How to Keep Cats Out of a Sandbox

There is nothing like a good size sandbox for the young kids to play in during the warm months of the year. Kids will enjoy the time spent playing with sand buckets and shovels building large sandy monuments and adding a little water and figurines to add to their dune play set. The fun stops there though when the sandbox becomes a public restroom for the neighborhood cats. Neighborhood felines have a tendency to treat local sandboxes as their personal outdoor litter box thus rendering the play area useless for the child for the remainder of the season.

There are some steps one can take to keep cats away from your sandbox. The important thing about ridding your sand area of cats is safety for children as well as even the offending cat. All you really want to do is deter the cat from wanting to visit the area. The best ways to keep cats away from the sandbox are to install a sandbox cover, use of household cooking products, or installation of deterrent devices using water or sound.

Sandbox cover

If purchasing a plastic or small premade sandbox, I would recommend getting one that includes a cover. Once the children are done playing in the sand for the day, it doesn't get any simpler than closing the box with the plastic molded lid. If your sandbox is homemade or made with a wooden frame, there are a variety of ways to cover up your play area. One way is to simply make a fitted top such as a lattice cover or screened top using light or thin strips of wood or even plastic lattice boards. Lattice and screened lids are ideal as they allow damp sand to vent out excess moisture. Other sandbox covers include a removable tarp that clips on to the box with buttons or latches. The tarp works well to keep out rain water but may not allow existing moist sand to dry out. Whether using a tarp or very light lid makes sure the top fastens securely to the sandbox to avoid blowing away during heavy storms. Also make sure that the make shift lid and clasps do not possess any sharp edges that could injure the children playing in the area.

Household Products

There are a number of household foods that felines absolutely detest. Some of these products include orange peels, coffee grounds, and cayenne pepper. Create a mixture in a large cup using any three or all three of these ingredients adding water to make a solution. Take this crazy concoction and sprinkle along the perimeter of the sandbox play area and the cat will turn nose and tall away once he or she gets a whiff of this new barrier. You will have to re-apply this solution every few days due to wearing away by rain and the sun.

Motion Devices

One of the best devices available for keeping cats out of the sandbox or even yard is a water sprinkler triggered by a motion sensor. These devices can be found online and are one of the most humane ways of keeping cats out of the yard. A few soakings of cold water will be enough to deter the neighborhood cat from urinating or burying fecal matter in the sandbox, garden or even yard.

Other useful devices for keeping cats away include sound devices that maintain high pitch frequencies not liked by cats, dogs, and rodents. These devices may not be suitable for the homeowner that owns a pet. The resident dog or cat may find such sounds to be very annoying. I recommend this device to the pet free home being burdened by the neighbor with several offending cats.