Comments on: How to Keep Your Cats From Eating Your Plants

By: Scott

Scott — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 22:53:04 +0000

I know this is an old post, and thus unlikely to be read — it came up as one of the first on a Google search of “inedible plants for cats;” but every kitty I’ve had who will eat just about any plant grown organically, poisonous or not, will eat just about every plant they can get hold of weather it makes them sick or not.

I’m not saying they all will, but for those that do: They won’t learn! They will go back to it over and over. And you will have to clean that up over and over!

Yet they WILL NOT eat Rosemary, no matter how it’s grown. Nor will they go anywhere near anything that smells like it: Even if it’s on my hands. It’s like an anti-kitty shield to them — I use it for cooking all the time so they don’t like me a lot of the time. Sux 2 b me.

I’m not saying this is a solution to anything!

Keep in mind, I’ve only had 5 cats, not an infestation of them. So that’s just my personal observance, and not a compressive study or anything. YMMV!

Hope that helps someone. Enjoy!

By: Glenn

Glenn — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 12:47:22 +0000

I have a majesty palm in the house and my two cats love to try to chew the leaves and I put a stop to that as I placed aluminum foil around the pot loosely . My cats are afraid of the crackling sound

By: ROXANNE

ROXANNE — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 12:04:37 +0000

TY KURT,

I was reading about the mint as well, and thought that was strange, seeing my cat loves mint…if I have mint gum in my purse, he will find a way to get at it….so thank you for clearing that up

By: Fern

Fern — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 18:55:33 +0000

Interesting tip Lissa. Thanks for sharing!

By: lissa

lissa — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 01:02:53 +0000

I know I am way late but works for me is to take a lemon and grate it around the plants. My cats love mint I have a peppermint the kitten has taken a shine 2 but I don’t mind as mint is impossible to kill. I brought it inside so it could get a early start.

By: Amber

Amber — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 14:22:31 +0000

I thought I would add my 2 cents here too since I am looking for a way to keep my kitties from using my back patio raised flower beds as litter boxes. I am going to try the citrus method as I know they hate the smell. And note on mint: Catnip is part of the mint family so I can see some cats love it & some hate it.

I have used the sticky tape method on counters & such. I didn’t have any sticky tape, so used duck tape with the sticky side up. Then I always knew if they were up on the surface because the tape was gone. It does stick to them but they pull it off. AND the ALWAYS learn the lesson cuz they hate the feel of the tape & have to pull it off too. It seemed to cure them within 4-7 days with this method.

Keeping kitty grass (which is just oat seed u can get from any farm/garden place) helps keep kitties from eating your plants. And avoid plants that look like grass (ie Spider plants) cuz it is just too much temptation for a kitty. Bitter Apple product does work but u must reapply it so often. I have had more luck with that on dogs than cats. At least it is non-toxic to both aninal & plant.

By: crystal

crystal — Mon, 10 May 2010 22:41:21 +0000

Um, almost every cat I’ve ever had loves mint. I’ve had them try to stick their head in my mouth when shewing gum, dig through garbage to get at gum/wrappers, and even try to eat toothpaste. In all honesty, I find it weird that your cats don’t like it.

PS-everything else here is great (with the amendment for moth balls. Apparently they are a carcinogen). I’ll have to try out some of this and search out that book.

By: Olivia Neece

Olivia Neece — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 03:28:49 +0000

LThis is another late post, but I suppose people are always looking for solutions. et me start by saying that I have had and lost 3 pairs of kitties we grew from 6 months on. My husband insists that cats are naturally outdoor creatures, so they go in and out, coming in before dark, or even after an hour or so. One of my cats lived to be 22 years old. The others did not have such long lives. Other than my Old cat who I grieved for over a year, these are the two most precious and human like cats I have ever seen. They crave our companionship and are much like dogs. We have plant potty problems and did have scratching problems.
RE scratching problems, they destroyed the sofa and a chair before we got this idea. untWe bought two giant cat trees and put them near the windows so they can climb up and see everything in the backyard land main living spaces. We have a separate TV room and we put a scratchy rug under the sofa where we watch tv. We keep all three and a smaller post near the computer catnipped regularly, (but not so much that they are “hooked” and gorked out.

RE: the poop problem and kitchen counters I love all your ideas:
The problem with squirtguns or airguns is that the cats are sneaky, they like to go potty in the plants and not only eat them but scratch the big leaves with their claws when you are not looking… s
It is the same with the kitchen counters (unless they are being downright petulant and then roll over into a cute pose when you try to remove them). I know whenever I leave the house they immediately jump on the counters and walk all over them…there are signs…a piece of mail on the floor.. a broke glass or you just know. Anyway, I have tried spray, hot jalopeno peppers, and prickly plants and still get poop in the plants and dead plants from urine. Right now I am considering the UNTHINKABLE…FAKE PLANTS….but you have given me some new ideas. I’m out to the store to buy oranges, lemons, pine cones, Double stick tape for the edge of the counters (may not be so easy to clean, and Bitter Yuk. The sofa is already a lost cause. My other two cats never touched it as it is suede and actually hard to get claws into suede than any other fabric. But these two found a way, and once they get in, it is easier to maul it. Closed my website for lack of time, but I should get it up again in about 6 months.

By: 15 Great Plants to Refresh Indoor Air

15 Great Plants to Refresh Indoor Air — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 13:56:35 +0000

[...] Several of the plants on the list are toxic to cats, dogs and small children, so do your research first if you share your home with smaller [...]

By: Cat

Cat — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 21:37:07 +0000

Jen: I know this is an old post, but wanted to give you our latest keep-the-cat-off-[surface] technique. We used squirt guns when I was little, but that usually resulted in water everywhere more often than our cat being trained. Now, we use canned air–as in the stuff you use to blow the dust off your computer. Cats hate the sound AND the feel of it. Just don’t blow them in the face or hold the can tilted. Hope that helps!