Do you have a sandbox for playing in the backyard? Did your cat turn the playing sandbox into her restrooms? We’ve provided different methods for you to try to keep your cat away from the sandbox.
Without a doubt, you would not want to share your child’s sandbox with your cat. It is somewhat challenging to keep the cat away from the sandbox. It is important to find a way to keep a cat away from the sandbox, especially when they are feral.
Keep reading to learn the 10 ways you can use to prevent your furry feline from going near the kids’ sandbox.
Why Do Cats Love Sandboxes?
Your feline loves any sandbox as it delivers a natural feeling. When the cats are in wild, they naturally discharge in sandy soil. The sand provides them with a soft feeling similar to a litter box, and they can spread it all over the place after discharge.
When a male cat urinates, he actually sweeps the sand backward. By doing this, he actually marks her territory, so that other cats can know the boundaries. If your cat uses it to discharge feces in the sandbox, then you might expect roundworms and toxoplasmosis upon using the same sandbox.
It is crucial to keep the cat outside the sandbox, or at least stop your feline from using it as her litter box while you are not around. So go ahead with the ways that we have mentioned here.
10 Ways to Keep Cats Out of a Sandbox
1. Fence the Sandbox
You can install a fence surrounding the sandbox to keep the cat outside. You will have to keep in mind that the fencing should be cat-proof or this option won’t be that much helpful.
The kittens are outstanding climbers, moreover, you can go with chicken wire as they do not like to climb on the chicken wires. In fact, you can go with rabbit proof fence, garden fencing might be a great alternative as well.
2. Cover the Sandbox
The most convenient option to keep the cat outside the sandbox is to cover the sandbox whenever the kids are not playing. I’m not certain this will work with feral cats, but it should be effective with pet cats. The feral cats might still get wild to enter the sandbox.
This solution will be surely helpful till a certain time. Moreover, it will keep all the foreign objects outside the sandbox. You can DIY and make a lid with materials like shade fabric, lattice, or wood, make sure it is easy to put on & off.
3. Clean the Sandbox
Cleaning the sandbox is also a great option to keep the cat away from the sandbox. All the cats have outstanding smelling sense, they can smell one another’s excretion. This is an indication that the sandbox has not been used for the kitty’s job. So the feral cats or neighborhood cats cannot smell & they will avoid your sandbox.
4. Cat Deterrent Plants Near the Sandbox
Cats have a very strong sense of smell, and there are few plants that cats find unpleasant. You can landscape the area around the sandbox with natural cat deterring plants to eliminate the cats wandering around the sandbox.
You can plant mustard, pepper, lemon, coffee grounds, onion, garlic, lavender, thorny bushes, pennyroyal, and rosemary. These are the plants that you can plant around your sandbox to keep the cats away.
5. Create a Cat Zone Near the Kids Sandbox
If your kids are playing in the sandbox it will excite cats to enter, to prevent that you can build a cat-friendly zone. You can DIY a sandbox for cats on few meters away from your kid’s sandbox.
Once your feline discovers a new place then it will keep off your kid’s play area. You can fascinate your cat by placing treats & catnip, this will draw your cat’s attention.
6. Ultrasonic Cat-Repellent Device
This device might help you keep the cats out of the sandbox. The ultrasonic devices are motion-activated ultrasonic equipment, they are placed around the sandbox.
The ultrasonic cat-repellent device produces a stimulative sound if it detects any motion, this keeps cats away. The cats have strong hearing senses, so this is a very effective method for them.[1]
7. Install a Motion-Sensitive Water Sprinkler Near the Sandbox
If you are a cat owner then you might know that cats hate water. Hence, if you are placing an automated water sprinkler near the sandbox then it will keep the animals away.
If you are installing the motion detection water sprinkler near your kid’s sandbox. If your sandbox is around plants & grass, you do not have to worry about the water.
8. Spray Commercial Scent Deterrent Around the Sandbox
We have another option for you, use the commercial scent deterrent around the sandbox. You can buy a cat repellent from the pet stores around you, this will help you to keep the cats away from the sandbox. You will have to spray the repellent every week as it might fade into the atmosphere after a few days.
If you are visiting the store to buy the spray repellent then just check is it toxic for humans or not. If you find a repellent that is toxic for humans then you should buy another one, as your kids might come in direct contact with the repellent.
9. Deposit Meals that Feline Hate Around the Sandbox
If you cannot find a perfect repellent that works for you, then you can go with this option. This option’s success rate depends on your cat, as all the cats have different tolerance power. Placing the foods that your feline hates around the sandbox, will keep the cats away because all cats cannot tolerate the pungent smells.
There are foods that most of the cats don’t like much such as orange peels, coffee grounds, onions, lavender, cayenne pepper, citronella, & vinegar. These foods may depend on your cat, you might know ow better what your cat hates the most.
10. Train Your Cat
we can suggest to you the best option is to train your cat. You can train your cat at home by yourself. If your cat is going towards the sandbox then you can pick your feline up and take her elsewhere.
If your cat is going toward the sandbox, then you can call her and give a treat. You can also use the clicker training, and try to distract your cat if they are still interested in the sandbox. you have to encourage them to play with other toys and stay away from the sandbox.
Final Thoughts
If you are willing to keep the cats away from the sandbox, we have many solutions that you can perform to keep the cats away from the sandbox.
We hope that you will find a way to keep your cat away from the children’s sandbox. Feel free to ask us any questions you have about the top 10 ways to keep cats out of the house.
We would suggest that you should never hurt any of the cats you encounter.
References:
- Nelson, S. H., Evans, A. D., & Bradbury, R. B. (2006). The efficacy of an ultrasonic cat deterrent. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 96(1-2), 83-91.