Cats and Houseplants Living in Harmony

Cats and houseplants must coexist as they are both beneficial to a happy home life.  These pets are a great source of love and companionship for their owners, while plants clean our indoor air of toxins and aid our breathing. Having them both can also be very rewarding because they relieve stress and plants brightens and beautify the indoors.

Cat admiring green houseplant

It is a known fact that cats are very fond of plants, and they sometimes eat the vegetation to supplement their diet; therefore, it is crucial to keep toxic plants out of their reach. This kind of action will completely destroy a plant when they eat and chew on them. Moreover, it is very dangerous since certain plants can be poisonous to cats. You should learn which plants are dangerous and take all precautionary measures to remove all hazards. Even plants with thorns and spines should be kept away from your kitty as they could get lodged in its paw or fur and cause an accident, leaving broken pots and dirt on the floor.

To keep your pet away from your plants, You can use a spray repellant such as bitter apple or bitter orange on the plant's leaves. This powerful bitter spray discourages cats from chewing, licking, or eating any dangerous items.  Once your kitty bites into a leaf or anything that has been sprayed, he will not acquire a taste for it.   Avoid having the following plants in your home: chrysanthemums, ivies, philodendrons, and Easter lilies.

5 Tips to Keep Cats and Houseplants Safe

1. Keep toys in every room to Keep their minds off of the plant.                                                       

2. Get several scratching posts and keep them in different areas of the house.

3. Get some catnip. Sprinkle it around his scratching post and other favorite areas.

4. Entertain your kitty by providing a seat near the window so that he can see what's going on outside.

5. Grow some cat grass in a shallow container and keep it near your pet's food.

Growing this munchable grass is easy with cat grass seed kits. It comes with everything you need to grow this treat in the comfort of your own home! Just add water and the seeds will sprout in a few days. Once sprouted, the leaves of the this grass plant can be fed to your kitty or other pet as a treat to help satisfy their craving for greens. These greens are very nutritious as it contains vitamins, minerals and chlorophyll, a natural breath freshener.

They love to dig in the soil and this could harm the plants, in addition to being messy.  Moreover, they also like to use the container as a litter box which causes an unpleasant odor and will certainly kill some of your plants. If your potted plants stink, flush out the soil with clean water then neutralize the soil with water and white vinegar. This will restore the PH and get rid any lingering smells so you can keep your plant. 

Stop Digging:  Keeping Cats out of House Plants

1.  Cover dirt with tin foil
2.  Cover the soil with large shaped pebbles or stones.
3.  Put fly screen on top of the soil.
4.  Put prickly pine cones in the pot.
5.  Sea shells would work well also.

Cats and houseplants will live in harmony when you satisfy their cravings for grass. Indulge them with their own vegetation such as chia grass and wheatgrass to munch on. This is a good alternative for eating grass outside and they are loaded with vitamins and minerals to aid digestion and control hairballs for good health.

Back to Top