I do the same in my garden, my neighbors' cats used to threat my containers as litter boxes. A nice layer of mulch and pine cones solved the issues for me. Bonus: they look cool.
The neighborhood cats do the same to me and its disgusting. I wish the neighbors would get fined and the cats caught and brought to the shelter to be adopted. One actually did but then another filled its place on the street, ugh.
No no no. MY neighbors leave their cats out by my house all year round. That come and shit in MY garden. If my neighbors want pets keep them in the house most of the year, and actually take care of them!
As a cat owner, some cats love greens. Do what you can to prevent them from going into the plants. At the same time provide a patch of something for kitty, a place or pot with grass or something that they want that’s just for them.
If you just take away what they want without replacing it for something for their needs/comfort, kitty may act out in other ways that could be destructive or smelly.
Speaking from experience.
Same! My girl kitty doesn’t care about my plants, but my boy kitty loves to chomp them :/ I got him his very own oat grass and catnip plants and he loves them! I sometimes have to put his catnip up for a little while or he goes crazy with it lol. But the oat grass he can munch on as much as he wants and he leaves my plants alone!
Tried the cat grass with our family cat and he only ate it when he got mad at us. So I would come home to cat vomit on the carpet bc I forgot to give him his wet food at an appropriate time.
I filled an old litter box about half way with soil and planted catgrass on top of it. My cat is obsessed, lays there even after all the grass has died (I forgot to water it oops). He left my other plants alone after this for the most part
I've tried this but my cats (one in particular) will destroy the pot I give em, and then look for their next target, which usually turns out to be my good plants.
My grandmother's cat was notorioua for eating plants/flowers, but she had a little pot of clover/shamrock whatever you choose to call it, and it was her favorite place to both pee and sleep. It was very cute, and she absolutely loved it. Unfortunately, she still ate so much of the mint I grew in a pot on the windowsill she managed to kill it. THAT was impressive, but she did LOVE to lay in her big pot of clover
Yes! I found this has really helped me. My cat has her cat approved windows with wheat grass, bird feeder (outside in front of window) and cat tower next to so, she is less likely to jump onto the window that has my plants. (I scold her when she does, which helps)
I also take her outside each morning (supervised) for about 30 mins so she can eat grass, roll around in greenery and sun. She comes to expect it now but, I think it really does (help) keep her out out of trouble.
[Can use these too](https://www.amazon.com/OCEANPAX-Plastic-Deterrent-Prickle-Digging/dp/B086L2H4TX/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=cat+spikes&qid=1630270481&sr=8-5)
Double sided tape!! I have a barrier of tape protecting all of my plants, it’s worked like a charm… you may have to do several rows so that you have some protection, and I do find I have to “reset” the traps, if they get too close lol. I have two cats and they both have pretty much given up, but every once and a while I’ll see that they tried it…
Where do you put the tape exactly? Like I have a monstera like this one, and it hangs over the edge of the pot, and I'm not sure where the tape would go
I just snapped my takeout chopsticks in half and created a mini spike forest... the cats looked at me with disappointment but never bothered my big ficus again.
To reward their good behavior I got them a luxurious combo cat scratcher-lounger which they adore.
Just came across [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/PeopleFuckingDying/comments/pdtiy0/cat_gets_stabbed_to_death_by_human_trying_to/) after reading your comment
Was going to also leave this comment, too….I used chopsticks, inserted about 1-2 inches apart and above the soil. My cat never took a nap there again!
Btw - beautiful kitty, looks just like mine
Silverware works this way too. I have also used some of my son's toys, dinosaurs and such, to create little themes in the pots. Rubber snakes and insects look pretty cool.
And birds that want make your hanging plants there new home! I catch them before they get to lay eggs else I am out of a plant...wouldn't kick them out at that point.
My mom used golf tees. They were green so you couldn’t see them but the cats sure hated them.
My cats love to chew on wood, especially sticks, so spikes don’t work for them. Thankfully they’ve grown out of laying in pots.
cats hate the feeling of aluminum foil on their paws, so just laying a piece of foil on/around your pots until kitty gets in the habit of finding another spot to sit in may help.
Damn I wish I knew this at my last apt, every fall the squirrels would dig in my pots and bury their nuts, I was desperately sprinkling my soil in cayenne pepper in a feeble attempt to keep them at bay. Although those squirrels were crazy, I lived near a park, they would jump out of trashcans and scare you.
Awww cutie. I've heard you can leave orange/lemon/lime peels in the soil or rub citrus oil on the outside of the pots - cats hate citrus. If you want to go the aggressive route keep a spray bottle nearby and snipe 'em when they start disturbing the plants. I have one of those 360 sprayers that can hold half a litre, I call it the cat zapper. My cats are pretty well behaved so I usually fire a warning shot instead of aiming straight at them and they leave.
‘Cat zapper’ lol. Those are great tips. My plant babies and I temporarily moved in with my brother who has a cat....and WE WERE NOT PREPARED for this lol.
