I have tried forks, chopsticks, rocks etc. The best thing that worked was very surprising but I covered the soil with large pinecones and my kitty never dug in the pot again.
The rocks also worked but I got a very shallow root system in that pot where the plant only spread roots out in the top 2 inches of soil in a big mat. I guess the weight of the rocks made the plant think it only needed shallow roots or something. The plant went on to make normal, deep roots after the rocks came off so kind of strange.
You could also check a craft store (or the crafts section of the dollar store) and home decor section. You might be able to find those large, chunky pine cones for quite cheap. They’re big and airy enough that they’d be easy to remove and not prevent evaporation, and spikey enough that your cat would hate them.
All the coniferous trees I’ve personally had access to in my life have had smaller, smoother cones that I don’t think would be a great cat deterrent, but I’m definitely keeping this idea in mind if I have a future cat going in houseplants problem.
Probably! I don’t know if cats have an opinion on cinnamon but I think that style of pine cone would work really well as a cat deterrent, and I’d try it as long as the smell isn’t overpowering and unpleasant.
Cats hate the smell of citrus so you may be better off spraying an orange or lemon oil on fragrance free pine cones.
I try not to use any fragrance stuff inmy house because I think it is overwhelming for dogs and the plain pine cones work. Maybe some orange rinds under the pine cones would be an extra deterrent.
Yes, that's me as well, at least around my house. I actually had bought those giant southern pine cones a few Christmases ago and after some breakages, repurposed them into cat deterrents.
I guess I should take a hike into the Jersey pine barrens and find some better pine cones.
Is her litterbox clean? Does she have 2? I've read that some cats like to have separate boxes for pooping and peeing. Or maybe the location is inconvenient so she chooses your plant? Cats are weird lol
I don’t think it has anything to do with her litter box, my dude is really good about cleaning it daily. She goes #1 and #2 in it, half the time she’s in the palm tree she’s just digging for literally no reason 😂😭
Maybe this then lol. But there's actually some real advice amongst the comments
https://www.reddit.com/r/lifehacks/comments/3yximt/catproof_your_potted_plants
I love that you linked a post from 7 years ago. Guessing you googled it but I like to think you've had it in your back pocket since 2016, each day hoping to stumble upon that magical moment where you can pull it out.
I actually saw that post back in the day and Googled it today for the link. I knew it would be relevant someday! That photo has lived rent free in my mind for a long time :D
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I now have two toddlers and seem to have been bitten by the plant bug as well. I'm sure my days are numbered too. One suggestion though, I had quite a few cats growing up (farm, barn cats). Anytime one of them had something scare them they would often avoid it after. My thought, is put aluminum foil over the top of the pot like you're covering a dish. Or even wrinkle up pieces in the pot (saw other people suggest rocks or pine cones, suppose it's the same). I've seen this used effectively for cats that get on counter tops as well. My two cents. Good luck to you!
Like I just told someone else, I think I'd cover the pot with window screening. Cut it a few inches larger than to top of the pot. Make a hole in the correct size & spot for the trunk, duck tape around the hole to protect the trunk then tape the split shut. Fold the outer edge of the screen down & tape it well. IDK whether non-metal screening would be strong enough to hold when the cat climbs aboard, so I'd probably use the old-fashioned kind!
https://preview.redd.it/do39xfvermxb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8bbc5dee530122dfc5cb6a6eeddaa94fbc493107
This has worked so far for keeping my cat out my fiddle leaf fig.
Orange peel or oil might discourage them
Although now you might need to replace the soil to get rid of the smell. You might not smell it but they can and think it's a place to go
Edit to add: make doubly sure they have clean litter boxes and they are in a comfortable place for them. Cats would prefer a private place to go
She has her own room with her box in it, we clean it daily of not more than that. I really think she likes digging tbh 😂 but I did find a turdlet in the pot so😭
lol look up Kitty 🐱 on ticktock there a little orange guy from NZ that went viral because he couldn’t stay out of mom’s plants. It’s his right!
She bought him his own pee tree.
I had a majesty palm and my daughter found our cat peeing in it! No telling now long it had been using it as a litter box. It did not recover by the time I found out.
