How To Keep Cats Out Of Your Indoor Plants

No matter how much I adore my cats, they routinely return that affection by destroying my houseplants. Maybe they’re jealous of my affection. There is no need to choose between your cats and your indoor plants. Here are a few ways you can keep your cats from using your potted plants as their own organic litter box or munching on their greenery.

Happy Caturday. This is my cat June Bug eating my plant #Caturday #cat #kitties #badcat #CatsOfTwitter #kitty pic.twitter.com/0d70omJPDc

— Library Lady (@TheMaggieGosney) February 4, 2017

Why Is My Cat Eating My Plants?

Before we dive into the ways to stop your cat from eating plants, let’s start by looking at why cats enjoy munching on your garden in the first place. In most cases, cats are eating your plants for one of the three following reasons:

Your cat likes the taste or smell of the plants
Your cat likes the texture of the plants
Your cat is bored and looking for ways to destroy your home
If your cat is actually eating the soil in the plant pot, this could be a sign that it’s missing out on vital nutrients, and you should consider taking it to the vet for a check-up.

How to Keep Cats Out Of Houseplants

Houseplants Cats Won’t Chew On

If your cat craves a potted plant salad, the easiest way to deter them is to choose houseplants that your cat will dislike

Smelly plants: Several plants will give off an aroma that may be music to our noses, but cats will hate and avoid. Try planting these between your other plants to keep those pesky paws away.

Prickly plants: Anything with prickles or thorns will naturally discourage your cat’s interaction.

Cacti
Roses (mostly useful in outdoor spaces)

Caution:

Cat owners are often also told to use pennyroyal to deter cats. However, I would caution against it. If your cats have a death wish (mine are completely reckless) and they do for some reason ingest pennyroyal, it can cause major health issues.

Toxic Plants To Keep Away From Cats

On that note, there are some plants that you should absolutely keep out of reach. Visit the ASPCA for more details on plants that are toxic to pets.

Also, check out plants that are safe for cats and dogs.

Woke up to this😌☝️My first awwwr of the day!😩 I hope yours is the best ever! #catplant pic.twitter.com/wwv2drYroF

— the defensuous tattoonicorn (@Alucky_charmer) January 23, 2020

What Plants Are Poisonous To Cats?

There is a wide variety of plants that could actually be harmful to your cats, and this is especially true for lilies. A leaf or a flower of many varieties of lily can cause acute kidney failure in your cats. Again, this is by no means a complete list, so be sure to check on the ASPCA‘s website if you are unsure. But, be especially sure you keep them away from the following:

Day Lilies
Tulips
Hyacinth
Many Holiday Plants: Mistletoe, Holly, Amaryllis, Poinsettia, Many Christmas Tree Varieties
Daffodils
Rhododendron
Oleander
Sago Palm – especially the seeds
Philodendron
Jade
Some Ivy
Pothos

Smells Cats Hate

Cats are 40x more sensitive to smells than you or me. If you’re looking to deter your cats with smells, there are a few different options that cats can’t stand:

Citrus: oranges, lemons, limes (but be sure not to use any essential oils, which can be dangerous to cats)
Banana peels: consider making a banana water nutrient mix, which can then be sprayed on your plants. It will give your plants a yummy boost and help keep your cats away.
Apple cider vinegar: Cats are typically known to dislike the smell of vinegar, which is safe around cats unless ingested. Dilute with a little bit of water and use a spray bottle to apply.

Spray To Keep Cats Away From Plants

There is also a wide variety of sprays that can help keep your cats off of plants and furniture. When purchasing a spray, it’s important to find an option that is safe for your cats and plant, as well as effective. Here are some of our favorites:

What To Do If Your Cat Is Digging

Your houseplants may appeal to your cat in a few different ways. Digging is one of them and I live by the rule that if a cat can dig in it, they will probably poo in it, too. Don’t ask me how I know. If digging is a problem, here are a few tricks to discourage this behavior.

Use Less Dirt

That sounds like a no brainer, but sometimes the most simple solution is most effective. Many plants require less dirt than others or can be grown in more rocky soil which is much less fun for our feline friends. Succulents and air plants are a few decorative options that will brighten up your home without dirtying your cat’s paws.

Barriers

Every cat has its own quirky personality and will respond differently to detergents. You may want to try a few different physical barriers.

