The Best Indoor Cat Repellent to Keep Your Furry Friend Out of Trouble

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Here are the best indoor cat repellents:

Your furry best friend is a curious creature. They love to know about everything, and occasionally their curiosity gets them into trouble. Cats love to play, but they often need a little guidance in order to know the boundaries between good and bad behavior. This is where the best indoor cat repellent products can help.

Do scat mats work for cats?

When I was a kid, I would play a practical joke on my annoying little sister. I would flip the clear plastic floor runners over so the plastic nubs were facing up. She’d step on them barefoot and instantly jump off. Then she’d get me back, often doing the same thing. 

Scat mats are very similar to these plastic runners. They have little nubs on them that are uncomfortable for little paws to step on. These are very effective and do not physically harm cats. Placing them on countertops, tables, and furniture keeps your fur baby from walking there, and over time it trains them to always keep off them.

A scat mat is a great tool for teaching kitty. It works by surprising them with an unexpected sensation. Every cat is different, and it might take a few weeks or months before your stubborn kitty gets the message that playing on the coffee table is a no-no. 

There are some excellent scat mats on the market, but if you are feeling handy, you can make them yourself. Here are a few ideas. 

  • If you have an unused clear plastic runner with nubs, you can always cut it into pieces in the sizes you need. To hold it in place, just get some double-sided tape. 
  • The plastic mats people put their office chair on is perfect. Like floor runners, they have nubs on the bottom. Just cut them into the sizes you need and hold them down with double-sided sticky tape.
  • When making your homemade scat mats, be sure the nubs are rounded, not sharp. You want to deter your cat, not harm her.

At the pet store, you will find scat mats that give off an electric shock when a cat steps on them. Do not use them, since the non-electric versions work just as well without causing any harm. Think about it like this. If you wouldn’t like to be jolted by electricity, neither will your purring best friend.

Do ultrasonic repellers work for cats?

The use of ultrasonic repellers has grown considerably. They are a humane method of keeping cats away from unwanted places, especially when combined with other types of repellents.

Ultrasonic repellers work by emitting high-frequency sounds that startles cats and other animals. They combine most commercial ultrasonic devices with a motion sensor to trigger the sounds. Some also trigger a spray of water or strobe lights. While this method works with most cats, if the kitty in question has hearing loss, it loses effectiveness. 

Studies show that ultrasonic repellers work, but not as well as manufacturers hoped. In fact, even though cats and dogs can hear in the ultrasonic range, the sounds rarely bother them much. This can actually be a good thing because nobody wants to harm their cat. 

Personally, I think a good old-fashioned scat mat can get the job done while not harming pets. What it does is startle them, and when combined with other methods should deter unwanted animals from your yard.

If you decide to test an ultrasonic deterrent out, it shouldn’t harm your cat or dog. It might cause distress in other small animals though, like rodents and rabbits. If you have a pet bunny, you might want to skip this option to be on the safe side. 

Ultrasonic repellers typically last three to five years. Most are meant for outdoor use, but I review an indoor option below that is worth checking out.

The frequency of most devices is between 18-30 Hz. What’s interesting about these devices is that they have a long-term effect. It seems that cats learn to avoid these devices over a period of time, not instantly. 

Our recommendation for the best indoor cat repellent

Below, I have reviewed the most effective cat repellent devices to help you figure out the best training solution for you and your furry buddy. Read on to learn more.

X-Mat Pet Training Mat

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I’m a huge fan of this type of training mat. The nubs repel most cats to keep off the furniture, but it doesn’t work on all kitties. Some are just too smart for human tricks, but the vast majority of cats won’t like the feel of the nubs on their paws.

This mat worked for my cat. I’ll be totally honest and admit that my cat has access to my entire apartment. In fact, it’s his apartment, I just wait on him. 

But my Mom gifted me an antique chair upholstered in a lovely blue velvet that my cat fell in love with. The combination of velvet and long black and white kitty fur was not pretty. So, I used this mat to keep him off of it, and it worked. 

I kept the mat on the cushion for about six weeks, then took it off because it isn’t the prettiest thing in the world. In fact, my one complaint is that I wish they had made this out of clear plastic instead of an opaque cream color. 

Be careful to keep the pointy nubs up. I accidentally laid it on the cushion nub-side down, and my cat jumped on it and laid down, pushing the nubs into the fabric. No permanent damage, thank goodness.

This is an effective cat repeller that works on most cats, It is humane and affordably priced. Consider this option if you want to protect furniture. I suspect it would be a little more difficult to use on tables and countertops since they potentially could slide off.

