How to Keep Cats Out of Sand Volleyball Court?

Having a cat intruding on your sand volleyball court is the last thing any volleyball player wants. While playing volleyball, I have seen cats invading our court and disturbing the whole rally. But then we found easy ways that kept them away from our courts to date.

You can keep cats away from the sand volleyball court by using specific plants like rue, lavender, and rosemary; applying repulsive scents like vinegar, onions, citronella, and coffee grounds; playing loud music; asking cats owners to keep their pets inside; and using a motion-activated cat deterrent.

How to Keep Cats Away from Sand Volleyball Court?

Here are the ways in which you can keep cats away from your sand volleyball court.

Utilizing Scent Deterrent

If you are on a budget, using this scent deterrent to repel cats from your volleyball courts is your best bet.

There are various home remedies using scents that repel cats. While these remedies may be worth trying, it’s crucial to understand that their success can vary depending on individual cats, as not all cats have the same aversion to specific scents.

But as a general rule of thumb, having these scents around your court can help you keep cats away from the volleyball court.

1. Cayenne or Chile Powder: Sprinkling cayenne or chile powder around the volleyball court creates an unpleasant scent barrier for cats which keeps them away from the court.
2. Cinnamon: Cats often find the strong scent of cinnamon unpleasant, making it a potential deterrent when used around the court.
3. Citronella: Citronella oil or candles with citronella fragrance help deter cats due to their strong smell.
4. Citrus Peels: Cats generally dislike the scent of citrus. Placing citrus peels around the court acts as a natural deterrent to cats.
5. Coffee Grounds: The strong aroma of coffee grounds are usually effective in deterring cats. Sprinkle them around the court to create a scent barrier.
6. Onions: Cats have a natural aversion to the smell of onions. Using onion slices or onion-infused sprays around the court will help repel them.
7. Vinegar: Cats do not like the scents of vinegar. Create a vinegar solution by mixing vinegar and water and spraying it around the court as a potential deterrent.

But here is an important caveat.

Outdoor scents can dissipate quickly due to weather conditions and natural elements. Regular reapplication may be necessary to maintain the effectiveness of these scent deterrents.

Using a Motion Activated Cat Deterrent Around Volleyball Court

You can effectively keep cats away from sand volleyball courts by utilizing a Motion-Activated Cat Deterrent. This device serves as an excellent tool for deterring cats from entering the court area.

A Motion-Activated Cat Deterrent works by utilizing motion sensors to detect the presence of cats. Once triggered, it activates a mechanism that emits a deterrent action, such as a burst of air, a sudden noise, or a harmless spray of water. This startles the cats and discourages them from approaching or entering the sand volleyball court.

This is the most efficient method to keep cats away from your sand volleyball court if you are willing to put in some money.

And this is considered a humane cat deterrent as well. At the end of the day, you are not using any harmful deterrent effect.

The key advantages of a Motion-Activated Cat Deterrent include the following:

1. Automatic Activation: The device activates only when it detects the motion of cats, ensuring it targets specific intruders and conserves energy.
2. Humane and Safe: The deterrent action employed by these devices is harmless to cats. It startles them without causing any physical harm, ensuring their well-being while effectively discouraging them from entering the court.
3. Customizable Settings: Many Motion-Activated Cat Deterrents offer adjustable settings, allowing you to tailor the deterrent action to suit your needs. You can adjust the range of detection, the intensity of the deterrent, and even the type of action triggered.
4. Weatherproof Design: These devices are designed to withstand various weather conditions, making them suitable for outdoor use throughout the year.

Using Plants That Cats Do Not Like

Another effective approach to keeping cats away from a sand volleyball court is by strategically placing cat deterrent plants near the sandbox area. 

Cats find the scents of some plants repelling. And using them around your sand volleyball court will perfectly keep cats away from the court.

Here are some cat deterrent plants that will help you in keeping your court catless.

Rue

Rue emits a strong scent that cats dislike. Planting rue near the sandbox will help deter cats from approaching the area.

Lavender

Lavender is known for its pleasant fragrance to humans but is off-putting to cats. Growing lavender plants around the court will act as a natural deterrent to cats, which will keep your volleyball court safe.

Rosemary

The distinct aroma of rosemary deters cats from entering the sandbox. Plant rosemary bushes or potted plants strategically near the court.

Pennyroyal

Pennyroyal is a herbaceous plant with a strong scent that cats generally find unpleasant. It can be an effective deterrent when grown in the vicinity of the sandbox.

Scaredy-Cat Plant (Coleus canina)

True to its name, the scaredy-cat plant has a pungent odor that cats tend to avoid. Consider planting scaredy-cat plants around the court as a natural deterrent.

Ask Cat Owners To Keep Their Cat Away

Sometimes you will see that one specific cat will keep coming to your sand volleyball court. This is the thing that I experienced a lot. Our neighbor had a cat that just loved seeing us playing volleyball. If you experience such a thing, you can ask the owner of the cat to keep their pet in their place.

Playing Music that Cats Don’t Like

While this may surprise you, cats generally do not like loud music. So you have the option to play loud music near your sand volleyball court to keep them away from your area. But remember, cats don’t hate all types of music. In fact, you will see many cats dancing around to some music. This means that you need to play a specific type of music to have them away from the court.

Final Words

Cats are surely attractive as pets, but they are the last thing that you want to have on your volleyball court. The presence of cats on the court can be threatening to both the animals and the players, and many players can even get injured while colliding with them, which makes preventing volleyball injuries even harder.