Plants & Cats

[Kellili]

Does anyone know of a way to keep cats from eating house plants? I have never been able to have plants indoors, they get eaten down to nubs. I'd like to start a small container garden of herbs and things in the kitchen, but they will be destroyed. Need cheap solution that is cat and dog safe! I also have a spider plant on my front porch that will need to come in for the winter, but I'm afraid it will be eaten. Any ideas? They are 2 very stubborn cats, he will go through anything to get to plants! He's a crazy cat....he takes a shower with me every morning! Literally. I turn on the water and he RUNS full speed to the bathroom and gets in. He licks the water and gets soaked, then gets out. It's so funny. It's every single day. I have a completely crazy cat!

[Ceashels]

That is a crazy cat. My cats only go into the shower after the water is turned off.

Do you have any large gallon jars or small fish tanks that you can make terariums with for your plants? That my be a good deterent when the plants are small to medium size.

[Kellili]

No fish tanks, but that is a good idea! I was thinking a nontoxic spray or something, but I don't think he'd be deterred. Otis is a nut. He's a sweetheart though. He loves shampoo too...if I have wet hair from a shower and sit at my desk, he climbs on the back of my chair and tries to eat my hair and rub on my head. HAHA!

[tbs727]

If he's eating it because he wants greens you can plant cat grass for him and keep it by his bowl. You can purchase seeds at a pet store and it grows in a couple of days.

If he's doing it to be mischievous, there's no hope.

[Kellili]

I've gotten him cat grass before, the problem with that is he eats it faster than it grows. Basically I can't get a good crop of it so he will actually have some to eat. The seedlings are eaten immediately and never get full grown.

[Russ]

buy two or three and rotate them from a place he/she can not get to...neighbors, relatives, friends.

[Darlene]

Either the cats or the plants need to go in a cage.
j/k

Only thing I've tried in the past is the old squirt gun trick. You need to be vigilant but it helps. Maybe just keeping the plants in one room & make sure the door is closed to it when people with squirt guns aren't around to protect them from furry varmit attacks.

[PrairieGirl]

I have the same problems with my 2 kitties...the dog luckily knows not to eat anything that is not either fed to her or in her bowl...most of hte time anyway....

The only solution I have come up with is to either hang the plants, or put them into a room where the kitties dont frequent.

The terranium is a great idea though!!!

[Kellili]

Maybe I can get some cat grass again, grow a few pots of it at work and then trade them out at home.... then we will test it and see if that keeps him from eating the spider plant this winter. If it does then I'll try the herbs, if not a terrarium it will have to be! Thanks guys!

[tbs727]

Cat grass is supposed to be eaten as soon as it sprouts. It's fresh and more appealing that way. They likely will not eat it after it has grown past an inch or two. It would probably be a good idea to have a couple of pots that you can change out as soon as it sprouts. One pot of freshly sprouted by the bowl and then one with new seeds somewhere else.

[perSue]

well any pet store should have a bottled spray you can spray your plants with...

BUT...

try using some lemon (even the stuff sold in bottles in the grocery), with a little water...
about 1 tablespoon per cup of water... (give or take & depending on how much you like the smell of lemon).

cats dont like lemon... so spray that AND use a little lemon peel (in the soil of the plant) & kitty won't bother it a bit.

the bitterness and strength of smell and taste is too much for cats to take it...

AND your house will smell clean!

[cheapskate 49]

I would suggest hanging them where the cats can't reach.Many house plants are toxic to cats but I think most of the herbs are OK.