You love your cat, but that doesn’t mean they don’t get on your nerves sometimes. Cats are notorious for getting into or damaging all sorts of things that they shouldn’t, so it’s understandable if you’re looking for a way to keep your pet from chewing up your vegetable garden or clawing up your couch.

A repellent spray is one of the easiest and most effective ways to discourage undesirable feline behavior. These sprays can be applied directly to the area you want to protect, and they use strong odors or flavors to discourage your cat from interacting with whatever you want them to leave alone.

In the reviews below, we take a closer look at our favorite repellents on the market today. Each option below is safe and effective, so you won’t harm your cat while preventing them from harming your stuff.

A Quick Glance at Our Favorites in 2023

	Image	Product	Details
Best Overall		Four Paws Cat Repellent Spray	Also works on dogs Safe for use on most surfaces No harsh chemicals	CHECK PRICE
Best Value		PetAg Boundary Cat Repellent Spray	Good value for the price Effects last for 24 hours Comes in large, 22-oz. bottle	CHECK PRICE
Premium Choice		PetSafe SSSCAT Spray Repellent	Spray is odorless Protects at distances up to 3 feet Can protect multiple areas at once	CHECK PRICE
		Colton's Naturals Cat Repellent	Long-lasting effects Good for controlling feral cats Extremely effective	CHECK PRICE
		Safer Brand Critter Ridder Animal Repellent	Completely odorless stops destructive chewing Works to some degree against a variety of pests	CHECK PRICE

The 9 Best Cat Repellent Sprays

1. Four Paws Healthy Promise Cat Repellent Spray — Best Overall

Four Paws Healthy Promise utilizes the power of bitter limes to keep your cat at bay. The natural taste and odor are enough to deter most cats, and it even works on dogs, so you can protect your home from your entire menagerie.

The spray uses natural ingredients instead of harsh chemicals, so it’s completely safe for cats to consume (but hopefully, they’ll decide not to). It’s also safe for use on most surfaces, including wood and fabric.

It’s even safe enough to spray on your cat, if you’re trying to get them to stop licking a sore spot, for example.

Beware, though; this stuff is strong. Be careful about spraying it in an enclosed room, as it can quickly become overpowering. However, if nothing else has worked, it may be your best bet.

Four Paws Healthy Promise is a seriously powerful repellent, and it’s a clear choice for the top spot of best cat repellent spray.

2. PetAg Boundary Cat Repellent Spray — Best Value

If you have multiple surfaces that you want to keep your cat away from, PetAg Boundary can be used both indoors or outside. It’s great for keeping cats out of gardens and garbage cans, as well as off of furniture.

Despite its versatility, the spray is surprisingly inexpensive. It comes in a large, 22-ounce bottle that’s nevertheless cheaper than many other, smaller sprays. That’s why it’s our pick for best cat repellent spray for the money, and the best cat repellent spray for furniture.

The effects of the spray last for 24 hours, so while it won’t provide permanent deterrence, it should be more than enough to curb temporary misbehavior. If you’re diligent about reapplication, you can quickly teach your cat which areas are off-limits.

You may not want to apply it indoors, though, because it has a noxious odor. It smells like burnt plastic, which isn’t likely something that you want filling your home.

If you want an affordable, effective solution, PetAg Boundary is one of the most cost-effective options on the market.

3. PetSafe SSSCAT Spray Pet Repellent — Premium Choice

The hard part about using a deterrent is catching your cat in the act. PetSafe SSSCAT solves that problem by acting as a remote guard dog on your behalf.

It has to be paired with the SSSCAT Spray System, which is a motion-activated device that sprays an odorless stream at your cat when they venture into areas that they should avoid. That makes it extremely effective and completely harmless.

Of course, if you don’t have that system, then all you have is a spray can (which can still be effective). Each can only contains enough for about 80–100 sprays, which isn’t much, given the price.

It works at distances up to 3 feet, so you can protect multiple areas with one device. It will also work on just about any animal, not just cats.

If you are truly serious about keeping your cat away from certain areas (and are willing to spend money to do so), then PetSafe SSSCAT and the SSSCAT Spray System represent an extremely effective, high-tech solution.

To conclude, this is our premium pick for best cat deterrent spray this year.

