The Best Cat Spray Deterrents

What to Look For

Choosing which cat spray deterrent will meet your needs can be tricky. Every pet is different, and what works for one may not work for the other. For best results, we recommend focusing on the overall effectiveness and safety of the options you’re considering. For example, Hywean Cat Deterrent Spray uses naturally safe ingredients that cats can’t stand to keep them away from your furniture and other scratchable stuff. However, it doesn’t have the long-term effectiveness of the ever-popular Feliway Optimum Diffuser Spray. Whatever your needs, we have you covered with the list below.

Hywean Cat Deterrent Spray

Powerfully gentle

Safe ingredients are blended perfectly for a powerful effect that keeps your cat at bay.

Best Overall

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Hywean’s deterrent spray uses ingredients like lemongrass and eucalyptus that smell gross and taste bitter to cats. All you have to do is spray it onto whatever surface you want your cat to stay away from, and you’re covered. As time goes on, you can cut back and eventually stop using it as they learn what’s off-limits and what’s not.

Pros:

• This spray has no harsh chemicals that’ll hurt your kids or pets.
• It keeps kittens and cats from scratching, shedding, or peeing in places they shouldn’t.
• The affordable price makes it easy to continue using it until your cat is fully trained.

Cons:

• You have to use it several times a day at first, or it won’t be effective.

SmartyKat Scratching Deterrent

Affordably effective

Saving your furniture doesn't need to cost a fortune, especially when you choose this high-quality spray.

Runner Up

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If you’re on a strict budget, SmartyKat Scratching Deterrent has you covered. It’s a fantastic training aid that helps you teach your kitten or troublesome cat to keep their claws off your bed, couches, drapes, and other easily-scratched-up pieces. So not only is the spray itself affordable, but it helps you save money on replacing your home decor.

Pros:

• This spray works as long as you remember to spray everything every couple of days to refresh the scent.
• You can give this a shot if you’ve already tried other options. It often works for cats that have ignored other sprays.
• There’s a coordinating tape that helps you maximize the effectiveness of the spray.

Cons:

• We found that it can leave a sticky residue on some surfaces.

Hapipet Cat Spray Deterrent

Not just for cats

You can deter cats, kittens, and any small animals from almost anything using this handy spray.

Best For Multiple Pet Owners

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The all-natural pollution-free plant-based formula of Hapipet’s cat deterrent spray is an excellent choice for adult cats and kittens alike. It’s safe enough to use on walls, rugs, furniture, curtains, and anything else you want your furry friends to stay away from. Plus, you won’t need to worry about staining or permanent smells. Best of all, it works for other pets, like dogs, bunnies, and guinea pigs.

Pros:

• As long as you spray everything every couple of days, this spray will remain effective.
• You can stop all your pets from chewing or scratching your valuables, saving you money and time.
• It’s strong enough to work outdoors, helping you keep strays away.

Cons:

• This spray is a bit pricier than some of the competitors.

Feliway Optimum Pheromone Diffuser

Stress reducing spray

This 30-day misting spray helps deter unwanted behaviors by keeping your furry friend calm, cool, and collected.

Best Kit

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If there’s one major issue with many cat deterrent sprays, it’s the need to spray often. That’s not the case when you choose the Feliway Optimum Pheromone Diffuser. All you have to do is set this kit up, and you’re all set for thirty days. It continuously sprays a pheromone-based deterrent to calm their anxiety, which cuts back and eliminates all kinds of problem behaviors, including scratching, spraying, and fights.

Pros:

• This kit is a fabulous choice for rescue cats or kittens who may be skittish. It helps keep them calm as they adjust to avoid unwanted behaviors.
• Each plug-in sprayer covers 700 square feet. You can get several for your whole home.
• Unlike other sprays, it doesn’t smell bad or taste bitter. It simply calms your cat.

Cons:

• If the scratching isn’t due to stress, this spray may not help.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do cat deterrent sprays work?

Deterrent sprays usually use essential oils that cats dislike to keep them away from whatever it is you’re trying to protect. Things like citrus scents, lemongrass, eucalyptus, and other plant oils smell and taste bitter to them. Spraying those scents onto things your cat tends to scratch will make them think twice next time.

Are cat deterrent sprays safe?

Most cat deterrent sprays are made safely with plant-based formulas and oils. However, cats are sensitive, so it’s essential to ensure that the one you choose doesn’t include abnormally high levels of any specific ingredients. You’ll especially want to avoid peppermint, tea tree, and pine.

About the Author

Chelsia has grown up with cats all her life and now has two of her very own. As a mom of five kids, Chelsia has lots of little tricks to share about caring for and training cats to live harmoniously with everyone else in the home. She also knows the latest gadgets to make caring for cats a breeze so you can spend more time with your loved ones and less time worrying about cleaning up after your furry friends.

Why Trust Us

Since 2008, CatTime has provided millions of cat owners with all the information they need to keep their pets happy and healthy. Our experts know exactly what it takes to raise our furry friends and our goal is to help all owners, new or experienced, care for their cats with all the right food, toys, equipment, and accessories.