Some cats love to chew things they shouldn’t. Many are especially attracted to your indoor greenery. Unfortunately, almost all plants are toxic to cats, and many are deadly.

How can you get your cat and your houseplants to co-exist safely? Try these methods.

·          Place as many plants out-of-reach as possible.

·          Use a bitter anti-chew product on the leaves. There are spray products made especially for plants that will deter your cats from chomping on them. You may have to reapply the spray a couple of times during the retraining process. Be sure to coat both the tops and the undersides of the leaves.

·          Grow some safe greenery for your cat. There are pre-packaged cat grass kits available online and at your favorite pet supply store. The kits contain oat, rye, or wheat grass. Just add water, and in a few days you’ll have safe grass for kitty to munch. You can even buy squares of wheat grass at your local health food stores. Grow a catnip plant for kitty as well – just buy a seed packet or a starter plant at your local garden center. Catnip is safe for your cat to chew.

·          In addition to chewing the houseplants, if kitty is digging in the soil, you can buy Sticky Paws for Plants. Place strips of Sticky Paws in a tic-tac-toe pattern across the planter. Garden netting can also be cut and placed across the soil. For large floor planters, place large rocks over the soil.

For more information refer to the book Think Like a Cat.

© 2009 Cat Behavior Associates, LLC