8 Tips for Keeping Cats Out of Your Plants

Developing an indoor garden may be difficult enough without your pets eating what plants you are growing. You can’t be too hard on your furry friends for it’s in their nature. As you would want to enjoy your crops as much as your cats do, inventive methods may need to be deployed in order to prevent them from killing your crops before they have a chance to grow. What are some ways that you can do this?

1.  Cayenne Pepper – Sprinkling cayenne pepper around your planters can help keep your kitties from munching down the sprouts of your vegetables and fruits. Cats have an aversion towards this potent seasoning and will stay away from the area.
2. Aquarium Gravel – Cats hate the feeling of gravel under their feet. Try sprinkling the area with gravel to keep cats off.
3. Mesh Screening – Screen such as that which you would find on your windows is actually somewhat cheap to buy in a role. Cut out portions of it and build a mesh box around your plants. This will still allow you to water them and the plant will still get the light it needs to survive.
4. Citrus Peels – Many use the peelings from citrus fruit as a deterrent for cats. Placing the peels around the base of your planters repels your cats from getting near them. However, you may need to change them periodically as they begin to dry out. Once they have been used, toss them into a compost pile outside in order to grow larger produce such as watermelons.
5. Tin Foil – Another repelling texture that cats do not find appealing is the feel of tin foil. Not only is this material slick, but it’s noisy to touch. Some have had a degree of success repelling cats from plants by laying tin foil around the planters.
6. Coffee Grounds – Much like citrus peels and cayenne pepper, coffee grounds have been successful in keeping the kitties away from gardens. By sprinkling the grounds around the outside of your planter, your cats may get a scent that is unattractive and may move on.
7. Spray Bottle – Cats can learn behaviors as well as a dog. If you see your cat get near your garden, spray him or her with a water bottle. As cats have an aversion to water being sprayed at them, they quickly get the hint that the plant equals water.
8. Plant Sprays – There are many sprays you can buy at your local pet store that prevent cats from eating plants. These sprays are non-toxic while providing a very bitter taste to the parts that have been sprayed.

If you’re a cat person, the plants you grow will forever be subject to violence. If none of the above work, you may have to investigate other alternatives. Since cats are as unique as people, what works for one may not work for another. You just simply need to find what your cat has an aversion too. Personally, mine are repelled by small stuffed animal tigers. My cats won’t get anywhere near them.

 
Author Bio:
Ken holds a master’s in business leadership from Upper Iowa University and multiple bachelor degrees from Grand View College. As president of morningsidenannies.com, Ken’s focus is helping Houston-based parents find the right childcare provider for their family. When he isn’t working, he enjoys spending time with his three children and his wife.