborhood cats or stray cats. It’s in their instincts to dig and bury their feces which make pea gravel appealing to them.
Big, sharper gravel makes it too time-consuming to get onto your property. When things are too time-consuming cats prefer to find another place to use the bathroom.
Does Vinegar Stop Cats From Pooping?
Cats hate the pungent smell of vinegar. You can spray a mixture of vinegar and water on your driveway and cats will steer clear of the sprayed spots.
In fact, this works the same way that spraying citrus scents does. It’s another great home solution because vinegar is inexpensive and many people already have some at home.
How Do You Keep Cats off Your Driveway?
Whether it’s from a feral cat or your neighbor’s cat, cat urine and cat feces are never fun to find in your driveway.
You can use citrus peels like orange peels which are offensive to their olfactory (odor, nose) senses. Cats also hate the smell of cayenne pepper and coffee grounds.
Putting any of these in or around areas you do not want cats will reduce visits and instances of cat poop in your driveway.
