When your garden and porch have been a site of frequent intrusion by the neighboring stray cats, you might get desperate to use any and every means possible to keep those intruding felines away.
One suggestion that you may come across is to keep a fake owl in the garden to keep the stray cats away.
But is it really effective? Is the display of a fake owl enough to keep stray cats away? If not, then what are some other more effective alternatives?
Read along as we navigate through these questions in this article.
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Are Cats Scared Of Owls?
Well, sometimes.
An owl and a cat are often not known to be sworn enemies or predators of each other. The only thing they share in common is that they are both largely nocturnal animals.
So, in some cases, a kitten or a smaller cat may be scared of a larger species of owl. And this fear is based on sound reasons.
According to anecdotal evidence, there have been instances wherein a larger species of owl has carried away cats and kittens as prey.
Now, usually, owls do not prey on cats. Their favorite meal consists of rodents and smaller birds. But if their regular meal is in short supply, then a hungry owl will go for whatever it can find – sometimes including cats.
This is why it may not be unusual for your cat to be afraid of a large owl.
Will A Fake Owl Keep Stray Cats Away From My Garden And Porch?
Again, the answer to this is – sometimes.
Using a fake owl may or may not be effective in keeping stray cats away from your premises. You may give it a shot. Get a fake owl and keep it perched on the fence or branch of a tree. See the effects in the next few days.
Using a fake owl is a very unreliable method of keeping stray cats away.
A better way is to go for much more effective, tried, and tested methods such as motion-sensing sprinklers and natural DIY cat repellents made using household items like coffee grounds, tea, vinegar, or citrus peels.
Where Can I Get A Fake Owl To Keep Cats Away?
You can get a fake owl easily from any online shopping site such as amazon, or you may even check the toy stores in your locality.
Here is a list of some of the best fake owls available on amazon that act as a decoy to deter stray cats and other birds and pests:
1 – BUBOBOSS Fake Scarecrow Owl Decoy
Brand: BuboBoss
Price: $50 (subject to change depending upon ongoing discounts and sales)
Item Dimensions: 16.1 x 8.98 x 7.28 inches
Item Weight: 2.18 Pounds
Overall Rating By Customers: 3.6 out of 5 stars
USP: This product has multiple unique features:
- It comes with a lifetime warranty
- It is solar-powered and has a battery backup
- It uses 4-in-1 deterrence technology – motion sensing, flashing eyes, 180-degree head movements, and realistic owl sounds
2 – Careland Solar Fake Owl Decoy
Brand: CARELAND
Price: $43 (subject to change depending upon ongoing discounts and sales)
Item Dimensions: 7.08 x 5.9 x 15.75 inches
Item Weight: 1.44 lbs
Overall Rating By Customers: 3.7 out of 5 stars
USP: This product has multiple unique features:
- 8 ft distance motion sensors
- Flashing eyes and frightening sounds that can be operated by a switch
- Weather-resistant
- Solar-powered
3 – Plastic Owl Scarecrow Sculpture With Rotating Head
Brand: Besmon
Price: $25 (subject to change depending upon ongoing discounts and sales)
Item Dimensions: 14.6 x 5 inches (L x W)
Item Weight: 400 grams (0.88 lbs)
Overall Rating By Customers: 3.9 out of 5 stars
USP: This product has multiple unique features:
- 1:1 high imitation design paired with wind-controlled rotating mechanism: When the wind blows the baffle, the owl’s head rotates with the wind, Like a real owl
The Pros And Cons Of Using A Fake Owl Decoy To Keep Cats Away
Like any other cat repellent, a fake owl decoy has its own set of pros and cons.
Advantages Of Using A Fake Owl Decoy To Keep Cats Away
- A fake owl decoy is one of the most harmless, safest ways of keeping stray cats away. There is no involvement of any chemicals that need to be ingested or inhaled in any way. This keeps their health safe and only works to shoo them from your garden or porch.
- A fake owl decoy has added advantages of also keeping noisy birds and pests away from your premises.
- A fake owl decoy does not cause any harm to your garden in any way. In fact, it may act as a decorating element if you prefer the wilderness aesthetic.
Disadvantages Of Using A Fake Owl Decoy To Keep Cats Away
- A fake owl decoy is a very unreliable method of keeping cats away. Some stray cats may fear it and some may not.
- A fake owl decoy is also easy for stray cats to get used to. This means that the intruding stray cats may eventually get used to the fact that this owl is just a fake statue and not a real threat – so your cat repellent may become ineffective over time.
Alternatives To A Fake Owl Decoy For Keeping Cats Away From Your Premises
A fake owl decoy may or may not be a very reliable method for keeping the neighboring stray cats away from your premises.
There are several better alternatives available, that are not only accessible and harmless but also more effective than a fake owl decoy.
1 – Coffee Grounds
Cats dislike the smell of coffee. They are repelled by the intense aroma of any kind of coffee – be it grounded, instant, or liquid coffee. You can use coffee grounds to make a DIY cat repellent that is safe and effective.
More Details: Do Coffee Grounds Keep Cats Away?
2 – Vinegar
If you want a slightly stronger alternative than a fake owl decoy or a handful of coffee grounds, then you can opt for vinegar. You simply need to make a very dilute solution of vinegar with water to make a cat repellent spray.
This repellent is more effective than any other options simply because not only is the smell of vinegar more pungent and intense, but also it lingers for a longer time.
More Details: Does Vinegar Keep Cats Away?
3 – Tea Bags
If you are not very troubled by intruding cats, then you may opt for a slightly milder but just as effective cat repellent – tea bags or loose tea powder. Not unlike coffee grounds, cats also hate the smell of most teas.
So, this can be another one of your go-to ingredients for making a cat repellent that is easily available in your kitchen cabinet.
More Details: Do Used Tea Bags Keep Cats Away?
4 – Citrus Fruits
You can use the peels, juice, or essential oils of citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, etc. to keep neighboring stray cats away.
One of the smells that cats seem to hate the most is the acidic, strong aroma of citrus fruits.
More Details: Do Orange Peels Keep Cats Away?
Frequently Asked Questions
Do owls kill cats?
Not always – especially not if you don’t live in a rural area with a large owl population. Only very large species of owls have been known to date to have attacked cats – and even that must have happened only because its usual prey must have been in short supply.
Do cats kill owls?
Sometimes, a cat may prey on the younger ones of an owl – either if the nest is accessible or if the younger one has fallen or separated from its mother. Cats are natural hunters and they do predate upon smaller birds as a wilderness instinct.
Final Words
Using fake owl decoys may be one of the unpopular ways of keeping the neighboring stray cats away. This method is unreliable and it may or may not always work.
Moreover, even if it seems to work initially, it may not be as sustainable as other methods – this is because the intruding stray cats may become used to the fake decoy. The cats may realize that the owl is a decoy and not a threat.
But it does have its own advantages – for instance, the fake owl decoys do not involve any chemicals that need to be ingested or inhaled. This means that a fake owl decoy is completely harmless to the health of cats.
All in all, it is a very hit-and-trial kind of method that you can try and check if it works for you.
Must Read: 5 Natural & Safe DIY Home Remedies to Keep Cats Away