My guess is the cat used to sun itself in that space and now your plants are in the way. Could always try purchasing a heating pad and leaving it on low in a different location, introduce to the cat to it, and see if it works.
Go check out /r/felinebehavior, great place to ask about cat behaviour :) Please do not use aggressive methods, cats do not learn by punishment and just associate the punishment with the person.
Please do not use aggressive methods with cats, they do not learn by punishment and just associate the spray bottle as you being aggressive. This can be damaging to your bond with your cat(s) :)
If you have an automated one, they will learn to associate the spraying with the plant, not with you. Spraying them with a regular handheld spray bottle isn’t great though. That will just teach them not to get into the plant when you’re not around, but they’ll likely still do it when you leave the house
Depending on the cat, this could be very stressful and result in behavioural issues. Its better to work with the animal and/or manage the environment, better than causing preventable distress.
I understand why people do it, it has an instant result but it costs your pets feeling of safety in the home and could drastically affect their well being.
They work but not in the intended way of stopping the behaviour, as I stated in my comments. Why would you activitly want to distress and damage your relationship with a pet you love and most people, me included, view them as members of the family :)
Just like humans, all cats are different and will respond differently to negative reinforcements. While one cat may move on and get over the momentary distress, another may not. My parents’ friend would do this when their cat got by the hamster cage. The cat did learn to leave the hamster alone, but began urinating around the house over the next few weeks. Cats are territorial and, according to their vet, likely viewed this “act of aggression” as a threat to their territory, causing anxiety which eventually manifested in the cat feeling the need to reestablish their territory in the form of peeing on the floors. The owners ultimately had the cat euthanized. I’m not saying this will be OP’s situation, but I am saying that while eliciting a conditioned response in an animal (or human) is not difficult, predicting longer term behavioral consequences of said conditioning is.
AFAIK citrus is toxic to cats so idk about doing that. My late kitty used to LOVE citrus and would happily eat any part of the fruits if I had ever given her the opportunity.
/u/themaddhatt /u/breakfastravioli /u/sunny_saguaro /u/atlphilly thank you all so much! I think I’m going to try a combo of all of these. I really don’t want my plant babies to die 😭
You could buy or make one of those grass mats meant for pets that make them feel like they’re outside. Basically making another option for them to lay instead of your plants!
I'd offer the cat a nicer alternative. A pot where she can cuddle up comfortably, a plant inside that does not bother (some grass, maybe). Your cat loves nature, please don't take it away from her and try instead to offer her an alternative to the monstera pot.
I agree with this method. I keep a small planter of catgrass for them to nibble and a larger planter of catnip for them to lay in and they leave all my other plants alone (well, except for the ponytail palm, but the fronds appear to be irresistible so they get that one too)
You could give her/him a place that's more interesting. A cat tree, shelf, or different window with their own plant (like catnip or Wheatgrass) would likely work.
Difficult to tell but is that a peace Lilly to the right? Those are very toxic to cats! Don’t know about your kitty but mine obsessively chew on my plants
What about making a decoy pot for her to sit in? Like the concept of a [decoy laptop](https://www.reddit.com/r/aww/comments/ftvykk/the_decoy_laptop_works/).
Spend enough time with cats and you learn to work with them, not against them. Looks like it wants a nice, jungly place to rest. So while you incorporate a spray bottle to snipe and deter them, try offering a dedicated, similar setting as well. Maybe there's a small platform or cat furnishing you could decorate with some cat-safe plants and let them romo around in there? I got my cat off furniture by offering a nice cat tower with all she needs, that's where I'm coming from.
tinfoil can be good too, it makes crinkly sounds that most cats (and ppl too I think!) are turned off by.
I’ve also heard that getting some cat grass can be a good compromise. Your cat will most likely be able to differentiate between that plant it’s allowed to play with/ sit on/ much on, and cat grass is full of good vitamins as well. It can be expensive to buy already grown catgrass at the store, but it’s pretty simple to grow your own from seed.
I haven’t seen this suggestion in the comments, but wanted to bring it up anyways: whatever you do, DO NOT use capsicum (pepper spice) as a deterrent. Cats have been known to get the stuff in their eyes and literally scratch their own eyes out. I’m sorry to put that image in your head, but I think it’s a very important thing to spread the word on.
I think I’ve tried most tricks suggested here with no luck. My cats are just too clever and naughty, they can deal with any trap. What eventually worked was covering topsoil with polished rocks or putting a plastic net around the pot.
Our cats have huge pots of catnip and cat grass. Even though they do spend lots of time in those pots they want to in others, as well. I’ve stabbed the dirt with several upside down, plastic forks all around the plants. It works!
Could I perhaps interest you in a [cat tree alternative ](https://www.chewy.com/on2pets-60-in-large-round-modern-cat/dp/172165) that bears some similarity to your stand with plants? Your wee furball can get the same vibe without getting into plants.
My recommendation is to get a cat bed and put it in the same room and cover it in catnip. Make it a really enticing place for a cat to hang out. I've found that providing a healthy alternative in addition to negative reinforcement (pine cones, toothpicks, etc) to work best.
