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Occasionally I noticed that when my garage door is open, stray cats come and sit under the car. It could be because they like the warmth under the engine compared to the coldness of outside. I don't mind it because it winter is cold.

The problem is that when I close the garage door at night, sometimes a cat stays in and is locked for the whole night. I do check and try to hush out the cats, but it is not always possible or feasible to thoroughly check. There isn't any food or other things which can be attracted to cats. What happens is that I've to clean and wash the garage the next day because the cats have used the garage as their toilet.

How can make sure that cats are not trapped inside my garage?

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  • As you admit that it is not always possible or feasible to thoroughly check, you might not be able to ensure that nothing has been shut inside.
    – Stan
    Apr 3, 2018 at 16:44
  • Are you willing to fit a cat flap to your garage door? (A flap that can be configured for exit only)
    – Caius Jard
    Sep 7, 2018 at 4:05

4 Answers 4

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Can you annoy stray cats enough to leave [avoid] your garage using noise ?

Humans and cats have a similar range of hearing on the low end of the scale, but cats can hear much higher-pitched sounds, up to 64 kHz, which is nearly two octaves above the range of a human, and even 1 octave above the range of a dog.

Maybe a high-pitch "noise" oscillator can be used to discourage using your garage as a spot to relax and encourage moving along.

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Since cats have superior smelling abilities, they are extremely sensitive to scent-based cat repellents for sale or you can make your own.

A really simple homemade one can be mixed with essential oils such as citronella, lavender, peppermint or lemongrass (3 parts water to 1 part oil) in a spray bottle and applied to known or suspect problem areas. You will need to reapply the solution as it loses effect.

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  • I appreciate you taking time and effort to answer. Is there a reason for two answers instead of one?
    – Farhan
    Apr 3, 2018 at 12:58
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    @Farhan It's well known that "there's more than one way to skin a cat."
    – Stan
    Apr 3, 2018 at 13:07
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Provide an alternate desirable location for the stray cat.

Some are too feral to accept formal domicile.

I have wrapped a 100 watt bulb in crumpled aluminum foil as a heat source for tiny critters. Put the "radiator" inside a cardboard box placed in a suitable location with the entrance protected. Some kind of insulation would be an added plus.

The shelter is minimal but inexpensive and effective. Doing this will give you some peace of mind that you're doing everything in a humanistic and caring manner.

You'll want to keep your garage door closed to encourage your grateful visitor to make the "right" choice

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  • +1 @Stan I would add an inexpensive litter box tucked away in or near an area in the garage so in the event you have overnight guests, they don’t soil your garage. Overall, the cost, effort and minor inconvenience of providing an adequate shelter for these homeless animals is repaid in the kindnesses you show. Additionally, many areas have orgs. dedicated to the care of feral and homeless cats.
    – M.Mat
    Apr 4, 2018 at 1:52
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Keep Kitty litter in the garage.

Cats are independent and discrete; but, fastidious. If you leave an inch or two of "litter" in a suitable small shallow plastic receptacle, a trapped cat will find it and use it. That will confine the location of the "accident" to a place of your choosing. It's mere presence won't draw cats, per se.

Of course, if it isn't used it can remain "ready" in case of need.

This stuff is multi-purpose. It is also handy to soak up oil on concrete garage floors and for traction when spread on icy surfaces when the temperature drops below zero.

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    This is not an answer to the question; but, it might be a useful Plan B if Plan A doesn't work.
    – Stan
    Apr 3, 2018 at 6:24
  • It's not a direct answer to the question, true, but it's definitely a lifehack!
    – peterG
    Apr 3, 2018 at 23:05

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