There is always a way to maximize the uses you get out of your garden, and the plants you grow there, and sometimes what you discover as a new use for an old plant may surprise you!
This is one great “green idea” that I stumbled on myself quite accidentally! When moving fresh cut Rosemary from my yard into my kitchen to hang and dry, my cat dashed in to check out the leafy greens in my hand, no doubt to see how edible they were. His fascination led him to continually dart his head close to the plant, only to jump back, and blink in confusion. He swatted at the plant a few times, and then repeated the same pattern, but as the oils from the plant attached to the paws of his front feet he began to back away from me, and then back away from the smells of the Rosemary plant (now attached to his front paws) that he perceived to be following him. Over the next few minutes he backed himself around my kitchen several times trying to sneak away from the offending smell, and I took pity on him after he made a few mad dashes to and from the living room, trying to outrun his front paws. Once my perverse enjoyment of this entertainment passed, I realized I had struck gold in the all-natural cat control department.
How To Make It Work For You:
- Plant Rosemary in your garden to deter stray cats from leaving deposits in your yard, or hunting your songbirds.
- Lay fresh trimmings of Rosemary on carpet areas you want a house-cat to avoid. The oils in the plant are long lasting, and can work at deterring a cat from a designated area for up to two weeks, giving you time to re-train the cat’s behavior.
- To keep cats away from computer wires, heirloom furniture, or china displays, lay trimmings of Rosemary in the areas around what you are protecting, or place the trimmings in the area the cat uses to access the object.
- For problem areas, or for repeat offenders, a cotton ball lightly soaked (so as not to leave oil stains) in Rosemary Essential Oil, and placed near the object of your house-cat’s attention can deter the visiting behavior. Also a dab of the oil of hard surfaces, such as a chair leg, or piece of furniture, will also deter your cat sufficiently.
Try this method out as an alternative to pet store remedies, and see if you can’t solve your cat problem with this great “green” alternative!
Your Thoughts: Have you tried Rosemary (or any other herb) to repell, or deter unwanted feline behavior? How has it worked for you? I’d love to hear from you!
(Photo credit: OiMax)