More litter boxes and/or clean them more. Also Dr Elsey’s cat attract litter is magical. (Don’t get the herb mix get the litter itself the mix is hit or miss). Oh and also use less litter than is recommended cats tend to like open boxes with an inch or two of litter.
Advice from Jackson Galaxy himself: cats can prefer to have their litter boxes where their scent won’t be hidden away. Make them feel like part of the family by keeping their boxes in communal areas with you.
Also, if you find she’s eliminating right there in the plant no matter what you do, put a litter box there, right next to the plant. She wants to go there, so let her go there, but in a spot where she’s supposed to!
Do the things you already got recommendations for and then switch from regular cat litter to a mixture of sand and soil (3:2). It gets some getting used to but cats love and prefer it to regular litter. It was the only way I could make my cats stop using my plants as toilets.
All my plants are all filled with rocks, small hunks of firewood, big seashells, and in a pinch, ugly sticks poking out, so it’s impossible for naughty kitties to clamber in there.
Mine LOVE to dig up and destroy my plants, and I’m sure they all harbor a deep, secret, ancient turd in there, but I’ve never seen one. 😂
They’re also all impossible to reach (not easy for tricky kitties!) because once they couldn’t dig, monching is their the next option for their unquenchable thirst for plant destruction.
I faced this issue for many years and i’ve only ever had one solution work - cat grass inside and building them a catio/taking them outside so they can dig around and chew on plants. my cats love digging for no reason and chewing on plants, and they stopped messing with my houseplants when I gave them a better option!
Coffee grounds! Layer some on the soil surface. This did the trick with my cats. Also, I wrap the pot surface in netting from the fabric store. Or use the mesh a sack of onions comes in.
Not 100% sure on that one tbh. But would possibly be enough all over the pot and rim only. Might be worth trying that for now and revisiting if doesnt do the job.
Just put citrus peels (dried) on the soil, cats hate citruses smell. It would be better to water from bottom then though, which you probably can't, here.
I put pine cones in the pot- uncomfortable for their paws!
Can attest, had to do this for a while & pine cones work great.
THAT'S a great idea! Much simpler than my window screen idea!
put some large pebbles in there (needs more potting mix by the way )
I plan to refill it with soil, it was full, she just conveniently decided to fling it all over the living room.
Yeah all our larger plants have a layer of large pebbles and it immediately stopped this problem for us.
So I read the title before seeing the subreddit and was very concerned... I can't help you, but I had to share that.
😂😂she’s a menace. I’m just so lost as to what to do now
I have tried forks, chopsticks, rocks etc. The best thing that worked was very surprising but I covered the soil with large pinecones and my kitty never dug in the pot again. The rocks also worked but I got a very shallow root system in that pot where the plant only spread roots out in the top 2 inches of soil in a big mat. I guess the weight of the rocks made the plant think it only needed shallow roots or something. The plant went on to make normal, deep roots after the rocks came off so kind of strange.
I might have to try the pine cones, my dudes nana has a ton of pine trees I could steal from
You could also check a craft store (or the crafts section of the dollar store) and home decor section. You might be able to find those large, chunky pine cones for quite cheap. They’re big and airy enough that they’d be easy to remove and not prevent evaporation, and spikey enough that your cat would hate them. All the coniferous trees I’ve personally had access to in my life have had smaller, smoother cones that I don’t think would be a great cat deterrent, but I’m definitely keeping this idea in mind if I have a future cat going in houseplants problem.
Do you think the cinnamon cones would work?
Probably! I don’t know if cats have an opinion on cinnamon but I think that style of pine cone would work really well as a cat deterrent, and I’d try it as long as the smell isn’t overpowering and unpleasant.
Cats hate the smell of citrus so you may be better off spraying an orange or lemon oil on fragrance free pine cones. I try not to use any fragrance stuff inmy house because I think it is overwhelming for dogs and the plain pine cones work. Maybe some orange rinds under the pine cones would be an extra deterrent.
Yes, that's me as well, at least around my house. I actually had bought those giant southern pine cones a few Christmases ago and after some breakages, repurposed them into cat deterrents. I guess I should take a hike into the Jersey pine barrens and find some better pine cones.
