6 Tips for Keeping Cats Out of Your Houseplants

Cats can be pretty destructive when it comes to houseplants. Whether it’s eating the leaves, digging in the dirt or knocking your pots off the shelf, cats and plants don’t really mix. However, I love having houseplants just as much as I love my cats, so I wanted to share some tips on how I make it work.

I don’t know if it’s just me or if this is something other cat parents deal with too. Maybe you’re lucky enough that your cats totally ignore your plants and want nothing to do with them. Even so, this article will have some helpful tips for keeping your kitties safe around houseplants.

1. Use Rocks to Keep Cats from Digging in Houseplants

I don’t know why, but the two cats I adopted most recently just to dig in my houseplants. Dirt is fun to dig in, but rocks and gravel are not. Therefore, the simplest solution is to arrange rocks at the base of any houseplants that have exposed dirt.

You can get creative with making patterns with your rocks or choosing fun colors or textures. Or do something really utilitarian (and kind of ugly) like I did for this giant Bird of Paradise I just repotted. I dug up some broken pieces of an old concrete slab from the garden last year, and decided to put them to good use.

You don’t need giant rocks like these. Gravel, aquarium beads or decorative pebbles will work well. Just don’t do anything too fine, or it will be just as inviting as a sandbox.

2. Hang Plants Out of Reach

Cats love eating spider plants, which is something I learned as a kid. Currently, we don’t have any spider plants, but we do have an ivy plant that has some rather tantalizing vines to play with. Since ivy and spider plants like to sprawl, hanging up your pot is just the natural thing to do anyway.

Our ivy plant is getting a little out of control, so we’re experimenting with ways to trim the long vines and propagate the cuttings. In any case, keeping long vines out of reach will prevent your cats from seeing them as a toy.

3. Use Cat-Proof Planting Pots

In my experience, cats won’t be interested in something they can’t bat at or sniff with ease. This was a major problem with a few of my succulent pots that had exposed dirt. I found that replanting them in a tall glass vase was a perfect solution. My cats have yet to dig in it, and my succulents are thriving.

Check out a full tutorial for making your own cat-proof succulent display here!

4. Use Lemon Juice or Pepper

For a cat that likes to chew on plants, you might find it works well to spritz the leaves with diluted lemon juice. Cats generally don’t like citrus and will likely stay away from lemon-scented leaves. However, keep in mind that lemon juice is sugary and will make your plants get sticky over time. Not only is that gross, it will collect dust like no other and it’ll more than likely attract fruit flies.

You might be thinking that citrus-scented essential oils would be a good alternative. However, many of these are toxic to cats and you want to avoid using them around your pets. By spraying too much, you can cause your kitty to develop respiratory issues. And if your cat comes into direct contact with certain essential oils, it can cause skin irritation. Contact the Pet Poison Helpline if your cat shows any reaction to essential oils you may use in the home.

A diluted mixture of water and essential oils in a spray bottle might work for keeping cats away from plants, but you have to remember how sensitive cats’ noses are.

As an alternative to citrus, cayenne pepper might work well to keep cats away from your plants. Try sprinkling a little cayenne in the soil or at the base of your plants’ leaves to start. You can also make a mixture to spray onto your plants.

Just keep in mind that not all cats will care about cayenne pepper and might not even notice it. In any case, it’s important to handle cayenne pepper carefully so you don’t get it in your eyes.

5. Use Tin Foil as a Deterrent

When our cat Cooper was a kitten, he was obsessed with crawling behind the TV stand. I read that leaving a sheet of tin foil down is supposed to keep cats from walking where you don’t want them due to the fact that they don’t like the crinkly sound. It worked with the TV stand, so I figured the same principle might apply to houseplants.

This is not an attractive solution, nor is it meant to be a permanent one. However, I found great success by wrapping a layer of tin foil around the base of one of my plants. The cats couldn’t see the dirt, which meant they sometimes forgot it was there. When they eventually got curious and pawed at it anyway, the sound stopped them from going much further.

As an added benefit, I could always hear them getting into the plant because of the crinkling foil. It kept them from doing any damage, and I could come running with the spray bottle.

6. Get Plants that Cats Don’t Like

If all else fails, you might need to stick with houseplants that cats don’t like. This can vary a lot depending on the cat. I’ve brought in plants that I was sure my cats wouldn’t be interested in, only to discover chew marks on the leaves the next day.

Cats are usually the most enticed by plants with grass-like leaves. Spider plants, ferns, and even palms with grassy leaves will not last long (Areca Palms and Parlor Palms are non-toxic to cats). On the other hand, plants with thick or rubbery leaves might be a better option. However, I’ve had cats that will try to eat just about everything — even succulents!

How to Keep Cats Safe Around Houseplants

As you probably know, some houseplants are toxic to pets. Always check before bringing a new plant into your home. Unless you’re certain your cats can’t get to the plant, it’s usually best to just avoid these.

Cats can also injure themselves if they knock pots off of shelves — or worse, climb up a shelf with plants on it and topple the shelf down on themselves. From my experience, cats eventually lose interest in plants that are too hard to reach. However, you’ll want to keep a close eye on them in the meantime.

Even non-toxic plants can cause issues if your cat eats too much. If you have houseplants, keep an eye out for any unusual cat behavior such as:

• Vomiting or gagging
• Coughing or sneezing
• Irritated skin
• Pawing at their nose & mouth
• Decreased appetite

Remember, you can call the Pet Poison Helpline if you think your cat is reacting badly to something it consumed.

What have you tried for keeping harmony between your cats and houseplants? I’d love to hear in the comments what works for you!