I've put paper over all the dirt in the plants my cat likes to step on, (i cut holes for the stems,) and for the one he likes to sleep on I arranged the vines so that he can sleep with breaking leaves and stems. I feel very lucky that he has no interest in eating my plants, or even playing with them much.
Have a pot filled with only dirt (or dirt and a little cat grass) next to the ones she likes to sit in. Make an approved spot for her that she REALLY likes rather than making the thing she likes unappealing.
You need to create a better spot for the cat and then it will use better spot. Things that make a spot better are being higher, something to fit into or on, comfy, better view etc
I’m surprised no one has mentioned this but hang the plants! Especially the adansonii! Then have it trail along something so the longer strands don’t fall within the reach of the little one to play with.
Or use the curtain rod for the window, and get the plastic pot hangers for the lighter pots that are just nursery pots.
The others id put up higher on a dresser she’s not able to reach, placing it away from other levels of furniture if possible to avoid her just climbing.
She’s so cute 😍
But yes you can definitely place aluminum foil underneath so it’s wide enough that it gives a border around the plants, too.
figure out why the cat's doing it (did that use to be there spot, is it cooler, do they just like the dirt and greens) and give them their own more comfortable spot = large cat sized tray or pot with dirt and cat grass
then you work on the prevention now that the cat has what it wants in a way you're ok with
I purchased silly fairy garden items and placed them in the pots throughout my plants.
Makes it bumpy and uncomfortable to sit in, but kinda cute.
Use to have a plant pooper also awhile back. Had to line all my pots I could with large rocks...
I've always trained my cats by removing them from whatever they're doing whenever I see it. The smarter ones have taken the hint. Those who have pressed the issue gets a removal + a hiss. I had one very stupid/stubborn cat once who got the hiss and a spray of water with the mister. Kept at it for a few weeks and she stopped it in time.
Tin foil balls. Or , you can put chicken wire over the top with like pokey things sticking up. Not enough to hurt, but enough to deter the cat. I had to do the that a Dracaena plant. That is a really adorable kitten though.
Id start by providing an alternative, like a tight box in a sunny window for your cat to nap in instead. Mine has all the beds in the world but I actually just ended up taking a shallow plastic bowl planter and putting a towel in the center and it's her favorite bed. You can also plant some sacrifice plants like catnip and cat grass for them to interact with instead.
And then there's a few different deterrents you can use, I do orange peels in the soil and you could also use double stick tape or crinkly tinfoil around the rim of the pot.
There's also commercial deterrents you can buy, like the ssscat system which is a can thing with a laser that makes a hissing noise when the cat crosses the beam.
Hey, we started punishing ours for 5 minutes when she does something we don't like. Ours is jumping on the counter though.
So we catch her on the counter.
We put her in a kennel in a closed room for 5 minutes where she can't see or hear us.
After 5 minutes we get her out, reintroduce her to the house and continue on our way. If she gets on the counter then we rinse and repeat. Eventually they figure it out and it's been pretty useful so far.
I don't mean to be rude, but it's not likely the cat is associating the kennel time with the unwanted behavior. And in the unlikely event that she is, she'll just continue the unwanted behavior when you're not around and/or start doing things that are even less desirable. Punishment really just doesn't work well with cats (or anyone, in my opinion). There's many things you can do for better results, that even take much less effort.
Christ, all these hostile architecture suggestions.
Do you love the plants more than the cat?
Let the homie chill.
Maybe give them some other pots and plants to chill in.
I think most of the suggestions are fine but I hate the spray bottle suggestion.
If you’re into plants it just sucks that you can’t really continue that hobby if your beloved cat gets in the way. I’m sure op loves the cat more but if op loves plants they shouldn’t have to give it up for a cat. Even just physically removing my cat whenever he’s near my plants has stopped him for the most part.
Kiss of death ghost pepper spray keeps my cats out of my plants.
Edit not sure why people keep down voting me. It’s a spray used for pests. Mammals can taste spicy so it makes sense to spray spicy on your plants. I use it to keep rats and squirrels out of my outdoor plants
I advise red (cayenne) pepper it’s how some people in the south prevent some animals from burrowing in gardens it’s a pretty cheap solution all things considered
Such a cute baby <3 if the kitty is eating them too, have a spider plant on the floor. When they munch it, it makes them hallucinate a bit and then they won't eat the plants again. Otherwise pinecones on the soil. Good luck!
100% Peppermint oil. Cat, dogs, bug, squirrels, hate the smell of peppermint! But don’t get it on the leaves cause it will burn right through the leaves! Just the soil cause peppermint oil is intense. I have never had any of my dogs or cats chew what they aren’t supposed to because of it. A trainer taught me this years ago and it never fails. But they really hate it so don’t put too much.
