How to Keep Cats Away from Plants

How to Keep Cats Away from Plants

It can be tough to be both a plant and pet owner. Cats want to investigate everything, which often leads to them making a mess of your plants. Luckily, there are many effective ways to keep indoor or outdoor cats away from plants without causing them harm. In this guide, you’ll learn various methods, including using essential oils and creating physical barriers to make sure both your furry and leafy friends stay safe and sound.

Understanding the Problem

Have you ever heard the phrase “curious like a cat?” These notorious explorers frequently find themselves in tree tops, closed hampers, and basement walls (speaking purely from personal experience).

Unfortunately, their curiosity also leads them to gardens and potted plants. Some common reasons cats are attracted to plants include:

Scent: Certain plants have scents that attract cats.

Play: Cats enjoy batting at leaves and stems to entertain themselves.

Digestive Aid: Cats nibble on grass and other substances to help move their digestive systems along.

Litter Box: Outdoor cats may see garden beds or flower beds as an alternative litter box.

Think about which of these may be the case for your cat. For example, our cat Marie has a particular taste for spider plants and quickly tore every one in the house to ribbons when she moved in. I realized she was looking for a digestive aid, since she ate anything with a grass-like texture.

Once you’ve figured out the main reason your cat is bothering plants, read on to figure out the best fixes:

Physical Barriers

Preventing cats from even getting close to your plants is generally the best way to keep both of them happy. The simplest solution is the most obvious one: put the plants in a high or inaccessible place. Placing plants on high shelves or hanging them from the ceiling can keep them out of your cat’s reach. Use sturdy hooks and make sure the plants are secure in their new location.

Another option is to cover the plants. You can keep them under clear plastic or use something like a greenhouse cabinet. Of course, if they live in the sun, you’ll have to remove the cover regularly to let heat and humidity escape.

For gardens and indoor plants that are difficult to move around or cover, you’ll have to make the space around them less pleasant. In addition to fencing sections off, you can try:

Plastic Carpet Runner: Place plastic carpet runners, spike-side up, around the plants. The texture is uncomfortable for cats to walk on and will deter them from approaching your plants.

Chicken Wire: Laying chicken wire on the soil around your garden plants can prevent cats from digging and using it as a litter box. Cats also dislike walking on the wire due to its texture.

Aluminum Foil: Cats tend to dislike the feel and sound of aluminum foil. Place sheets of it around your plants to deter them.

Pine Cones: Spread pine cones around your garden beds or flower beds. The prickly texture can keep cats from walking on them.

Motion-Activated Sprinklers: These can be highly effective for gardens with outdoor cat issues. The sudden jet of water startles the cats and deters them from coming back to bother your garden. 

Scent Deterrents

While not as effective as a barrier, some smells are offensive enough to cats to keep them away from plants. Essential oils are a popular option that can be used indoors or outdoors to deter cats. A spray bottle filled with water and a few drops of essential oils like lavender, lemon, or orange can help keep cats at bay. Of course, it works better on house plants, since you have to reapply it on a near daily basis outside.

Other options include:

Citrus Peels: Place orange peels or lemon peels on the soil of your potted plants. Cats dislike the smell of citrus fruits.

Coffee Grounds: Used coffee grounds can also be effective. Spread them on the top of the soil to keep cats away.

Vinegar: A mixture of one part vinegar to two parts water can be sprayed around the soil at the base of your plant to deter cats with its strong smell.

You can also try planting specific plants that have odors that are offensive to cats, including:

Scaredy Cat Plant (Coleus Canina plants): This plant can be planted indoors or outside to repel cats with its unpleasant smell.

Lemon Thyme: Plant lemon thyme in pots around your houseplants or garden to discourage cats.

Mint Family Plants: Mint plants can deter cats due to their strong scent.

Curry Herb Plant: The strong smell of the curry plant can deter cats from approaching your indoor plants.

Other Options

Providing your cat with their own cat grass, catnip, and catmint indoors can keep them away from your other houseplants. Cats love to chew on cat grass in particular, which can distract them from eating your other plants.

Don’t forget to reward your cat with treats and praise when they stay away from your plants. Positive reinforcement can be a great way to train your cat. Of course, negative can also work – keeping a mister bottle with water handy for when they start to nibble can be a great trainer.

Lastly, provide indoor cats with plenty of activities to keep them occupied. Toys, scratching posts, and interactive play can divert their attention away from plants.

Safety

Try to pick non-toxic plants that are generally safe for cats, such as spider plants, African violets, and cat grass. That way, if your cat does get into them, there’s less risk of upset stomach, allergic reactions, or other more serious health issues. Here’s a list of common houseplants that are safe for cats to get you started.

Enjoy Your Plants!

By using a combination of these methods, you should be able to safely keep cats away from your plants. The most important step is to keep testing until you find what works best for you and your kitty cat friends. 

Looking for more houseplant info? Here’s a list of plants that can survive in windowless bathrooms.