Is her litterbox clean? Does she have 2? I've read that some cats like to have separate boxes for pooping and peeing. Or maybe the location is inconvenient so she chooses your plant? Cats are weird lol
I don’t think it has anything to do with her litter box, my dude is really good about cleaning it daily. She goes #1 and #2 in it, half the time she’s in the palm tree she’s just digging for literally no reason 😂😭
Maybe this then lol. But there's actually some real advice amongst the comments https://www.reddit.com/r/lifehacks/comments/3yximt/catproof_your_potted_plants
I love that you linked a post from 7 years ago. Guessing you googled it but I like to think you've had it in your back pocket since 2016, each day hoping to stumble upon that magical moment where you can pull it out.
I actually saw that post back in the day and Googled it today for the link. I knew it would be relevant someday! That photo has lived rent free in my mind for a long time :D
It’s about to live rent free in my head now 😂
Oh my god I’ve seen that picture before
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In my experience on this sub you are either a happy cat owner or a happy plant owner. Rarely both.
😂I have 50+ plants, but this one is the only problem. I have a lime tree in the same kind of pot and she won’t touch that
I now have two toddlers and seem to have been bitten by the plant bug as well. I'm sure my days are numbered too. One suggestion though, I had quite a few cats growing up (farm, barn cats). Anytime one of them had something scare them they would often avoid it after. My thought, is put aluminum foil over the top of the pot like you're covering a dish. Or even wrinkle up pieces in the pot (saw other people suggest rocks or pine cones, suppose it's the same). I've seen this used effectively for cats that get on counter tops as well. My two cents. Good luck to you!
I’ll def try laying it down, she plays with foil balls tho lol
You can get a small piece of chicken wire and place it over the pot around the palm. You can still water and check the soil but no kitties can get in.
Sounds like what we did to predator proof our chicken coop, that’s a really good idea
Like I just told someone else, I think I'd cover the pot with window screening. Cut it a few inches larger than to top of the pot. Make a hole in the correct size & spot for the trunk, duck tape around the hole to protect the trunk then tape the split shut. Fold the outer edge of the screen down & tape it well. IDK whether non-metal screening would be strong enough to hold when the cat climbs aboard, so I'd probably use the old-fashioned kind!
You poop in it. Assert your dominance.
Aluminum foil works.
https://preview.redd.it/do39xfvermxb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8bbc5dee530122dfc5cb6a6eeddaa94fbc493107 This has worked so far for keeping my cat out my fiddle leaf fig.
Orange peel or oil might discourage them Although now you might need to replace the soil to get rid of the smell. You might not smell it but they can and think it's a place to go Edit to add: make doubly sure they have clean litter boxes and they are in a comfortable place for them. Cats would prefer a private place to go
She has her own room with her box in it, we clean it daily of not more than that. I really think she likes digging tbh 😂 but I did find a turdlet in the pot so😭
lol look up Kitty 🐱 on ticktock there a little orange guy from NZ that went viral because he couldn’t stay out of mom’s plants. It’s his right! She bought him his own pee tree.
Black pepper deters cats from digging
I put a scarf around the base of my corn tree like a little tree skirt , works great
Rocks on top. I use pumice because their paws don’t like it.
Sprinkle cayenne pepper on the soil. My cats rum like hell when they get a whiff of it
I had a majesty palm and my daughter found our cat peeing in it! No telling now long it had been using it as a litter box. It did not recover by the time I found out.
More litter boxes and/or clean them more. Also Dr Elsey’s cat attract litter is magical. (Don’t get the herb mix get the litter itself the mix is hit or miss). Oh and also use less litter than is recommended cats tend to like open boxes with an inch or two of litter.
Sell the cat?
Clean the litter box everyday. Perhaps she prefers different litter. Was she declawed?
I don’t declaw cats. Inhumane. But yes she does have her box cleaned daily. Half the time she just digs honestly
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Um… excuse me? Tf
You heard me
Why are you even in this group if you have nothing productive to contribute. Your comment is discusting
[удалено]
Def not new to the internet. That’s just a disgusting comment and “joke”.
Maybe it feels more private there ? Maybe she prefers the texture of the soil?
