When you pull and dig those nasty weeds out of the garden bed, nothing worse than having your hand touch what a cat has burried in there. Yuck!  It is the smelly and sticky cat poo. It happened to me several times. I don’t have a cat, so it must had been the neighbour’s cat or a stray cat. So one day, when I saw a plant that can send cats out of the garden bed, I did not want to miss the chance.

  • The common name of the plant is Scarethecat plant, Cat-repellent plant or Scaredy-cat plant and the botanical name is Coleus canina; Plectranthus caninus.
  • Hardy annual plant.
  • Attractive fleshy foliage, grey green colour and slightly furry.
  • The plant releases very strong pungent odour at a slightest touch/movement.
  • Purple flowers similar to lavender.
  • Low spreading plant  around 40 cm high
  • Best grown in frost free and full sun position.
  • Average and well drain garden soil.
  • Can be grown nicely in pots on sunny patio or veranda.
  • Can be grown from cuttings.
  • Cats and dogs hate the smell.

If you hate cats use your garden beds as their toilet, then growing this plant will certainly help. You can plant it in several places all around the garden bed. I think this plant looks quite pretty.  It has a spreading habit and I trim it to have a tidy appearance.