What Smell Deters Cats. Topping our list is citrus, followed by mint, household cleaners, spicy peppers, and more. And the most effective is lemon:

We know the peels can be pungent and cats find this to be especially true. While it’s critical to get to the bottom of the bad behavior, you can use certain scents to deter your cat from peeing on your items. It can be diluted with lemon juice and sprayed above the surface to be protected from the cat;