4. Colton’s Naturals Outdoor Cat Repellent Spray

Colton’s Naturals is designed solely for outdoor use, as its peppermint and citronella oil odor is extremely strong. That limits its versatility, but if you just want to control the neighborhood cats, it’s a fantastic choice.

The spray is long-lasting, as each application will linger for 2–4 weeks. You may have to reapply it after a rain, but it should give you plenty of protection in the meantime. Of course, that also means that you’ll have to deal with the odor during that period as well.

The ingredients are completely organic, and they’re safe for animals and kids, allowing you to spray it liberally around your home.

This stuff is expensive, so it’s a good thing that it’s effective. That said, the bottle is prone to leaking.

If you have a feral cat problem on your hands, Colton’s Naturals is an excellent way to get things under control, even though it’s a bit overpriced.

5. Safer Brand Critter Ridder Animal Repellent

Safer Brand Critter Ridder definitely has the best name on this list, but the actual formula isn’t quite up to the same standard as our top picks.

It claims to repel a variety of pests, including squirrels, skunks, groundhogs, and raccoons in addition to cats. This stuff does work, just not against every animal and not all the time. It only seems to last for 48 hours or so (less if it rains), and cats can quickly become accustomed to it if you don’t reapply it liberally.

It isn’t overpowering to human noses; in fact, it’s doubtful you’ll even be able to smell it. It seems to rely on taste more than odor, as the formula includes ingredients like black pepper and capsaicin.

As a result, Safer Brand Critter Ridder is best suited for anything that cats munch on rather than things that they scratch up or roll in. That makes it a great choice for veggie gardens, but it won’t do much for a couch that they sharpen their claws on.

6. Harbors Cat Repellent

Most cats dislike the smell of citrus, which is why Harbors Cat Repellent uses it as its primary deterrent. Even better, many people do like the smell, so it seems like a win-win.

However, the fact is that cats generally have a mild aversion to the smell more than anything (and some cats actually like it). They can definitely overcome it if they’re motivated enough, so this stuff likely isn’t strong enough to repel a determined cat.

It’s also fairly complicated to use. You have to apply it at least three times per day for the first week, which is needlessly difficult. The idea is to train the cat to leave the surface alone even when it doesn’t have the oil on it, however.

The good news is that it’s safe for both you and your cat. It’s also made with cruelty-free methods and eco-friendly packaging.

Harbors Cat Repellent is a great choice if you want to feel good about your purchase, but it’s simply not powerful enough to warrant a higher ranking here.

7. Nature’s Mace Cat Repellant MACE

Nature’s Mace certainly sounds intimidating, although you may be a bit leery about the idea of macing your cat. Fortunately, it’s not nearly as powerful as actual mace.

Each 40-ounce bottle has enough liquid to protect 1,000 square feet of yard, so there’s plenty to go around. However, you’ll likely need to really soak any area that you want to keep your kitty away from, so you might not get that much distance out of it.

It can be used indoors or out, although you won’t want to spray it on your grass, as it has a tendency to kill plants. This also limits its utility in gardens, so you’re better off going with something else if you’re trying to protect your tomatoes.

The smell is also atrocious, so you may not want to spray it all over your house. You’d think that cinnamon would be a pleasant scent, but this is far too pungent. Your cat likely won’t mind it as much as you do, though. It also tends to leave a residue.

The name might seem foreboding, but Nature’s Mace isn’t powerful enough to discourage your cat for long. However, it may keep you out of the area that you spray, so that’s something.

8. Lambert Kay Boundary Cat Repellent

You won’t have a hard time figuring out where you’ve applied Lambert Kay Boundary, as the smell will hit you right in the face once you get close. It’s not a pleasant smell either, so you may not want to use it indoors.

Each application lasts for about a day, so you’ll have to smell it for quite some time. Also, it completely loses its efficacy after that, so you’ll have to choose between saving your nose or your furniture at that point.

If you’re consistent with the application, you may be able to eventually train your cat to leave the desired area alone. If you miss a day, though, all your progress will be lost, so it takes dedication on your part.

You’ll go through a great deal of this stuff if you plan on training your cat properly, but fortunately, it’s fairly cheap.

Lambert Kay Boundary can prove effective if used properly, but it will take work (and a high tolerance for odor) from you.