High Tech Pet Sofa Scram Sonic Repellent Mat

After I removed the above product from the chair, I replaced it with this mat. Extremely effective, though it didn’t just startle the cat. The sound it made jolted me a bit too. 

The mat is about a foot wide and five feet long. Like most devices of this nature, it’s not pretty, but it was very effective.

When my cat leaped on top of it, the beeps it created instantly had an effect. He sat on it for less than ten seconds before he was scrambling for the floor. I dropped my sandwich, but kitty instantly went to work cleaning that mess up. 

This product was too big to keep on the chair, so I replaced it with another one I’ll mention below. Because of its length, this would work perfectly on a couch, loveseat, or countertop. Since my cat loves to lounge on the back of the sofa, I imagine it would work its magic there too. 

If you want a deterrent that causes absolutely no physical harm to your cat, this one works wonders. It’s reasonably priced, and I imagine it works great on other pets too, especially dogs.

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Trusted Pet Pet Repellent

This product is very similar to the one I reviewed above, except it’s the perfect size for a chair. It is around two-and-a-half feet long and eight inches wide. Like the above, if a cat steps on it, it makes a loud beeping noise that is very startling. 

My only actual issue was I wish it was a bit wider. I can imagine my feline learning to push it aside and sitting next to it on the chair. But so far, so good. He is staying off the chair.

Oh, and even though this product works well, when I took it out of the box it appears to be flimsy. I wondered if I would have to send it back but looks are often deceiving. It is definitely a keeper.

So this smaller device is almost perfect for chairs and smaller surfaces, while the one above it is great for long sofas and countertops. My cat loves hanging out on furniture, but so far I’ve had no issue with the kitchen counter. If he does start jumping on the kitchen counter, I’ll give the longer one a try.

This is a wonderful humane cat repeller that does exactly as it says. It’s very affordable and worth checking out.

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Planet Urine CatScram Cat Deterrent

This is an ultrasonic device meant to be used indoors and outdoors. Word of caution: the device isn’t waterproof, so if used outside it has to be protected from the elements. You can either plug it in or insert a nine volt battery.

I have not used the device, but my mother has. I base the rest of the review on her experiences with it.

My Mom loves this device and has one she uses year-round to keep her cat out of her bedroom. According to her, the cat hated the sound from the beginning, but it took a couple of weeks to be effective. 

The cat would try to find ways to dart past the range of the device. When that didn’t work, he learned to avoid the bedroom. Mom has a second one that she plugs in next to the Christmas tree. Her acrobatic cat now avoids climbing the tree and leaves the ornaments alone.

Mom swears by this product, though she says that the range isn’t 15 feet like the manufacturer claims. She thinks it’s about half that. Mom liked it so much she bought a second one for the Christmas tree. If it’s good enough for Mom, you probably will be happy with it too.

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PetSafe SSSCAT Spray Dog and Cat Deterrent

This deterrent is a fabulous option for small, specific areas of your home. It contains a motion detector, and if a cat comes within three feet of it, it releases a non-toxic spray to startle your kitty. 

Because its range is only three feet, this is excellent for places like the kitchen or bathroom sinks, or to protect houseplants. It requires batteries that are not included, so be sure to order them at the same time.

The canister has enough liquid for 80-100 sprays. Once it runs out, you must purchase a replacement canister.

This really works, and it is much more humane than electric jolts. I placed a canister on my bathroom counter next to the sink to discourage my fur baby from napping in the sink.

So far it has worked, plus I’ve never had to buy a replacement canister because my cat got the message, fast. This was an excellent buy, and now I don’t clean cat hair out of the bathroom sink.

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Tattle Tale Vibration Pet Trainer/Alarm

For most pets, this works. It is a small device that detects subtle vibrations, like when your pet steps near it. When it activates, it lets out two piercing beeps that startle your cat. Like the above device, it requires batteries which aren’t included.

With this product, you need to be a little more proactive. What I mean is, it works better if you are standing close by when it beeps. Say ‘NO!’ when it goes off to reinforce the message you don’t want them on your couch, or where ever you have placed the device. 

What I liked most about this product is how portable and small it is. Just pick it up and place it wherever you want. I wished that it gave off more than two beeps.

If I didn’t work from home, I’d worry that my cat wouldn’t be bothered enough by the sound of the beeps for it to be effective while I wasn’t there. But since I am always there, it worked just fine.

This is another pain-free option to train your cat, and I highly recommend it.

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