Natureworks Breaking Bad Habits

How to Break Your Cat's Habit of Eating Your Plants

by Tammy Gibson

Many cats enjoy munching on greenery and will do so at every opportunity. Not only is this habit detrimental to your green thumb, but it can also be deadly. A large variety of the plants available for display in your home are surprisingly toxic. A meal of a leaf, stem or other plant part could mean a visit to the vet for your kitty or worse yet - death. If you have a cat that enjoys eating plants, here are some tips on how to persuade your pet away from houseplants.

Try planting your cat a special little garden of kitty friendly (and tasty!) plants. In my experiences, one of the window box styled miniature greenhouses that are used to start seeds are perfect. I usually have two of them going at alternate times... that way when my kitty 'mows' down one garden, the other has had a chance to grow back. The clear plastic top to the miniature greenhouse is perfect for encouraging the plants to grow back AND to keep your cat out of them until they've reached a good 'harvesting' height. For varieties of plants that your cat CAN munch on, check the list provided for you, "Tasty Garden Treats".

Here are some steps you can take to create your cat's very own garden of delight:

purchase two or more of the window box style (long and narrow) miniature greenhouses.
buy the peat disks that expand when you add water instead of the usual soil. This helps keep dust down and they are usually wrapped in a micro-fine mesh that helps keep the soil from getting all over the place.
plant a large portion of the planter with cat grass (oats). This grows especially fast and well and cats love it! This can be sprinkled all over to create a nice variety for your cat.
plant the remainder of the trays with other varieties that you think your cat will enjoy. It doesn't have to be beautiful, sprinkle the seeds all over the place and mingle them with each other... this gives your cat a chance to 'browse' through the plants to find ones they like. (Believe me, many cats will spend a good ten minutes poking their nose through it until they find JUST the one they want to nibble on!)
start the first tray a week or two before you start the second one. This will have the plants growing at alternate times so that you can continue switching them back and forth as your kitty munches them down to stubs.
keep the soil moist - mist them daily. This helps keep down dust as well as prevents your cat from tracking soil around the house.
it is a good idea to have some way to 'hold' the plastic greenhouse lid on while the plants are growing. My cat has ingeniously learned every trick to pry the lid off to get at those tender seedlings!
if your cat has a habit of dumping the tray over, either place heavy objects inside the window box's bottom or make/purchase a wooden window box that can be secured to a base piece of wood. This will allow you to switch the trays back and forth, but will prevent your cat's overzealous munching from knocking everything over.
PLACE THE GARDEN ON THE FLOOR! This is important to help teach your cat that they may only much on plants that are on the floor in their particular garden area. You do not want your cat to think it's okay to jump up on the coffee table to munch on your cut flower display.
Lastly, sit back and enjoy your pet's newfound 'jungle'. This will bring your pet many hours of enjoyment as well as satisfy their urge to munch.

Now, on to the part requiring your patience! If you want to train your cat not to eat the rest of your houseplants, a garden of their own will definitely help.... but how do you let them know which plants AREN'T okay to eat?

Start with a plant that isn't toxic to your pet. Perhaps you have one already, maybe you'll have to buy one. Plants these days are relatively inexpensive... but saving your cat's life is priceless. Buy a very strong smelling scent of some sort (cheap perfume that you would never wear, lemon aromatherapy oils, etc).

If using perfume or a water soluble scent, dilute the scent (to the point where you can BARELY smell it when you mist it in the air) in a water spray bottle. Mist the 'decoy' plant all over with the diluted scent. You don't want it to stink up your house mind you, but just enough so your cat's delicate nose can detect the scent.

If using an aromatherapy oil, make sure it isn't one that you intend to use for your own relaxation purposes... this scent is going to be used to train your cat. You wouldn't want to confuse or torture the poor creature! Brush the oil on the top sides of the leaves, preferably more towards the back of the leaves where your cat will not nibble. MAKE SURE IT'S A SCENT YOUR CAT DOES NOT ALREADY LIKE!! Otherwise, this defeats the purpose!

Next, brush the undersides of the leaves with a training agent such as Bitter Apple (or you could use Tobasco sauce, hot chili peppers etc.). Bitter Apple can usually be purchased at pet stores and is a great, non-toxic training aid. Make sure the leaves, stems and any other tasty tidbits are GENEROUSLY coated with the Bitter Apple (or alternate product). Be sure to renew the scent on the plant daily. This is VERY important!

Place the 'decoy' plant in an open area... like the middle of the living area floor. Entice your cat to it by perhaps pretending to primp the plant, inspecting it's leaves etc. Your cat's curiousity (and appetite) should take over. When your cat appears interested, leave the area. You do not want your pet to associate what happens next with you. Your cat should be poking it's nose into the plant by now... choosing which leaf will be it's next snack. Let the cat investigate on it's own. When your pet goes to take a bite, look out! If your cat forgets its 'bitter' experience and attempts it again, it will slowly begin to associate the terrible (or hot) taste with the scent you've applied to the plant. Move the plant around the house... with cats, as you know, as soon as something has changed or been moved, it's new! Hopefully your kitty will try the same tactics on the plant. Each time your cat tries this, it will reinforce the negative experience of the taste with the scent. This is a very important step.

When your cat has stopped trying to eat the plant no matter where you place it, it is nearly the time when you can begin bringing in your other house plants. Make sure to place the scent you've selected on your next 'decoy' plant. Bring this plant in and observe. Your cat should now associate the scent with 'bad tasting.. yuck! Don't eat!'. Observe your pet carefully. If they try to nibble on the new plant, it's time to go through the above process again, this time using the new plant. Be patient! When your cat does clue in... it will all be worth it!

The best idea of course is to only keep plants in your home that are non-toxic. This is the BEST suggestion that can be made. Remember that a majority of our medicines come from plants... and that they have a wide variety of chemicals contained in their lush greenery. It doesn't take a large dose to make your cat sick... or to prove fatal. If you love plants... print out the list of "Tasty Garden Treats" (plants that are non-toxic to your cat) and keep it with you... perhaps the next time you have the opportunity to buy a plant, it will be on that list.

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