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Does Vinegar Keep Cats Away? (Answered)

If you have one or more cats in the house, you would know how your cats can be quite naughty sometimes.

They could scratch your new furniture to ruins and have a go at the plants that you set so dearly.

If that’s the scenario for you, you’d want a repellent that is both safe and effective to keep the cats away. And one such repellent could be vinegar.

Does vinegar keep cats away?

Vinegar is a good, natural repellant that can keep cats away, owing to its strong, acidic smell. Since cats have a heightened sense of smell, they are most likely to smell vinegar from a further way. Moreover, cats dislike the odor of vinegar and hence stay away from places where vinegar is sprayed.

Apple cider vinegar:

Apple cider vinegar is the type that is obtained from the fermentation process of apple juice. The smell of apple cider vinegar is stronger than white vinegar and has a putrid as well as sour scent.

Apple cider vinegar, when sprayed, soaked, or used as a cleaning agent in certain areas, can successfully keep cats away completely.

Depending on what surface you’d want your cat to be kept away from, it is also vital to dilute the strong solution accordingly.

White vinegar:

The use of white vinegar as a natural repellent can be tested many times.

Although the smell of white vinegar is much more tolerable and not as strong as apple cider vinegar, cats are still not so fond of the sharp white vinegar odor.

Full strength white vinegar is quite acidic, and thus, you would need to carry out a test before using it on certain fabrics, surfaces, and plants.

Other than that, some people mix other essential oil to balance the after smell from white vinegar, although that might mitigate its effects as a cat repellent as well.

Vinegar and water solution:

If your target area to keep the paws away is plants, you would need to research first. Many plants are not tolerant to full strength vinegar and can turn brown if sprayed on.

 If you’re in doubts about spoiling a plant or surface but still wish to use vinegar to deter cats away, a good way is to use a solution of vinegar and water.

This would be much less acidic, and in turn, the smell would be faint.

Does vinegar keep stray cats away? Does vinegar keep cats off furniture?

Vinegar, whether you wish to use full strength, diluted, apple cider vinegar, or white vinegar can all be used to keep away stray cats from your territory.

Let’s face it, stray cats can be quite bothersome sometimes. They could come around your yard, ruin your plants, and most commonly, pee in front of your door. To prevent this, one of the best solutions to use might be a vinegar solution.

Not only does this keep stray dogs away, but you are also assured that the repellent is natural and would not harm physically the cats at all.

However, you may want to keep in mind that some stray dogs would not be deterred from the vinegar odor because their tolerance for acidic smells is much higher.

Similarly, spraying a solution of vinegar and water on furniture can also keep cats away. Keep the vinegar to water ratio such that the smell lingers without ruining the furniture.

Will white vinegar keep the cat away from pissing? Will vinegar-water mixture keep cats away from plants?

A stray cat, feral cat, or even your pet might be tempted to piss around the house. Truthfully, there’s nothing more you’d want than making your cat understand that your home or yard is not where they should piss.

One way to keep this from happening is using white vinegar on the areas they would most likely visit for a bathroom break. You can also soak papers in white vinegar or a stronger vinegar and water solution and keep the soaked paper in the area.

Once a cat visits and turns away due to the smell, it might not even return to the spot again.

The reason why a more diluted solution of vinegar and water is advised to be used is to keep the plants safe as well. Raw or undiluted vinegar can be too acidic and turn the plant brown and eventually collapse it.

Why does vinegar deter cats?

As you have already understood that vinegar does keep cats away. Sometimes using a little bit of vinegar in your daily cleaning can keep cats away for good from a particular area.

Here are a few possible reasons why cats run away at the scent of vinegar:

Vinegar has a strong smell:

Surely you have vinegar in your kitchen right now and quite possibly, all the time. Opening a bottle of hit always strikes your nose with the most peculiar of smell.

The smell of vinegar is not the most pleasant, and due to its acidity, it leaves a sharp and smarting odor. Like humans, cats too dislike such sour odors and hence keep away from wherever vinegar is present.

Cats have sensitive noses:

If you are to compare the smelling ability of a human to that of a cat, cats can have a sense of smell that is about 15 times stronger than us.

From that, you can assume how strongly the smell of vinegar might hit their noses. There are about 50 to 200 million sensory receptors on a cat’s nose, compared to the 5 million receptors of humans.

Cats have an extra organ for smell:

One of the reasons that contribute to cats having such a heightened sense of smell is the special organ located in their nasal cavity called the Jacobson’s organ.

This organ picks up the slightest of odors and enhances it. Jacob’s organ, along with the millions of receptors together allows them to pick up the smell of vinegar even from far away.

What kind of vinegar keeps cats away? Is vinegar a good cat repellent?

The best kind of vinegar to use is either white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. You can use unfiltered, the full strength of both kinds of vinegar but if you want to use it on surfaces with the possibility of staining, it is best to dilute it.

Vinegar is natural, acidic, and widely available which makes it a perfect cat repellent. When it comes to animals, it is best to use repellents that are toxin or chemical free.

Other than that, since the repellent only works to spread the smell, it is wiser to use something natural as well.

You can also play with the concentration of vinegar and the strength of the smell depending on where you plan to put the repellant.

For furniture and plants, it is best to use more diluted versions. For harder surfaces, you can use raw vinegar for best results.

How to use vinegar for cat repellent?

There are several ways and applications to use when using vinegar as a cat repellent. Here are a few effective ideas and steps to follow:

  • You would first have to identify and research the surface you are planning to apply the vinegar repellant. If there is fabric or plants around, diluting vinegar is necessary as it can harm the surfaces.
  • If you are using white vinegar, then mix vinegar with water in the 1:2 ratio. Transfer the solution into a spray bottle and spray it on your desired area.
  • It is important to not overdo the process if you have plants around. If there are acid loving plants, you can spray on the grounds generously around those plants.
  • In case you are using apple cider vinegar, mix equal parts of the vinegar with water. You may want to only concentrate on areas where the cat is likely to visit.
  • If you are spraying indoors over furniture, it is best to carry out a test to see if any surface gets stained.
  • While spraying is versatile, simple, and works for both outside and inside, there are a few other ways to use vinegar.
  • If there is no risk of spoiling or staining the surface or plants, you can sponge the area with undiluted or diluted vinegar for better results.
  • Another way is to add a teaspoon or two of vinegar to your cleaning solution which you would use to clean the floor.

This would leave a faint smell of acidity around that could deter stray cats from entering through windows.

Final Thoughts

Whether you wish to use unfiltered, raw, or diluted vinegar, you can be certain that cats would not enter your premises if it smells like vinegar. With millions of receptors, cats can feel the odor much more vividly. The sour flavor of vinegar gives it an unpleasant smell that cats are not fond of.