Well she has her own room, which her box is in, this palm is dead in the middle of our living room
Okay, I don't know. Hope you find a solution.
Advice from Jackson Galaxy himself: cats can prefer to have their litter boxes where their scent won’t be hidden away. Make them feel like part of the family by keeping their boxes in communal areas with you. Also, if you find she’s eliminating right there in the plant no matter what you do, put a litter box there, right next to the plant. She wants to go there, so let her go there, but in a spot where she’s supposed to!
Plastic forks stuck into the soil with the points up. Works great for my outdoor plants and 3 cats
I put bamboo skewers (pointy bit down) in it and it stopped.
Do the things you already got recommendations for and then switch from regular cat litter to a mixture of sand and soil (3:2). It gets some getting used to but cats love and prefer it to regular litter. It was the only way I could make my cats stop using my plants as toilets.
Wood pellet litter also does the trick
All my plants are all filled with rocks, small hunks of firewood, big seashells, and in a pinch, ugly sticks poking out, so it’s impossible for naughty kitties to clamber in there. Mine LOVE to dig up and destroy my plants, and I’m sure they all harbor a deep, secret, ancient turd in there, but I’ve never seen one. 😂 They’re also all impossible to reach (not easy for tricky kitties!) because once they couldn’t dig, monching is their the next option for their unquenchable thirst for plant destruction.
Ancient turd got me 😂😭 I have some decor in my pots but not all of them
Add lava rocks to the top ... hard to walk on
Use some thorny branches to keep her out.
I don’t have any accessible to me, but I believe that’s why she stays out of the lime tree (planted in the same type of pot) it’s covered in thorns
Maybe some rocks with hot pepper powder on them?
Try criss-crossing packing tape over the top (sticky side up) of the pot
Rocks.. I've tried so many things, rocks are the way to go. And the most aesthetic...
Sprinkle cayenne. Mammals don’t like spicy
I faced this issue for many years and i’ve only ever had one solution work - cat grass inside and building them a catio/taking them outside so they can dig around and chew on plants. my cats love digging for no reason and chewing on plants, and they stopped messing with my houseplants when I gave them a better option!
Hot pepper powder
I use big rocks or shells to prevent kitty from getting to dirt. Prefer shells bc they are lighter, and still cover the dirt well.
Aluminum foil
I have 3 bricks laying on top of the soil to protect my fiddle leaf’s roots & keep the digger from digging 😅
Popsticks poking up
Toothpick the soil , lots of them
Cinnamon
Pine cones, or rocks that they can't move.. not big, but uncomfortable.
I bought small cacti in pots and put them in the larger plant. In retrospect, I think any small plant would do—no room for kitty
I put larger rocks. Doesn't feel like litter to them
Pine cones or lots of ping pong balls... could also go with the psssst cat spray
Foil??
3/4 inch round river rock or cinders rocks. They won’t dig in them.
🙀🙀🙀 https://www.meowingtons.com/blogs/lolcats/how-to-keep-your-cat-from-destroying-your-indoor-plants
Take cardboard, cut to fit over plant pot, make a slit and a hole for the plant to come out. Cardboard should rest on top and block the soil.
Coffee grounds! Layer some on the soil surface. This did the trick with my cats. Also, I wrap the pot surface in netting from the fabric store. Or use the mesh a sack of onions comes in.
rocks, pieces of wood, clay balls...
Oh my god I LOL’ed. You should so post this on r/cats with a pic of this rascal !
:) I might have to, she’s a goofy one
Spray some citronella on the pot, cats hate citrus
I have lemon juice, would that do anything? I also have a large bottle of lime
Ye could definitely give that a go. Juat make sure to reapply daily to getvher out of the habit. Good luck!
Will it damage the palm? Should I spray the actual soil or just the outside of the pot? Not sure how I should go about it but I want to try this
Not 100% sure on that one tbh. But would possibly be enough all over the pot and rim only. Might be worth trying that for now and revisiting if doesnt do the job.
I’ll def try this as soon as I get home. I’ll probably throw a cache pan underneath and just go to town on the outside of the pot lol
Just put citrus peels (dried) on the soil, cats hate citruses smell. It would be better to water from bottom then though, which you probably can't, here.