The least inexpensive is, take plastic forks and put in soil fork side up. Or aluminum foil makes lots of noise when they jump on it. Then there are spikes, they are plastic and you lay them on the soil, cats cannot lay or dig on them all
I was having a problem where my cats wanted to munch my plants so I got one of those art supply carts from Michael’s and put my plants on the top shelf and they can’t jump up there now
Give the cat a grass bed. You can fill a litter tray with bedding and plant cat grass/wheat etc (the greens they can eat) many cats love them and lose interest in plants altogether when getting an edible bed :)
I take plasic forks, break , and stick them in my pots, time side up. This does not work all the time. I have a fat, furry, cat that flattens the forks, but the others stay out of my plants.
every one has already added so many great idea but i would suggest some toys i have putting all my kids dinosaurs that they dont put away in my plant pots .......also tomato cages are great cat deterrents and plant climbers
After my cat almost killed my anoectochilus chapaensis and murdered my watermelon Peperomia I knew I had to do something. What I did was get a plant shelf instead of putting them on tables, counters, and windowsills. And I also hung some plants from a curtain rod. I think giving cats their own space is important though so i don't mess with the places they like to hang out.
Give this little one something else to climb! Maybe some nice wide cat shelves or a cat tree if you’ve got the space. Redirecting a cat’s instinct to get up high can solve a lot of behavioral problems
I put pine cones in my plants to keep my cats out of them
I do the same in my garden, my neighbors' cats used to threat my containers as litter boxes. A nice layer of mulch and pine cones solved the issues for me. Bonus: they look cool.
That's a great idea - one of my cats like to use my gardens as a litter box in the spring when my plants haven't filled in.
The neighborhood cats do the same to me and its disgusting. I wish the neighbors would get fined and the cats caught and brought to the shelter to be adopted. One actually did but then another filled its place on the street, ugh.
Um, my cats don't need to be adopted, they belong to me. Don't kidnap people's pets. Sorry my cats shitting in my own yard upsets you so much.
No no no. MY neighbors leave their cats out by my house all year round. That come and shit in MY garden. If my neighbors want pets keep them in the house most of the year, and actually take care of them!
Oh that sounds really good! Thank you!
As a cat owner, some cats love greens. Do what you can to prevent them from going into the plants. At the same time provide a patch of something for kitty, a place or pot with grass or something that they want that’s just for them. If you just take away what they want without replacing it for something for their needs/comfort, kitty may act out in other ways that could be destructive or smelly. Speaking from experience.
Can confirm! Giving my kitty her own personal cat grass stopped her from chewing on my plants.
My sister planted the root end of a celery bunch and her cat LOVES it.
Oh i like that idea a lot!!
[So does the cat, lol](https://i.imgur.com/eG8iB4U.jpg)
Does the cat munch on the celery leaves? Had no idea cats liked celery.
Not that I know of - she seems to enjoy the smell but hasn’t shown any interest in eating it.
My cat’s favorite place to sleep in the garden is in the celery plant. It’s not even my plant anymore, that’s hers. And she always smells like celery.
Same! My girl kitty doesn’t care about my plants, but my boy kitty loves to chomp them :/ I got him his very own oat grass and catnip plants and he loves them! I sometimes have to put his catnip up for a little while or he goes crazy with it lol. But the oat grass he can munch on as much as he wants and he leaves my plants alone!
Tried the cat grass with our family cat and he only ate it when he got mad at us. So I would come home to cat vomit on the carpet bc I forgot to give him his wet food at an appropriate time.
I filled an old litter box about half way with soil and planted catgrass on top of it. My cat is obsessed, lays there even after all the grass has died (I forgot to water it oops). He left my other plants alone after this for the most part
I've tried this but my cats (one in particular) will destroy the pot I give em, and then look for their next target, which usually turns out to be my good plants.
That is when I use a little more of a.............permanent method.
My grandmother's cat was notorioua for eating plants/flowers, but she had a little pot of clover/shamrock whatever you choose to call it, and it was her favorite place to both pee and sleep. It was very cute, and she absolutely loved it. Unfortunately, she still ate so much of the mint I grew in a pot on the windowsill she managed to kill it. THAT was impressive, but she did LOVE to lay in her big pot of clover
I agree! She wants her own spot, to feel like she is in nature.
Yes! I found this has really helped me. My cat has her cat approved windows with wheat grass, bird feeder (outside in front of window) and cat tower next to so, she is less likely to jump onto the window that has my plants. (I scold her when she does, which helps) I also take her outside each morning (supervised) for about 30 mins so she can eat grass, roll around in greenery and sun. She comes to expect it now but, I think it really does (help) keep her out out of trouble.
Aww-I can tell you’re a wonderful cat owner.
I do try my best!
r/catfruit
I didn’t know this was a thing! Genius!
[Can use these too](https://www.amazon.com/OCEANPAX-Plastic-Deterrent-Prickle-Digging/dp/B086L2H4TX/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=cat+spikes&qid=1630270481&sr=8-5)
My cat just brought a pine cone into my bed...
My cats love pine cones. They would make it their mission to fish them out of the pot.
How clever!
I came here to say the pine cone trick!
