It’s Kitty Tip Tuesday. Can you dig it?
But no, seriously. If your cat is roughing up your houseplants, read on for tips to stop the madness.
No doubt you know that kitties can be busy and they can keep YOU busy, as well. Sometimes their habits are hilarious and endearing. Other times, they can be downright frustrating. If you’re feeling challenged by a cat who likes to excavate, read on for some helpful and super simple tips.
Dig Deep
First of all, take a deep breath. It’s all going to be okay. You are the master of your domain. HAHAHA! Just kidding. We all know who’s in charge.
But you do have thumbs. And that’s something.
Which means that you can move things around and control the environment. How cool is that?! GO YOU!
Safety First
You probably already know this but your cats should NEVER be allowed to chew on or eat any houseplants because many are poisonous or are simply difficult to digest. For some great information on poisonous plants to avoid altogether, please click here. It’s great knowledge to have to keep your pets safe and your vet bills at a minimum. Your plants will thank you, too!
Putting a stop to the digging…
If you have (safe!) plants in your home and your kitty is digging in them, DO THIS: place smooth river stones (large ones, not pebbles) on top of the dirt. This is an attractive, affordable, easy, and effective deterrent to digging and it will also prevent cats from using your plant dirt as an oh-so-tempting litter box. #winning
And what about the snacking?
If your cat enjoys chewing on your plants, please go back to that link from before (okay, here it is again) and be very aware of which houseplants are dangerous. Learning as much as you can about your plants can save you and your cat lots of time, trouble, and heartache.
If your cat insists on chewing your plants, the most obvious choice is to move them out of her reach using strategically placed stands, hanging them, or by putting them in their own space away from the reach of your cat.
For hanging plants, you can simply trim them so they don’t provide tempting tendrils dangling within your cat’s reach.
You can also spray the leaves of your plants with something like Bitter Apple spray for cats which is harmless to pets and plants but can be a successful deterrent for most hungry and curious kitties.
More Help + The Benefits of Play Therapy
Cat Grass
As a safe alternative, you may want to consider providing your cat with healthy cat grass to chew on so that she is not as likely to be interested in other plants. Easy to grow, or found pre-grown at pet supply stores, wheat grass and other approved grasses are very attractive for many cats. Here is an example.
Play Therapy
If your cat is still chewing on or digging in your plants or acting out in other ways, please consider that she may be doing so because she’s bored. Be sure to play with your kitty at least twice a day using interactive cat toys, making sure that you do so for at least 15 minutes at a time.
If the chewing occurs while you’re gone at work, make sure to get in a session before you leave and then again before you head to bed if it happens while you’re sleeping. For more information, see our Play Therapy page.
While You’re Away
Leave safe (not string or feather) toys out for your feline. Think catnip mice and trackball and scratcher toys. Try setting up a cat tree or hammock in a nice windowsill where she can kick back and enjoy nature and plot revenge on the squawking birds, getting a bird feeder to attract them to distract her if you can. The idea is to provide safe entertainment for her while you are gone so that she doesn’t go around seeking mischievous ways to entertain herself.
Once more for the cheap seats…
Please keep in mind that some plants can kill your cat with only a nibble so practice safety first and take no chances. If your cat shows any interest in such highly toxic plants, remove them from her reach.
Signs of plant poisoning can include excessive salivation, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, breathing difficulty, fever, abdominal pain, depression, collapse, trembling, irregular heartbeat, mouth and throat ulcers. Such symptoms can quickly advance to convulsions, coma, cardiac arrest, and even death. Of course, treatment for poisoning depends on the plant, so be sure to contact your vet immediately and know your plants!
Click here for more info on toxic plants. Yes, that’s three times we’ve linked that.
It’s that important.
Have a lovely week and thank you for giving cats the lives they deserve.
Thank you for reading and for helping to keep cats safe. Please share with your pet-loving, plant-loving friends. You never know who may need this information and, hey, you could save a life. #kittytiptuesday
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I'm so sad.
My baby, Buddy, is sick and I don't know if he's going to make it.
I wish more people would help us save stray cats but I guess it's too much to ask.
Instead my neighbors are jerks and must be happy now.
I can't just sit here so i'm doing everything I can to save him but it's so hard. Keep us in your thoughts tonight. 💔
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