Place items on the top of the soil around the base of the plant. You will be able to still water your plants through the barrier and digging will be difficult. One drawback to pinecones is that they can be pretty easy to knock out of the planter. My little angels would have them out and bouncing around the house in about twenty seconds. Here are some great options:

One alternative is aluminum foil. Cut sections and wrap them around the base of the plant. Cats typically don’t like the selective nature of the feeling of tinfoil under their paws.

Chicken Wire And Netting

Chicken wire can be cut to cover the base of the pot with the plant growing through a hole in the center and secured by bending the wire around the base of the pot. This could be the purrfect way to make a cat-proof garden.

Netting can be secured with string woven around the outer edge to create a drawstring. Pull the drawstring tight around the base of your pot and cut a hole in the center for the plant to grow through.

Plant Cage To Protect From Cats

If you want to be a little more heavy duty with your barriers, you may be looking for a plant cage to protect your flora and fauna from cats. Planter cages and glass terrarium cages are options that could meet your needs.

Bird Cage

Depending on your esthetic goals, a birdcage can be a great idea. You can find bird free stands, tabletops, or hanging birdcages, some more decorative than others on Amazon. If it can keep a cat from eating a bird, it can keep it from eating your plants too.

Safe Cat Deterrents

Especially if your cat is chewing on leaves or digging, a cat repellent will be useful.

Sticky Paws For Plants

The brand Sticky Paws has a wide variety of options for safe cat deterrents, specifically for furniture. You can use Sticky Paws for plants by putting the sticky sheets in strips across the top of the plant’s pot. This will keep them from digging in the dirt. While you shouldn’t put the sticky sheets on the plant itself, Sticky Paws has a wide variety of products, including sprays, that can help you train your cat to leave your floral and fauna friends alone. It’s also easy to apply and remove, transparent, and it won’t harm them.

Taste Deterrent

The tastes of pepper, cayenne pepper, and bitter apple are not appealing to cats. Mix your chosen substance in a spray bottle and spritz the soil and leaves. After a few tries, your cat will get the idea that your plants are not tasty. But again, every cat is different and you may have to try out a few things. Mine happen to like a little spice in their lives.

It would be wise to test your spray on a small leaf to test the effect before spraying the whole plant.

Smell Deterrent

Our feline friends also have an aversion to the smell of citrus. Citrus peels can be cut up and placed in the base of the pot. Even when ground small, they can give off a strong citrus smell. If you’re already taken off the lemon peels, you might as well use the lemon juice. Citrus juice can be diluted and sprayed directly onto the leaves of your potted plant.

You should also be aware that citrus oil can be highly toxic to cats. So I would not suggest using essential oils, like those used in diffusers. These oils are also found in perfumes, soaps, and shampoos. So if you’re thinking of improvising, use caution. It’s best to go with a natural solution such as juices and peels.

Out Of Reach, Out Of (Your Cat’s) Mind

A simple way to keep your cats out of plants is to place them higher up. Big disclaimer for this one – if you have a jumping cat, or a cat that likes a challenge, then you may need to pick a deterrent that packs a little more punch. But from experience, I have noticed that even placing plants a little higher up can cause a cat to leave a plant alone.

We are currently growing Avocado trees in our condo, and our cat, Blanche, immediately went after the leaves when they started to grow. She didn’t ingest them. She would just rip them off like a little jerk. So I placed them on wooden milk crates in our home. For some reason, even having the saplings a little higher made Blanche uninterested. She hasn’t gone after them ever since.

Spring gardening, first plant in the pot, a bushy one ❤️ #CatsOfTwitter #CatsLovers #CatsLovesGardening #CatPlant pic.twitter.com/0tA0IvIgKb

— claudia (@pisi_9) March 6, 2019

Indoor Cat Garden: A Garden Of Their Own

Why not try a little positive encouragement? There are a few plants that are extremely attractive to cats and esthetically pleasing to you. Win, win. Your cat would much rather nibble on these and will leave your precious garden be.

Catnip is an obvious go-to. It is thought to mimic feline pheromones and while the smell can make your cat act like a total goofball, when ingested, it has a calming effect. Needless to say, it’s pretty distracting and is likely to draw your cat’s attention away from your other plants.

Cat Grass is also great nibble for your pet. Most cats will naturally chew on grass. The enzymes in grasses aid in digestion and help to pass fur-balls.

Many pet stores will sell cat grass and catnip as seedlings. You can even have this little cat garden pack of 6 plants from Petco. It doesn’t get much more simple than that.

I truly believe cats (at least mine) have no ill will. They’re just intolerably playful and curious! Hopefully, these ideas will help you, your plants, and cat-friends live together in harmony.