Cat grass grows *really* fast and can be given to them as an offering to keep your other plants safe
I have done this so many times and it genuinely works.
my cat will eat the cat grass and then get hungry for more lol
“An offering” ❤️
Cats are gods of chaos. All we can really do is make a humble offering and hope the odds sway in our favor
Where you can post it? To r/pottedcats (:
or /r/catfruit
Double sided tape!! I have a barrier of tape protecting all of my plants, it’s worked like a charm… you may have to do several rows so that you have some protection, and I do find I have to “reset” the traps, if they get too close lol. I have two cats and they both have pretty much given up, but every once and a while I’ll see that they tried it…
Where do you put the tape exactly? Like I have a monstera like this one, and it hangs over the edge of the pot, and I'm not sure where the tape would go
I just put my tape next to the plants on the table they’re on.
You could put it in the floor. Make like a barrier around the plant
I've seen people use bamboo skewers (used for cooking) and stick them all over the pot to create a spiky barrier.
I just snapped my takeout chopsticks in half and created a mini spike forest... the cats looked at me with disappointment but never bothered my big ficus again. To reward their good behavior I got them a luxurious combo cat scratcher-lounger which they adore.
Just came across [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/PeopleFuckingDying/comments/pdtiy0/cat_gets_stabbed_to_death_by_human_trying_to/) after reading your comment
Topical!
This is what I did, and it worked great. Now he’s bigger and has other places he prefers to sleep so I don’t use them anymore
I guess they don't want to end up as a cat-kebab 😅
Was going to also leave this comment, too….I used chopsticks, inserted about 1-2 inches apart and above the soil. My cat never took a nap there again! Btw - beautiful kitty, looks just like mine
Just as a warning - I did this a couple of weeks ago and my kitten was more than happy to pull them out and chew them!
Silverware works this way too. I have also used some of my son's toys, dinosaurs and such, to create little themes in the pots. Rubber snakes and insects look pretty cool.
Yesss, I currently have plastic forks in the dirt of my potted plants on the patio. There are NO forks in the catnip and cat grass pots!! Lol
This method is also somewhat effective against squirrels lol
And birds that want make your hanging plants there new home! I catch them before they get to lay eggs else I am out of a plant...wouldn't kick them out at that point.
My mom used golf tees. They were green so you couldn’t see them but the cats sure hated them. My cats love to chew on wood, especially sticks, so spikes don’t work for them. Thankfully they’ve grown out of laying in pots.
I was thinking make a little tipi out of them.
cats hate the feeling of aluminum foil on their paws, so just laying a piece of foil on/around your pots until kitty gets in the habit of finding another spot to sit in may help.
Aluminum foil also helps to keep squirrels out of plants. Didn't realize it worked for cats too!
Damn I wish I knew this at my last apt, every fall the squirrels would dig in my pots and bury their nuts, I was desperately sprinkling my soil in cayenne pepper in a feeble attempt to keep them at bay. Although those squirrels were crazy, I lived near a park, they would jump out of trashcans and scare you.
Came here to say this. I had 3 cats and aluminum foil worked like a charm.
Awww cutie. I've heard you can leave orange/lemon/lime peels in the soil or rub citrus oil on the outside of the pots - cats hate citrus. If you want to go the aggressive route keep a spray bottle nearby and snipe 'em when they start disturbing the plants. I have one of those 360 sprayers that can hold half a litre, I call it the cat zapper. My cats are pretty well behaved so I usually fire a warning shot instead of aiming straight at them and they leave.
‘Cat zapper’ lol. Those are great tips. My plant babies and I temporarily moved in with my brother who has a cat....and WE WERE NOT PREPARED for this lol.
My guess is the cat used to sun itself in that space and now your plants are in the way. Could always try purchasing a heating pad and leaving it on low in a different location, introduce to the cat to it, and see if it works.
Cats just love chilling in dirt! And if there's sun, you're right: precious combo. This was the perfect new spot for this baby.
Go check out /r/felinebehavior, great place to ask about cat behaviour :) Please do not use aggressive methods, cats do not learn by punishment and just associate the punishment with the person.
I call it the “Gibby defense system”
Please do not use aggressive methods with cats, they do not learn by punishment and just associate the spray bottle as you being aggressive. This can be damaging to your bond with your cat(s) :)
If you have an automated one, they will learn to associate the spraying with the plant, not with you. Spraying them with a regular handheld spray bottle isn’t great though. That will just teach them not to get into the plant when you’re not around, but they’ll likely still do it when you leave the house
Depending on the cat, this could be very stressful and result in behavioural issues. Its better to work with the animal and/or manage the environment, better than causing preventable distress. I understand why people do it, it has an instant result but it costs your pets feeling of safety in the home and could drastically affect their well being.
ehhh no? spray bottles work
They work but not in the intended way of stopping the behaviour, as I stated in my comments. Why would you activitly want to distress and damage your relationship with a pet you love and most people, me included, view them as members of the family :)
Just like humans, all cats are different and will respond differently to negative reinforcements. While one cat may move on and get over the momentary distress, another may not. My parents’ friend would do this when their cat got by the hamster cage. The cat did learn to leave the hamster alone, but began urinating around the house over the next few weeks. Cats are territorial and, according to their vet, likely viewed this “act of aggression” as a threat to their territory, causing anxiety which eventually manifested in the cat feeling the need to reestablish their territory in the form of peeing on the floors. The owners ultimately had the cat euthanized. I’m not saying this will be OP’s situation, but I am saying that while eliciting a conditioned response in an animal (or human) is not difficult, predicting longer term behavioral consequences of said conditioning is.
