I'm looking for some advise or suggestions. An acquaintance told me he has moved into a new place - I believe it's an apartment in a complex - and there are cats running loose all over. They frequently come around his doorway and one nearly got into his place one day when he opened the door. He is highly allergic to cats and wants to know if there is something he can put around his doorway that will keep the cats away. He doesn't want to harm them in any way - just repel them from his immediate doorway and apartment area. Thanks for any suggestions.

Laura D.

Cayenne pepper is supposed to keep them out of your plants. Tell him to search the web, it's amazing the message boards you can find!

If he goes to a feed store or hardware store (I'm pretty sure El Mel Feed Store up there in Florissant has it) you should be able to find some cat repellent. That's usually pelletized or spray-bottled coyote urine or the like. You just spread or spray around the area and it says to keep cats away.

Also, to keep them from following him in the door, a spray bottle of water would be pretty effective. Keep the spray bottle in the car or outside where he can get to it easily. If there are cats around his porch when he gets home just squirt them once or twice until they back off. If he's consistent with that eventually the the sight of him and/or his car may be enough to scare them away.

And, of course, there 's the Internet. I'm sure there's more tips for him out there.

Apparently cats hate citrus smells. A friend of mine keeps her housecats from eating her plants by placing cottonballs with orange oil on them in the pot. I think you have to get the essential oil, not the stuff for cooking??

Thank you all for the feed-back. I will give him this information and let him take it from there.