If you have cats in you neighborhood or you own a cat or two, coming outside to see these cuddly creatures comfortably resting on your vehicle may be a common occurrence for you. However, there are a number of humane ways to repel cats from your car and prevent the paw prints and scratches these furry creatures can sometimes (unintentionally) cause.

Cayenne Pepper

One effective method for making sure cats don’t end up on your car is to sprinkle a little cayenne pepper around your automobile. Cats are repelled by the spiciness of the herb, and will learn after a few days that coming close to your car means nasal irritation and stinging paws. Of course, it may also be effective to sprinkle a little of the pepper on the hood of your car as well. You may have to use this remedy for a few days until all the cats in the neighborhood get the point.

Mothballs

Or, you can hang mothballs all around your car, including on the roof of your vehicle. Yes, the smell is very strong and unappealing. But cats feel the same way about the odor of mothballs that most humans do. Once the animals get a whiff, they are very likely to stop taking naps on your car.

Wolf Urine

While this may not be the most appealing option, spraying wolf urine from the local hunting and game store all around your car could scare the neighborhood cats from jumping on top of your vehicle. The wolf urine will indicate to the animals that there are predators nearby, which is especially frightening for indoor cats. Using this method for a few days could prove to be effective.

Pet Alarm

Installing a motion-sensitive pet alarm may scare away cats with the noise it makes if the animals get too close to your car. You can set it up on the roof of your vehicle each evening when you park your car to ward off felines throughout the night.

Timed Sprinklers

If you don’t have a garage and want to make sure that your car doesn’t have paw prints or scratches from cats once your vehicle is parked, set up a few timed sprinkles in your yard, close to your vehicle. This way, if the cats get too close to the car, they’ll be sprayed with water and run the other way. It’s a common perception that cats hate water, and this is somewhat true with the exception of a few house breeds, so setting up automatic sprinklers may be an effective solution.

ScatMat

A ScatMat is a device you put on your car that shocks animals with static and teaches them not to perch on your vehicle. You can put the ScatMat on or around your car to reinforce to the cats in the neighborhood that your car is not their playground. After you’ve had the mat out for a week or two, you may be able to put it away, as the cats will associate your automobile with static shock. However, it’s a good idea to keep the ScatMat on hand in case any new pets move into the neighborhood.

These are just a few of the remedies you can use to prevent cats from ruining your car. In many cases, it may take a combination of these methods to truly solve the problem.

By Andrew Handley

I’m a professional writer at eXtreme Dog Fence, blogging about healthy and safe driving habits and newest cars.

Please visit my web site at Pet Portraits by Deena and see the many portraits I have painted.  A Pet Portrait makes the perfect gift!