Cats have a strong sense of smell and they sniff everything around them. It is the scent that decides if a person or a thing is reliable or not. Whenever the feline does not prefer a scent, he avoids things at any cost. This behavior of the kitty will work in your favor in keeping them away from certain areas.
So, what smells do cats hate? You must look for this answer in case you are looking for cat repellents. In the following article, you will get the top cat offending odors around.
What Smells Do Cats Hate?
You may hate a certain type of scent. But when it comes to cats, their sense of smell is much more powerful. The scientists claim that felines have almost 45 to 200 odor-sensitive cells where humans have only 5 million. This boosts the smelling power of cats 9 to 16 times that of humans.
Here are the smells that the cats can not stand out:
1. Citrus
Don’t you find the scent of lemons or oranges refreshing? But the cats somehow find the smell of citrus fruits and vegetables repugnant. As a result, they avoid this scent as much as you can. What citrus fruits and vegetables are we talking about? Here is a list of them:
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- Orange
- Lemon
- Grapefruit
- Lime
- Tomato
- Onion
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Do you know most commercial cat repellents have citrus elements in them? Homemade cat deterrent sprays are equally effective. Or you can just place the orange or lime peels in your garden to keep the stray cats away from the yard.
Again, if your cat jumps or plays on the kitchen counter, place the citrus fruits in the cabinet. The strong scent will be enough to irritate their noses. Cats usually do not eat citrus fruits. Even if they do, they may get diarrhea, vomiting, or dermatitis.
Read More: Why Do Cats Make Biscuits? Reasons Behind This Weird Cat Behavior
2. Litter Box
Do you know your cat is more meticulous than you can think? He notices every detail around him. You can not raise a feline without a litter box, right? A kitty uses the box around 5 times a day. The litter box smells really bad and looks dirty within a week.
The felines hate the smell of a dirty litter box. Even they will suddenly become rebellious about the smelly litter box and find somewhere else to pee. If you have multiple cats, you need to take care of the litter boxes.
Felines are very concerned about their territory. Most times, they prefer not sharing the litter box. In that case, make sure there are several litter boxes in your house. Clean those boxes regularly so that they do not stink.
Do you know what smells like a litter box? Ammonia. Felines hate this smell too. People often spray ammonia around the yard to get rid of feral cats.
Read Also: How Do Cats Mate? Everything You Need To Know
3. Old Fish
“What smells do cats hate?” If you ask me this, the old fish odor will surely be on the list. Liking the taste and liking the smell are two different things. Cats do love eating fish but not the bad or rotten ones. In case you do not know, rotten or old fishes smell really bad. Even a human can barely stand the smell.
If there is an old fish in your fridge, discard it before the odor spreads. Make sure the garbage can is tight enough so that the cats do not get the smell. If your feline by chance gets a bite of the old fish, it will sicken the cat for sure.
4. Banana
You know cats are not a fan of bananas. This fruit gives them a pungent smell. I guess this is due to the high potassium content present in bananas. Some experts believe that the smell of a banana reminds the felines of the medicine containing potassium chloride.
If your pet scratches the furniture or jumps off the high cabinets, rub the banana peels there. The felines will definitely stay away.
5. Strong Spices
“Do cats like the smell of cinnamon?” “Do cats like the smell of pepper?” Have these questions ever crossed your mind? Well, they do not.
The smell of these spices and seasonings kicks an unpleasant feeling in the kitties. Experts suggest that the felines consider this smell toxic. So, they try avoiding it as much as they can. You will notice it more when you are having Indian foods at dinner.
Here are some spice smells that your cat hates:
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- Pepper
- Pepper flakes
- Mustard
- Cinnamon
- Curry
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Cats can only eat sweet pepper or bell pepper. Always cook their meal without any strong spices. Feeding curries or spices may upset your cat’s tummy.
6. Certain Plants And Herbs
Do you know you can use plants and herbs to deter cats? Yes, the felines seem to avoid some plants and herbs as they think those are toxic. To be more surprising, the scientists believe that these plants can actually harm the felines. If they ingest it accidentally, they will vomit, suffer from diarrhea, salivation, dermatitis, and so on.
The following plants and herbs work as cat deterrents:
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- Lavender
- Rue
- Eucalyptus
- Geranium
- Coelus Canina
- Rosemary
- Thyme
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7. Cleaners
Cleaning products that we use in our houses mostly contain chemicals. And do you know what smell cats hate most? Yes, chemicals. The household cleaners, soaps, deodorants, and air fresheners may refresh you but not the felines. They can not bear the odor at all.
8. Mint Odor
Have you noticed cats hate odor that is toxic to them? Mint or mint-related odors are usually avoided by the felines. Cedar, wintergreen, and pine will also top this list. Ingesting any mint or its relatives will make your little furry ball sick.
9. Other Cats
Well, it sounds funny but actually true. Cats sometimes do not like the smell of their fellow siblings or mates. If they are familiar with the feline, then it is alright. But when a new kitty enters the territory, the existing cats may act weird.
What smells do cats hate? You got the list in your hand now. Applying them to keep the cats away from certain areas is also a good idea.