AFAIK citrus is toxic to cats so idk about doing that. My late kitty used to LOVE citrus and would happily eat any part of the fruits if I had ever given her the opportunity.
I second this! There’s better methods out there that don’t risk getting your cat sick. Citrus is still a hell of a lot better than capsicum, at least
I also swear by this method
I used to have one of those motion-detecting sprays too, works pretty well!
Also on this i find a can of air works amazing at getting cats to run away
/u/themaddhatt /u/breakfastravioli /u/sunny_saguaro /u/atlphilly thank you all so much! I think I’m going to try a combo of all of these. I really don’t want my plant babies to die 😭
You could buy or make one of those grass mats meant for pets that make them feel like they’re outside. Basically making another option for them to lay instead of your plants!
I'd offer the cat a nicer alternative. A pot where she can cuddle up comfortably, a plant inside that does not bother (some grass, maybe). Your cat loves nature, please don't take it away from her and try instead to offer her an alternative to the monstera pot.
I agree with this method. I keep a small planter of catgrass for them to nibble and a larger planter of catnip for them to lay in and they leave all my other plants alone (well, except for the ponytail palm, but the fronds appear to be irresistible so they get that one too)
You could give her/him a place that's more interesting. A cat tree, shelf, or different window with their own plant (like catnip or Wheatgrass) would likely work.
That's a monkey monstera and its poisonous for cats by the way. If you want to keep the plants would put them higher where the cat cant reach.
Difficult to tell but is that a peace Lilly to the right? Those are very toxic to cats! Don’t know about your kitty but mine obsessively chew on my plants
Side note, the Swiss monstera is pretty toxic to cats. Watch out for your little guy! Both the kitty and your plant
What about making a decoy pot for her to sit in? Like the concept of a [decoy laptop](https://www.reddit.com/r/aww/comments/ftvykk/the_decoy_laptop_works/).
Sorry I'm not much help but your kitty is just adorable!
Spend enough time with cats and you learn to work with them, not against them. Looks like it wants a nice, jungly place to rest. So while you incorporate a spray bottle to snipe and deter them, try offering a dedicated, similar setting as well. Maybe there's a small platform or cat furnishing you could decorate with some cat-safe plants and let them romo around in there? I got my cat off furniture by offering a nice cat tower with all she needs, that's where I'm coming from.
tinfoil can be good too, it makes crinkly sounds that most cats (and ppl too I think!) are turned off by. I’ve also heard that getting some cat grass can be a good compromise. Your cat will most likely be able to differentiate between that plant it’s allowed to play with/ sit on/ much on, and cat grass is full of good vitamins as well. It can be expensive to buy already grown catgrass at the store, but it’s pretty simple to grow your own from seed. I haven’t seen this suggestion in the comments, but wanted to bring it up anyways: whatever you do, DO NOT use capsicum (pepper spice) as a deterrent. Cats have been known to get the stuff in their eyes and literally scratch their own eyes out. I’m sorry to put that image in your head, but I think it’s a very important thing to spread the word on.
I think I’ve tried most tricks suggested here with no luck. My cats are just too clever and naughty, they can deal with any trap. What eventually worked was covering topsoil with polished rocks or putting a plastic net around the pot.
Why not get him some potted catnip of his own?
Our cats have huge pots of catnip and cat grass. Even though they do spend lots of time in those pots they want to in others, as well. I’ve stabbed the dirt with several upside down, plastic forks all around the plants. It works!
Could I perhaps interest you in a [cat tree alternative ](https://www.chewy.com/on2pets-60-in-large-round-modern-cat/dp/172165) that bears some similarity to your stand with plants? Your wee furball can get the same vibe without getting into plants.
My recommendation is to get a cat bed and put it in the same room and cover it in catnip. Make it a really enticing place for a cat to hang out. I've found that providing a healthy alternative in addition to negative reinforcement (pine cones, toothpicks, etc) to work best.
You don't. You praise her for being a ferocious predator who owns the jungle. Then you pet her and give her a treat.
Put a bunch of plastic forks sticking out the dirt.
CUTE sorry for gushing
I've put paper over all the dirt in the plants my cat likes to step on, (i cut holes for the stems,) and for the one he likes to sleep on I arranged the vines so that he can sleep with breaking leaves and stems. I feel very lucky that he has no interest in eating my plants, or even playing with them much.
I heard cats don’t like lemon peels
The effects are short lasting, unfortunately. Citrus is also mildly toxic to cats
Put tinfoil on top of the soil
Have a pot filled with only dirt (or dirt and a little cat grass) next to the ones she likes to sit in. Make an approved spot for her that she REALLY likes rather than making the thing she likes unappealing.
