Garden
visitors

Foxes, raccoons and cats come for food, shelter and a place to dig. Lock up the bins, close the gaps, and startle them with light and water.

Read the safety steps See what works
Common
Foxes, raccoons, cats
Signs
Tipped bins, digging, droppings
Active
Dusk and night
Our approach
Humane deterrents only

Know what you are dealing with

Tipped bins

Torn bags and scattered rubbish point to a regular visitor.

Digging

Holes in lawns and beds, or under sheds and decks.

Droppings

Left in the open on purpose to mark the area.

A young red fox, Vulpes vulpes.
A young red fox, Vulpes vulpes. Photo: Алина Урусова, CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist

Signs to look for

  • Tipped or torn bins in the morning.
  • Holes in lawns and under sheds.
  • Droppings on the lawn or paths.
  • Noise at night in the garden.

The plan

  1. 1

    Lock the bins

    Bin clips or locks and no food left outside.

  2. 2

    Close the gaps

    Mesh under sheds and decks, fix fence holes.

  3. 3

    Startle with light and water

    Motion activated sprinklers and lights.

  4. 4

    Detect, then shoo

    Coming later: the app will play a cue only when it sees a visitor.

Solutions for garden visitors

Shoo does not sell these yet. They are standard products sold by other shops; follow the label on the one you buy.

Other animals

Birds Loose dogs Mice and rats All wildlife and dogs

What people worry about

How do I get foxes to leave a den under my shed?

Wait until the den is empty, as blocking it with animals inside is cruel and can be illegal. Then fill it and fit mesh around the base.

Do chilli powder or urine keep foxes and cats away?

They wash away in days and chilli can hurt animals' eyes. Motion activated sprinklers and mesh over bare soil work better.

How do I stop the neighbour's cat using my beds?

Cover bare soil with mesh or prickly prunings and try a motion activated sprinkler. Wear gloves when gardening and wash your hands after.

There are animals in the roof. Can I just seal the hole?

Not while they are inside, especially if there are young. Use a licensed wildlife service for one-way exits, then repair the gap.

Something keeps raiding the bins. What works?

Bin clips or locks and no food left outside take away the reason to visit.

Questions people ask

Foxes have a den under my shed. How do I get them to leave? Often you do not need to do much: fox families tend to move on once the cubs are older. Read How do I stop foxes or raccoons digging up my lawn? Digging usually means something to eat: grubs in the lawn, a smell in the soil, or food left out. Read How do I stop a neighbour's cat using my garden as a litter tray? Cats dig where the soil is bare and loose, so cover it, startle them with water, and talk to the neighbour. Read How do I get squirrels or possums out of my roof humanely? Let them out, then stop them getting back in, timed so no young are left inside. Read