Deter Unwelcome Critters (the humane way)
Keeping animals away from your home or garden can feel like a never-ending task, but you don’t have to choose harsh measures. There are gentle, practical ways to stop foxes, squirrels, cats, and other creatures from making themselves at home where they shouldn’t. Also read our post on humanely deterring mice.
If using plants to deter critters, learn more on pet-friendly gardens (includes indoor plants to avoid). Avoid facing indoor foliage to gardens, to help stop bird strike.
Avoid dodgy ‘natural methods’ like essential oils (some can harm wildlife, pets and children).
Humane Wildlife Solutions offers kind alternatives, to reduce wildlife conflict. It offers a nationwide consultancy and a gull helpline (read why we should give seagulls back their natural homes )
Secure Rubbish and Compost
Animals are attracted to food scraps. Use bins with tight-fitting lids and avoid leaving leftovers out at night. Feed pets indoors, clear up spilled birdseed and pick up fallen fruit. Keep compost heaps covered. This stops smells spreading and keeps foxes, rats and birds from scavenging for snacks.
Deter unwelcome critters by deep-cleaning with scent-free biodegradable liquids, open windows ajar to air, vacuum regularly, and remove old food and sugary drinks.
Seal Entry Points
Check spaces for gaps or holes, and fix broken boards. Mice, rats and squirrels can slip through tiny spaces, so block them with sturdy material. Never use netting, this can trap birds and wildlife. Prune back overhanging branches that give creatures access to roofs.
Limit Standing Water Sources
Standing water draws all sorts of wildlife, from birds to rodents. Fix leaks quickly, use child/pet-friendly water butts, and don’t leave open buckets of water around (this also prevents drowning accidents).
Never Use Rat Poison
Owls and foxes both eat rats, so never use rat poison, as it reduces their natural food, and harms other wild creatures. The Fox Project runs a humane deterrence programme (call for advice on simple humane methods that work – it can also rescue sick and abandoned cubs).
Inventions to Humanely Deter Critters
Grazers is a nontoxic calcium spray to humanely deter deer, pigeons, geese, wild rabbits and even possums abroad, by making grass unpalatable (so don’t use near pet rabbits). Also sold in bulk for golf courses and tennis courts, there is also a version to humanely deter slugs and snails.
Mouse Mesh is a metal grille (don’t cover gas vents and keep clear of leaves) to deter mice from entering homes (also in a thicker version to deter rats). Planting peppermint, thyme, rosemary or lavender can sometimes deter rats (they don’t like the scents).
Waspinator is a brown paper bag that looks like a nest to territorial wasps. Most won’t set up shop, if they see one.
Picas offers expert on humane deterrence for pigeons, doves and other urban birds. Their effective methods are more affordable than lethal control, and used by hospitals and council buildings.
Books on Humane Critter Deterrence
- Humane Critter Control looks at how to humanely deter nearly all creatures using protective barriers, using insect behaviour knowledge.
- The Humane Gardener looks at how to deter unwelcome visitors, without harm. Avoid toxic plants near pets.
- Living with Urban Wildlife is by the late John Bryant, London’s humane deterrence expert. He knew how to kindly deter every creature from squirrels in the loft to rats in the garden, so benefit from his wisdom.
- Also read how to humanely deter ants.
Make your home and garden less inviting
Most problems start the same way: an animal finds food, water, warmth, or an easy gap. Remove one, and you might reduce visits. Remove all four, and the problem often fades.
A weekend of small jobs can make a big difference. Start with a calm walk-around in daylight. Check the base of walls, bin area, shed corners, air bricks, and anywhere pipes enter the house. Then work from simple fixes to bigger ones.
- Tidy and clean where crumbs, seed, or pet food builds up.
- Secure waste so nothing can forage easily.
- Trim and clear spots that offer cover, especially near walls.
- Seal gaps once you’re sure you won’t trap anything inside.
One important point: if you suspect an active bird nest, bats, or other protected wildlife, pause and check local guidance before blocking access. It’s illegal to disturb creatures.
Cut off food and water sources
Food is the main reason animals return. If you remove the buffet, you stop repeat visits because there’s no reward.
Start where spillages happen. Bird feeders often scatter seed onto patios, borders, and under hedges. Add a tray, sweep up daily, and move feeders away from walls. Compost is another draw, especially if you add cooked food, meat, or oily leftovers. Keep compost covered, use a closed bin if rodents are an issue, and bury fresh scraps in the centre.
Bins deserve special attention. Choose a bin with a solid lid, rinse food packaging before it goes out, and don’t overfill bags so they split. If foxes or gulls tear rubbish, put it out on the morning of collection, not the night before.
Pet habits matter too. Feed cats and dogs indoors where possible, and don’t leave bowls outside overnight. Store pet food and wild bird seed in sealed containers (hard plastic or metal, with tight lids). In the garden, pick up fallen fruit, especially under apple and plum trees, because it attracts wasps, rats, and even hedgehogs into risky places near roads.
Water can be the quiet attractant. Fix dripping outside taps, empty standing water in trays and buckets, and keep pond edges tidy so animals don’t treat them like a safe drinking station beside your back door.
Block entry points safely, without trapping animals
Begin with the obvious gaps: broken air vents, missing tiles, torn soffits, loose flashing, and holes around pipework. Check under doors too, especially into garages and sheds. A small gap can be enough for mice, and once they’re in, they’ll keep exploring.
Don’t block air vents, to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
Use materials animals can’t chew through. Metal mesh works well for vents and larger openings. Bristle strips and door sweeps help under doors. For small cracks, use suitable filler, but avoid soft foam on its own for rodent-prone areas because they can gnaw it.
Before sealing, look for signs of youngsters. Listen for high-pitched squeaks, watch for regular in-and-out movement at dusk, and check for fresh droppings. If you block access with animals inside, you’ll create stress, damage, and smells, and it isn’t humane.
Where appropriate, a one-way exclusion device can let animals leave but not re-enter, then you seal the gap after a short period of monitoring.
Season also matters. Many species breed in spring and summer, so be extra cautious from March onwards. If you’re unsure, get advice before you close anything up.
For rodents and squirrels, use exclusion and proofing
For lofts and sheds, cleanliness and storage matter as much as sealing. Keep boxes off the floor, store textiles in lidded tubs, and avoid leaving bird seed or bulbs in paper sacks.
Proof the building as a system. Fit mesh over vents, repair broken panels, and keep climbing routes under control by trimming branches away from roofs and fences. Outside, move wood piles and junk away from walls, because they create hiding spots right beside entry points. Inside, protect wiring where needed, since chewing is both a pest issue and a fire risk.
Some people try ultrasonic devices. Results are mixed, and animals can ignore them over time. If you use one, treat it as a small extra, not the plan.