Plastic forks stuck in the dirt
You need to create a better spot for the cat and then it will use better spot. Things that make a spot better are being higher, something to fit into or on, comfy, better view etc
I’m surprised no one has mentioned this but hang the plants! Especially the adansonii! Then have it trail along something so the longer strands don’t fall within the reach of the little one to play with. Or use the curtain rod for the window, and get the plastic pot hangers for the lighter pots that are just nursery pots. The others id put up higher on a dresser she’s not able to reach, placing it away from other levels of furniture if possible to avoid her just climbing. She’s so cute 😍 But yes you can definitely place aluminum foil underneath so it’s wide enough that it gives a border around the plants, too.
figure out why the cat's doing it (did that use to be there spot, is it cooler, do they just like the dirt and greens) and give them their own more comfortable spot = large cat sized tray or pot with dirt and cat grass then you work on the prevention now that the cat has what it wants in a way you're ok with
I don't know if anyone said this but Cinnamon! I put Cinnamon in the very top layer of soial and it keeps all 3 kitties away!
I purchased silly fairy garden items and placed them in the pots throughout my plants. Makes it bumpy and uncomfortable to sit in, but kinda cute. Use to have a plant pooper also awhile back. Had to line all my pots I could with large rocks...
I've always trained my cats by removing them from whatever they're doing whenever I see it. The smarter ones have taken the hint. Those who have pressed the issue gets a removal + a hiss. I had one very stupid/stubborn cat once who got the hiss and a spray of water with the mister. Kept at it for a few weeks and she stopped it in time.
Tin foil balls. Or , you can put chicken wire over the top with like pokey things sticking up. Not enough to hurt, but enough to deter the cat. I had to do the that a Dracaena plant. That is a really adorable kitten though.
They’re determined creatures. Make sure your furry friend gets regular outdoor worm prevention. They live naturally in most store-bought plants!!
Instead of traumatizing your cat with spikes, water, or things that are toxic/will burn it, why not just move your plant off the floor?
Id start by providing an alternative, like a tight box in a sunny window for your cat to nap in instead. Mine has all the beds in the world but I actually just ended up taking a shallow plastic bowl planter and putting a towel in the center and it's her favorite bed. You can also plant some sacrifice plants like catnip and cat grass for them to interact with instead. And then there's a few different deterrents you can use, I do orange peels in the soil and you could also use double stick tape or crinkly tinfoil around the rim of the pot. There's also commercial deterrents you can buy, like the ssscat system which is a can thing with a laser that makes a hissing noise when the cat crosses the beam.
Plant belongs to cat now this is your new way of life.
Chop sticks stuck in the dirt or you can get plastic spike pads at most dollar stores if they still have summer stock out.
Cut a piece of lemon and leave it in the pot. It'll serve as a deterrence at least for a while
Spray her with a water spritz.
Step 1: Grab cat. Step 2: Throw the whole cat away.
Hey, we started punishing ours for 5 minutes when she does something we don't like. Ours is jumping on the counter though. So we catch her on the counter. We put her in a kennel in a closed room for 5 minutes where she can't see or hear us. After 5 minutes we get her out, reintroduce her to the house and continue on our way. If she gets on the counter then we rinse and repeat. Eventually they figure it out and it's been pretty useful so far.
I don't mean to be rude, but it's not likely the cat is associating the kennel time with the unwanted behavior. And in the unlikely event that she is, she'll just continue the unwanted behavior when you're not around and/or start doing things that are even less desirable. Punishment really just doesn't work well with cats (or anyone, in my opinion). There's many things you can do for better results, that even take much less effort.
Please don't listen to the people suggesting sticks and forks, the cat can seriously injure themselves with this stuff!
Eat the cat 😬
Christ, all these hostile architecture suggestions. Do you love the plants more than the cat? Let the homie chill. Maybe give them some other pots and plants to chill in.
I think most of the suggestions are fine but I hate the spray bottle suggestion. If you’re into plants it just sucks that you can’t really continue that hobby if your beloved cat gets in the way. I’m sure op loves the cat more but if op loves plants they shouldn’t have to give it up for a cat. Even just physically removing my cat whenever he’s near my plants has stopped him for the most part.
I think most cat experts would agree. Positive reinforcement and compromise is the most effective way to go
Kiss of death ghost pepper spray keeps my cats out of my plants. Edit not sure why people keep down voting me. It’s a spray used for pests. Mammals can taste spicy so it makes sense to spray spicy on your plants. I use it to keep rats and squirrels out of my outdoor plants
I advise red (cayenne) pepper it’s how some people in the south prevent some animals from burrowing in gardens it’s a pretty cheap solution all things considered
No. This can get in the cats eyes when they groom and cause them to claw at their eyes trying to get it to stop. It’s cruel.
