Your garage often becomes home to a number of different stray animals and insects if you are not careful. Most people do not frequent the garage very often, so it doesn’t take long for animals to seek refuge there.
Most animals generally look for places that are abandoned, where they won’t be disturbed as much. Stray cats don’t really mind garages, especially because they are able to hide in the corners.
It’s obviously going to be a shocking surprise when you are in your garage and hear a cat meowing for no reason. Many cats might also end up giving birth to kittens in the garage, primarily because they think it’s a safe space.
When they want to give birth, cats look for a safe and protected spot. If they can find their way in, the garage is perhaps the ideal spot for these animals to seek refuge.
You have to understand that the mother cat will often leave her kittens, who are very small, for long hours to search for food and bring it back. That is why cats are very careful about where they leave their offspring.
But, this could become a serious problem for you. You don’t want to be roaming around in the garage only to find a cat shriek and jump away in surprise. It’s going to be a scary experience for you and the animal itself.
Cats usually seek shelter in the garage because they want to get away from street predators, or when they want to get away from the cold. They also like to hide behind dumpsters in alleyways and look for places that won’t be frequented by humans as much.
More importantly, if a cat gets trapped in your garage, it could potentially die, and that’s going to create a serious mess for you to get rid of.
If you want to keep cats out of your garage, there are quite a few simple steps that you can take. Here are some simple strategies that will help you keep cats out of your garage and make sure you don’t return home to a mess in your garage.
1 – Keep the Door Closed at All Times
This might come as a surprise to most people, but the simple act of just making sure that your garage door remains firmly closed at all times is a great way to make sure that cats don’t enter your garage.
Sometimes, the most obvious solution is also the best one, and by making sure that you keep your garage door closed at all times, you will be able to keep the cats out.
Most people do not carefully check whether the garage door is closed or not before they go in the house. They just press the button on their garage door to close it and go in the house.
However, you have to understand that garage doors take a little while to properly close, and in that interim period, many cats can easily enter your garage.
The best thing to do is remain present in your garage until the garage door has closed down all the way. If the cats see someone standing in the doorway, they are going to avoid going inside.
This is perhaps the simplest yet the most effective strategy for keeping cats out of your garage. Always wait to see while your garage door closes before you decide to enter your house.
2 – Cat Repellents
One of the best ways to get rid of cats from your garage is to make use of some cat repellents. Cats have a considerably better smelling ability as compared to humans, and they are quite sensitive to it.
Their superior smelling abilities can actually be used against them in this instance. All you have to do is to go to your local hardware store and buy some cat repellents that the human nose doesn’t pick up.
Scent-based cat repellents are an excellent way to get rid of cats that might be frequenting your garage every now and then. There’s also a simple homemade cat repellent that you can use for yourself.
All you have to do is mix a bit of citronella with peppermint or lemongrass, some lavender and then add three parts water to these essential oils. Make sure you keep the ratio of water to essential oils as 3:1.
Once you have made the cat repellent, all you have to do is pour it in a spray bottle, and then apply it in different areas of the garage. The smell might be quite pleasant to you, but cats usually hate these smells.
However, you have to understand that the solution usually loses its effect over time, so you have to reapply it every now and then. It’s so easy to make on your own, so you don’t have much to worry about.
Or, you can just buy cat repellents from the local supermarket and use those to keep the cats out.
3 – Noise Oscillators
Cats also have a sharper listening ability than humans, and as a result of that, a noise oscillator might be a great way to keep them outside.
Toward the lower end of the scale, humans and cats generally have a similar hearing range. However, cats are able to hear sounds with a considerably higher pitch, going all the way up to 64 kHz.
This essentially means that cats are able to hear up to two octaves higher than the human hearing range. It’s even an octave higher than the listening abilities of a dog.
Noise oscillators can be used as a source of deterrence and will prevent cats from relaxing for too long in your garage. It’s a pretty simple way to keep cats out of your garage with minimal hassle.
4 – Keep Some Kitty Litter in Your Garage
While cats are generally quite discrete and independent, they like to keep clean. They are very fastidious when it comes to hygiene, and they like to avoid situations where other cats have pooped.
If you leave a couple of inches of kitty litter in a small plastic bowl or receptacle, with some of your cat’s waste in it, it’s going to indicate that the place is already occupied.
Cats are quite territorial and they don’t like altercations unless absolutely necessary. This is a simple way to deter these cats.
5 – Seal All Entrances
Another important thing that you need to do is make sure that you seal all entrances to your garage. Cats can’t miraculously enter your garage; they have to enter through an opening.
It’s important that you seal all entrances to your garage so that cats are not able to enter the place at all. Most people don’t think about small gaps at the bottom of the garage door or windows left open, so as long as you keep the place completely closed, you won’t have much to worry about.
Furthermore, you should make it a habit of cleaning your garage on a consistent basis as well. At least once every week or two, you should thoroughly clean the garage from top to bottom so that there’s no worry about pests or cats causing issues.
I have a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems and over 10 years of experience working in IT. As a homeowner, I love working on projects around the house, and as a father, I love investigating various ways to keep my family safe (whether or not this involves tech). I’ve also played guitar for almost 20 years and love writing music, although it’s hard to find the time these days.