Cats and Houseplants

Cats love houseplants. For the indoor-only cat, cat-safe plants are an important part of an enriched environment that includes toys, cat trees for scratching, climbing and resting high and mightily above it all, and screened porches or window perches that allow the intriguing scents of the often-dangerous world outside into a cat's life.

The indoor jungle, though, presents its share of hazards, and houseplants are among them. The first thing that must be done with a green-loving cat is to make sure poisonous plants are not on the menu. The Cornell Book of Cats warns that many common houseplants can give make your cat ill, and a few can be deadly. Among the most dangerous are dieffenbachia, lily of the valley and philodendron. Various ivys and yews can be troublesome, too, and the bulbs of plants popular for "forcing" into bloom -- such as amaryllis, daffodils and tulips -- can cause problems for the extra-industrious cat who likes to dig and chew.

The other problem with cats and houseplants is strictly irritation -- not to the pet's system, but to the owner's. Some cats are industrious destroyers of household greenery, while others like to kick dirt around or even use larger pots as litter boxes. All of which makes perfect sense to your cat, annoying as it may be to you.

Can people, cats and plants co-exist? With an understanding of your cat's needs and a consistent approach, almost anything is possible.

Understand that your cat needs and wants plants in your home. Indulge your cat by keeping planters of sprouting grasses growing in an accessible place for nibbling. Special blends of seeds for cats are available in pet stores and specialty shops, or you can purchase rye grass seeds at the nursery.

Catnip, too, is something that's always better when fresh. While not all cats react to the pleasures of this plant, those who do will appreciate your keeping it in-house, and using fresh cuttings to recharge cat posts and toys.

When your cat has his own plants, you can work on keeping him away from the rest. Plants on the ground or on low tables are the easiest targets, so make your houseplants less accessible to the bored and wandering cat. Put plants up high, or better yet: Hang them!

For the plants you can't move out of harm's way, make them less appealing by coating with something your cat finds disagreeable. Cat-discouragers include Bitter Apple, a nasty-tasting substance available at any pet-supply store (and good for those puppy chewers, too!) or Tabasco sauce from any grocery store. Whenever you find what your cat doesn't like, keep reapplying to enforce the point.

Keep a water-filled spray bottle handy, too, and when you see your cat near the off-limits plants, fire!

Once your cat learns the leaves aren't so tasty, you can teach him that dirt isn't for digging and pots aren't for tipping. Pot your plants in heavy, wide-bottomed containers and cover the soil of the problem plants with rough decorative rock. Foil and waxed paper are less-attractive deterrents, and I don't like to recommend them as much as decorative rock because you're going to get tired of looking at that foil.

Remember that these things take time, and as with most pet problems, involve a bit of compromise on your part. Give your cats the greens he wants, protect him from the ones that might hurt him and make the rest less attractive to him, and a lush indoor garden will one day be yours for both you and your cat to enjoy.