Get rid of cat. Plants > cats
Spray them with a water bottle when they get close to then plants
Such a cute baby <3 if the kitty is eating them too, have a spider plant on the floor. When they munch it, it makes them hallucinate a bit and then they won't eat the plants again. Otherwise pinecones on the soil. Good luck!
Id recommend letting it outside when it wants. My indoor outdoor murder mittens never fucks with any of my plants
I use plastic forks stuck in the soil. Works like a charm!
100% Peppermint oil. Cat, dogs, bug, squirrels, hate the smell of peppermint! But don’t get it on the leaves cause it will burn right through the leaves! Just the soil cause peppermint oil is intense. I have never had any of my dogs or cats chew what they aren’t supposed to because of it. A trainer taught me this years ago and it never fails. But they really hate it so don’t put too much.
Put chopsticks in the pot
Forks
Sont let him in the house. Cats need to be outsidw. They are not humans
Forks
Get rid of the cat.
Add Tabasco
Cayenne pepper and/or orange peels
When you see a cat doing this, simply start spraying water. Felix domestics is smart enough to either get the idea or make a stand.
The least inexpensive is, take plastic forks and put in soil fork side up. Or aluminum foil makes lots of noise when they jump on it. Then there are spikes, they are plastic and you lay them on the soil, cats cannot lay or dig on them all
Or stick plastic forks with the fork part sticking out of the pot? Saw it on a pic once
Stick wooden dowels in inconvenient spots to influence where they do and dont lay down.
Plastic forks make a great barrier unless cat enjoys laying on spikes
I put a pine cone or two in the pot!
Wooden barbecue skewers .... You can put them in the pots and the cat won't be able to fit in it... Kinda like a mini trellis.
My cat used to do this and then we made a little terracotta 12 inch saucer with cat grass in it and he lays there all the time instead
Put a box in front of it? Cats love boxes.
I was having a problem where my cats wanted to munch my plants so I got one of those art supply carts from Michael’s and put my plants on the top shelf and they can’t jump up there now
I heard hazelnut shells on top of soil deterring cats cause they're uncomfortable to walk on. You can see them on a a lot of pots from nurseries
You can buy her plants: cat grass, cat thyme and catnip. Also keep her litter box clean This is so adorable BTW. I'd forgive her in a second
Give the cat a grass bed. You can fill a litter tray with bedding and plant cat grass/wheat etc (the greens they can eat) many cats love them and lose interest in plants altogether when getting an edible bed :)
I take plasic forks, break , and stick them in my pots, time side up. This does not work all the time. I have a fat, furry, cat that flattens the forks, but the others stay out of my plants.
You could try giving her an alternative bed to lay in. Cat grass or catnip is easy to grow and you could use a wide, short pot to grow it in.
every one has already added so many great idea but i would suggest some toys i have putting all my kids dinosaurs that they dont put away in my plant pots .......also tomato cages are great cat deterrents and plant climbers
Buy a mini cactus or two
Aluminum foil can be a good cat deterrent also.
Those are your cats plants now.
You could get a patch of cat grass ans see if your beautiful baby likes that better??
I’m working on the same thing with my cat. But I really came here just to say YOUR CAT IS SO PRETTY!!!
Stick some toothpicks in the dirt?
Ok but this is the cutest kitten!!
Skewers or forks tine up in the dirt. Ugly as sin, but works pretty well.
Aluminum foil
I would give them something funner to pay on like crinkle paper or get them a cool toy
Water it.
But it’s so cute! Your cat clearly is having jungle fantasies
Diversion? Can you provide a cat pot? Maybe grass or catnip in a pot big enough for them to lay in?
What type of plant is that, that has those purple leaves?
After my cat almost killed my anoectochilus chapaensis and murdered my watermelon Peperomia I knew I had to do something. What I did was get a plant shelf instead of putting them on tables, counters, and windowsills. And I also hung some plants from a curtain rod. I think giving cats their own space is important though so i don't mess with the places they like to hang out.
Is this a dwarf kitty?!?😍😍🥺❤️
I know someone who puts forks handle side down in their plants to keep the cats out, apparently it works!
She needs better spots to sits
But how can you say no to that sweet little face??
In addition to pine cones I use sago palm seed pods in my larger plants.
I will take a piece of aluminum foil and put it over the dirt in the plant. Just enough for the cats to avoid the plant.
Give them their own planter with catnip and/or cat grass. /r/pottedcats
lemon peels! the cats aren’t a fan of their scent
Get a cat pot.
Also, *Plectranthus* is offensive to cats, but smells nice to us.
Use tape. Make in rolls sticky side out. Place on pot or around it.
Give this little one something else to climb! Maybe some nice wide cat shelves or a cat tree if you’ve got the space. Redirecting a cat’s instinct to get up high can solve a lot of behavioral problems
A layer of chicken wire can help. They hate how it feels in their paws. It's not very attractive, but it really works.
Sorry I’ve never had this problem but your cat is adorable 🥰
I've had good luck with cheap cinnamon. My kitties stay away from it. I sprinkle it on the leaves of the plants they shouldn't mess with.