9. Cat Guard Pro Pet Cat Repellent Spray

Cat Guard Pro is available in four different scents, so you should be able to find one that you can tolerate. Most of the odors are fairly faint, though, so neither you nor your cat is likely to notice them much.

It’s only designed to stop unwanted scratching, and even then, the manufacturer recommends trimming their claws and providing a scratching post rather than relying on the spray alone. It’s simply not that powerful.

It’s expensive given how much you get, as it only comes in a tiny 4-ounce bottle. If you’re looking to keep your cat away from a large area, this stuff won’t get it done.

You’re also not going to get much use of it outside. The odor is simply too faint to be effective in an outdoor setting.

Cat Guard Pro isn’t going to bother you or your family too much, but unfortunately, it won’t deter your cat all that much either.

Buyer’s Guide: Selecting the Best Cat Deterrent

Most cat owners have no experience with buying a repellent, so it’s only natural if you have a ton of different questions. In the guide below, we’ll walk you through common queries so you have a better idea of what to look for in a cat repellent.

How Do Cat Repellents Work?

There are a variety of options that all work in different ways.

The most common ones use undesirable odors to keep your cat away. Cats have much stronger senses of smell than we do, so a rank odor can be unbearable to them. The downside to this is that many of these repellents will also repel you, so you may not want to spray them inside.

Others use foul tastes to deter cats. These are used when biting, rather than scratching, is the behavior that you want to discourage. This limits their overall utility, and you run the risk of your cat actually developing a taste for the deterrent.

Others use blasts of compressed air or jets of water to make cats scram. These can be effective, but they’re also expensive and prone to malfunctioning. Plus, if your cat learns that the machine isn’t really a threat, they may just ignore it.

Ultimately, the best cat deterrent for you will depend on what behavior you’re trying to discourage and what your cat is most likely to be repelled by.

Are Cat Repellents Safe for My Cat?

Yes, most are safe. They use humane methods to change your cat’s behavior over time.

The vast majority use natural ingredients that cats simply don’t like, such as citrus or cinnamon. These aren’t toxic to cats, but they’ll go out of their way to avoid them all the same.

Exposure to foul tastes or odors won’t harm your cat, although you’d never know it from the faces they’ll make. Still, you should be careful about applying any of these products directly to your pet unless the directions say that it’s okay.

Some repellents, such as the ones that blast your cat with compressed air, can cause anxiety in some kitties. This can lead to further misbehavior, such as aggression, as your cat begins to be skittish all the time.

This type of reaction is quite rare, however, and most cats will simply learn to leave the protected area alone.

Are These Products Safe to Use Around My Family?

If they’re safe for your cat, they’ll most likely be safe for your other family members as well. That doesn’t mean that your family will necessarily enjoy them, though.

Many of the scent-based options are extremely strong; they have to be in order to keep your cat away. However, that means that you’ll have to put up with a foul odor as well, so these may not be ideal for indoor use.

If you do use something inside the house, it will have to be something that everyone in your family (except the cat, of course) can tolerate. Otherwise, you’ll make yourself miserable in the process.

Do I Have to Keep Using These Products to See Results?

Each product has a different lifespan. Some last for a few hours, while others can repel cats for weeks.

Ultimately, the goal is to wean yourself off of a repellent altogether. The idea is to continually discourage your cat from going to a certain area or interacting with a certain object until they just stop trying.

Once you get to the point where your cat avoids the area on their own, you can stop using a deterrent. Until then, though, it’s essential to use them religiously, or else you run the risk of undoing all your progress.

Conclusion

Four Paws Healthy Promise is one of the most versatile options we’ve found, which is why it earned our top marks here. Not only will it protect every surface in your house, but you can also use it on your cat as well, making it a good choice for stopping unwanted licking or biting.

PetAg Boundary is a good option for use both indoors and out, and it has the bonus of being extremely affordable. If you’re trying to keep every cat in the neighborhood at bay, it deserves a close look.

Keeping your cat away from certain places is difficult to do, but with the help of the deterrents on our list, you should finally be able to earn some peace of mind. We hope that our cat repellent reviews have made it easier for you to pick a product that will work for you.

Related Read: 

• How to Keep Cats Away from Certain Areas (18 Proven Methods)
• 14 Smells That Cats Hate: A Comprehensive Guide

Featured Image Credit: Pashin Georgiy, Shutterstock