Moth balls are effective pest control solutions for homes and businesses.
They can also deter your favorite pests from entering your home year-round. When they hit the pantry, the moth balls will smell and irritate your cats, driving them away from your property.
So, will moth balls keep cats aways?
Yes. Moth balls will keep cats aways. If your cat hates the smell of moth balls, he/she may stay away from your house.
The unpleasant smell may repel cats from your property. Cats dislike the smell and smell of moth balls and will avoid your property if they get a whiff of it.
However, only a small percentage of cats actually dislike the smell of moth balls. Moth balls have a pungent smell that cats do not find appealing.
So, most cats will not stay away from your property because of moth balls.
What Are Mothballs?
Mothballs are pesticides that gently release an aroma that deters moths from hiding in clothing, furniture, or other fabrics.
Mothballs may also be used to repel rats, rodents, squirrels, chipmunks and more.
Mothballs may be in the shape of cakes, briquettes or pellets and come in a variety of scents including cedar, vanilla, lemongrass and lavender.
Naphthalene is a chemical found in some moth balls that kills insects by penetrating their exoskeleton and disrupting the nervous system.
Because of naphthalene’s flammability and toxicity when inhaled, it should only be used in sealed containers in well ventilated areas.
Mothball components may be inhaled, swallowed or absorbed through the skin and cause lung irritation or damage to the kidney and liver.
Mothballs are more hazardous to cats than dogs because their respiratory system is very sensitive and prone to damage from airborne toxins like naphthalene.
Naphthalene mothballs, often known as closet or cedar balls, are toxic to pets.
While current PDB mothballs are less toxic than other mothballs on the market and are safe for cats and dogs, they still pose a health risk to pets if ingested.
Will Moth Balls Keep Cats Away?
The answer is yes.
Mothballs have been demonstrated to repel cats and other animals by smell alone.
However, this does not guarantee that the cat will stay away forever.
Mothballs are composed of potentially hazardous chemicals that should be stored in a low-traffic area and out of the reach of pets and children.
They are not an infallible method of keeping cats away, but they do deter animals such as cats from roaming into a closet where mothballs may be stored.
Consuming mothballs for cats is risky, as mothballs can be toxic to dogs, cats and other pets.
The symptoms of mothball intake in cats are tremors or seizures, drooling, vomiting or diarrhea, loss of coordination, depression, and breathing difficulty.
While it is necessary to repel cats from certain areas of the house, it is also crucial to reduce the pet’s exposure to any mothballs.
There are several non-toxic methods of deterring cats from adopting certain locations in the home.
Furthermore, mothball vapors are flammable and should be kept away from open flames and sparks.
As a result, employing it in an enclosed space is not recommended.
Is It Safe to Use Mothballs to Keep Cats Away?
Mothballs should not be used in containers that can be accessed by pets.
This is particularly true if your pet is a curious cat with a penchant for chewing on or ingesting objects that are not its food.
They should only be outside in sealed containers where pets have no access to them.
In reality, since mothball packaging contains toxic warnings about pets and small children, it should not be accessible in the first place.
Mothballs may or may not keep cats away while stored in open containers inside your closet.
While the chances of major health problems for you and your family are low when using mothballs as a cat deterrent, there are some potential concerns.
Best Alternatives To Moth Balls For Keeping Cats Away
Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender oil is an organic solution for keeping cats away since it contains pheromones that are naturally attractive to cats but uncomfortable for them as well.
This is one of those essential-oil-based repellent solutions that is safe and non-toxic for individuals of all ages.
In this scenario, though, you’ll likely only need to use lavender essential oil once to deter cats and keep them from visiting your home again.
Using lavender oil to keep cats away is safe and effective and can easily be found in your local health food store or supermarket.
Apple Cider Vinegar
This is when you should start looking for alternatives to store-bought chemical pesticides and moth balls to keep cats away from your home.
This has been around for a quite some time and the reason it works is because of how the apple cider vinegar smells to cats.
Simply apply a little apple cider vinegar to a cloth and hang it in several spots throughout your home.
This will have excellent effects, as long as you are diligent about replacing the cloths on a regular basis.
Apple cider vinegar may be an effective alternative to mothballs for keeping cats away, but you will need to use it consistently in order to have long-lasting results.
They will most likely still smell the vinegar even though it isn’t emitting any fumes and this can cause them to become anxious and want to leave the area of your home where the vinegar.
It is just a better, safer way to deter cats from visiting your home again.
Sound-Based Repellent
A sound-based repellant is one made of simple household items and will not harm your cat or your home in any way.
This will emit a harsh, beeping noise when pets approach and this will cause most animals to react and be afraid to go near your home.
The cat will flee in the search for the beeping sound because to him, it is a sign of danger.
Simply activate the sound-based repellant and the cat will be discouraged enough to not want to return to your home again.
It will work for all varieties of cats, so give it a try if none of the other methods seem to work.
This is more than enough information to keep cats away from your home for good and you’ll find them all quite effective.
The cat will not like the sound, and it will give him enough motivation to never come back to your home again.
Also See: Can Cats Eat Moths?
Conclusion
Many people use moth balls to keep cats away, but you can’t use moth balls to keep cats away inside your home because moth balls and mothballs both.
While mothballs have a distinct smell, you don’t have to worry about that when you apply vinegar to problem areas around your home.
Cats are inquisitive animals, and some cats even like to scratch and dig around your home.
If a cat consumes a mothball, it will cause some problems, such as breathing difficulties if the cat swallows it.
Other gentle techniques of keeping cat away from your house include using aluminum foil and a hairdryer, but these methods won’t work all the time, and they might even make the problem worse.
For example, you may make a homemade solution that consists of flour, vinegar and water and spray it on places that your cats tend to scratch on.
Furthermore, you may make a diffuser by soaking tea bags in vinegar and placing them around the house where cats tend to play or scratch to make your cat stay away from your home.
