How to Keep Your Cat Out of Your Houseplants

Written by Kelly Fletcher

I’m a cat person and I think it probably goes without saying that I’m a plant person too. Sometimes people hit the lottery and end up with cats that have absolutely no interest in their houseplants– but me? I’ve never had such luck. It’s like some sick cosmic joke that two things I love so dearly are at odds with each other– or more aptly, my cat seems to have an infernal mission to terrorize my poor plants.

Let me take you back, if I may, to over a year ago when I brought home Mazzy Star. I fell in love with a one year old street cat at the shelter. She looked at me with these eyes filled with mischief and love and it was over for me. It didn’t take long for me to realize that she had a personal vendetta against my plants. As if they’d wronged her in a million past lives before, her mission in this new life was to seek vengeance in the highest accord. She loves to sit in the soil, munch on the leaves, draw and quarter them, knock them over, you name it. Simply placing them out of her reach was not an option for me– Mazzy is particularly skilled at climbing and jumping.

Enter, my year long journey of attempts to keep Mazzy away from my poor, karmically indebted, houseplants. Let me tell you, I’ve tried just about everything the internet suggests to deter cats from houseplants. But to preface, every cat is different, so what worked for me and Mazzy may not work for you.  I’m just here to impart whatever wisdom I can.

First, I’d like to start with some tips I’ve found that I hate.

Anything that can be painful or anxiety-inducing to your cat should be avoided, in my opinion. Some corners of the internet suggest spraying your cat with water when they engage in unwanted behavior, such as committing acts of war against your plants. What’s important to understand about cats is that they literally do not have a moral compass (that isn’t a joke, don’t laugh). They don’t understand that the behavior you’re punishing them for is wrong, they’ll just begin to associate the fear of being sprayed with you and engage in the unwanted behavior when you aren’t around. I also don’t endorse placing tin foil on the surfaces you wish to keep your cat off of– not only is it ugly, but it scares them, can cause anxiety, and is harmful if ingested. Sticking plastic forks prongs up in the soil just seems like cruel and unusual punishment to me. The internet often suggests citrus rind or sprays as a deterrent because cats hate the smell, but citrus is actually toxic to cats and can cause health issues.

As for methods I’ve found to work without any adverse effects to my cat:

If your cat enjoys laying on or digging in your plants’ soil, it can be helpful to line the rim of the planter with double sided tape. They don’t like how the sticky texture feels on their paws and one step will turn them off to the activity. Just beware with this method that you’ll need to replace the tape once the adhesive dulls and be very cautious when removing it from painted planters, as it can damage the finish. You can also use rocks as a top dressing! I’ve found that larger rocks tend to be the most effective– plus if your cat does get into your soil, the rocks will minimize dirt tracking.

If your cat enjoys chaos and knocking over your plants, stick museum putty on the bottom of your vessels to keep them in place. This hack is great for non-plant, breakable items that your cat may be enticed to knock over as well!

If your cat enjoys munching on your plants, try growing them some cat grass! Mazzy is obsessed with hers and it fulfills her desire to feast on my plants by replacing them with a healthy alternative. Place the cat grass near any plant your cat likes to snack on and they’re sure to choose the grass instead!... God willing.

It’s incredibly important to consider the type of plant you have in your home if your cat likes to munch on them. There are lots of helpful resources online that will help you determine if a plant is toxic to your cat, but one note I’ll make is that lillies of any kind are among the most toxic, and potentially fatal, plants your cat can eat– every part of the plant is extremely dangerous to have around your cats. I won’t even have them in my home despite how much I love them.

That being said, if you have a plant that’s mildly irritating to cats, you can try to keep them out of reach by using tall plant stands and plant hangers. You can also keep your plants in a terrarium or an enclosed glass curio cabinet. I haven’t tried this yet myself, but plan to in the future!

Overall, Providing alternatives and distractions are the best ways I’ve found to allow my plants and my cat to live in near harmony. Ensuring that your cat has enticing toys near your plants, plenty of places to climb if that’s their thing, and cat grass to munch on!

If you try any of these methods and they work, we’d love to hear about it in the comments! Or if you have any cat safe hacks that have worked for you feel free to add them there as well!

Until then, Happy Planting!

Kelly