Cat-proof those indoor plants!
I have two indoor cats that are curious kittens. They like to knock over pots, uproot my plants, and drag them around the house. Now that they are older, these incidents happen less often, but they still like to nibble on the leaves, often to the detriment of their tummies. Here are tips on keeping your cats out of your houseplants!
I’ve also written about how I keep my cats away from the outdoor garden.
First, and most importantly, make sure that none of your plants are toxic to cats, and check out the ASPCA website before adding a new plant to your windowsill.
10 Tips and Tricks To Keep Cats Away From Houseplants
1. Making Plants Inaccessible
Any plant on a windowsill is fair game, so move your plants where the cats can’t get at them. This can be easier said than done since cats are adept at climbing and jumping. After losing a flowering spike on one of my orchids, I learned to place the plants in hanging baskets well out of reach.
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High shelves that can’t be accessed by climbing are great. There are many types of brackets that can be attached to a wall to hold a shelf or an individual pot. A small table or plant stand without room for a paw to get a foothold will also work.
2. Covering Soil
If your cats are diggers, making the soil hard to get at might thwart their efforts.
Add a degree of difficulty by covering the soil at the base of the plant with decorative rocks, seashells, pine cones, or balls of foil. Plastic forks stuck into the soil tines up may also deter them.
3. Choose Plants Cats Don’t Like
Some plants have built-in deterrence, like cactus, prickly plants, and ones with thorns.
4. Give Your Cat Their Own Plant
Plant a pot of cat grass just for them. Oats, rye, barley, and wheat are all easily grown grasses that are safe for your cat to munch on. Make sure they don’t eat too much, though, because it can cause upsets of its own.
5. Have a Cat Free Area
If you have room in your house, make one area a cat-free zone. Pick a sunny room to close off and stash all your plants in there. If you have a closet that would hold your plants, just add a grow light, and voila! you have a cat-free grow room.
6. Train Your Cat to Leave Your Plants Alone
If you are home all day and can watch over your plants, when your cat starts to nose around with an eye for sampling the leaves, you can try directing their attention toward another activity with a toy. Rewarding them with a treat when they switch to an allowable activity will help to reinforce good behavior.
If you are not there to stand guard, there are motion-activated devices that emit an ultrasonic sound or vibration that cats don’t like. Others spray water when your cat comes near the plant! Covering the pot with foil or placing foil underneath on the plant table may keep them from bothering your plants since they don’t like the crunchy noises and the feel of foil.
7. Make Plants Unappealing Using Smell
Cats dislike citrusy odors. After you use a lemon or eat an orange, placing strips of the peel around your plants or on top of the soil may be enough to keep them at bay. They will need to be replaced as the smell fades. A squirt of citrus-scented spray or a quick wipe with lemon juice on the pots may also work. Other smells cats avoid are pine, lavender, eucalyptus, and peppermint. However, avoid using essential oils, which can be toxic. Fresh pine needles may also repel them. One person recommends smearing a little Vick’s Vaporub on the pots! Avoid powdered cinnamon, cayenne, and black pepper, which can be inhaled and irritate their nose and eyes.
8. Provide More Toys
Your cat may be drawn to your plants out of boredom. Play with them more, add new toys, try a puzzle feeder, or distract them with catnip hidden around the house away from the plants.
9. Enclose Plants in Terrariums or Glass Cupboards
A terrarium, old fish tank, glass cloches, or a plastic mini-greenhouse can keep your plants out of harm’s way while letting in light and raising the humidity around them.
A cabinet with glass doors would make a lovely space to display your plants while keeping kitty out. If it doesn’t get enough natural light, add a grow light to it. A wire bird cage can offer protection from wayward paws while letting in light and air.
10. Use Cat Repellent
Yes, there are actually commercial cat repellents! Usually, they are strongly scented with bitter lemon or bitter apple odors. Make sure the one you buy is safe for use around plants.
Why Are Cats Attracted to Plants?
Cats are naturally curious and explore the world with their noses. If they think something might be the least bit delicious, they will try eating it and don’t equate the stomach ache they get later on with something they ate a few hours ago.
Digging in soft, moist soil is another natural inclination they have, which is why your cat may like to use your plants as litter boxes. Often, you can curb this behavior by ensuring their litter boxes are clean and that you have one more box than cats so they have options.
I have 2 cats with 3 boxes, and they have never shown any interest in pooping in a plant. If your cat insists on relieving itself in your plants, try covering the soil surface with plastic wrap, foil, landscape fabric, burlap, cardboard, or strips of tape, sticky side up. Try cutting a hole in a cheap plastic saucer large enough for the base of the plant and one long slit to get it around the top of the pot, covering the soil. This should deter Fluffy from using it as their bathroom.
Hopefully, some of these tricks will enable you, your cat, and your plants to coexist peacefully!
Robin Sweetser
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