7 ways to keep your cats from eating your houseplants
You love your cats and would do anything for them; however, you also love your houseplants and go a bit crazy when your cat or cats get into them. It seems to be a never-ending battle to keep your cats from eating your houseplants, but does it have to be?
Keeping your cats out of your plants is possible with some knowledge and a few simple fixes. Firstly you need to figure out why they are chewing on your plants.

Why do Cats Chew on Plants?
There are many reasons your cat is chewing on your house plants. They could be lacking nutrients, they don’t feel well, or they may also be bored. Figuring out why your cat is eating your houseplants will help you figure out how to stop it.
They are learning
Cat owners love to refer to their pets as their children or babies; in this case, that is precisely how they act. Cats, like babies, learn with their mouths. They find out what they like, and they don’t like by eating or licking something. If you have just added plants to your home, your cat may be figuring out what this new thing is and if they will like it.
This is one reason your cat acts up when you bring in something new. Maybe it’s a piece of furniture or a Christmas tree and now your cat is chewing, rubbing, or scratching at it. If you want a few tips to keep your cat out of your Christmas tree check out this post: Help! My Cat Won’t Stay Out of The Christmas Tree
They are lacking nutrients or fiber
Your cat may be lacking something they need. Check their food and try using an indoor formula if you don’t already. Indoor blend cat food does tend to have more plant-based nutrients than other blends.
Folic Acid
Your cat may be eating your plants because it lacks folic acid. Folic acid is found in milk from the mother cat, and if your cat was taken from its mother too early, it could result in the want to eat grass or other plants.
They are Stressed
Your cat may just be stressed and needs a way to destress. Playtime and snuggle time may be necessary if you think this may be the reason for your cat’s stress. You can also buy cat treats that will help with stress. I used Pet Naturals Calming Treats when I moved with my cats, which worked very well. You can find these treats on Amazon here. I still use these treats during stressful events or if Pumpkin is acting stressed out.
They are bored
Your cat may just be bored. Do you have toys for them to play with, and do you try to spend time playing with them? My cat Pumpkin is a very active cat, even at three years old. He loves to play, and I find he enjoys chewing on plants or even my glasses; you can read about how to get your cat to stop chewing your glasses here.
Fix the boredom by buying some new toys for them to play with and trying to spend 15 to 20 minutes a day playing with your cat.
They may eat plants to help get rid of stomach issues.
Hairballs
This is not confirmed, but it is thought that cats may eat plants and grass to help them bring up hairballs or help with other stomach issues. If you think this is the case, try investing in hairball treats for your cats. I recommend the Greenies hairball or hair and skin blend you can buy them on Amazon.com here.
Parasites
Your cat may eat plants because they have a parasite that is causing them to have an upset stomach. If you are concerned this is the case, watch their stool and vomit to see if you see any parasites or worms. You should also take them to the vet to be checked out.
Preventing a parasite infestation may be the answer to your problem of your cat eating your houseplants. Make sure your cat gets regular flea medication, as fleas are a top spreader of worms.
They may be hunting your plants
This may seem like a strange thing but think about it from a cat’s point of view. Your houseplants move if there is a breeze either from a window, a fan, or your heating or cooling system.
This movement brings out a cat’s hunting instincts either because they see the leaves move and want to attack or because they think there is something in the plant that they need to hunt.
Your cat may like your potting soil better than their cat litter.
Cats are picky creatures, and your cat may have decided that potting soil is a much better place to use the bathroom than their litter box. This could be because they don’t like the litter or something about the box.
If you think this is the issue, check out my post, 5 Reasons Your Cat Poops in The Sink and How to Stop it, to see if one of the solutions will help keep your cat from your potting soil and plants.

How to stop your cat from eating your houseplants
Now that you have an understanding of why your cat is eating your plants let’s talk about how to stop this unwanted behavior.
Make the plants smell bad to your cat
Use Citrus
Cats are very sensitive to smells; there are a few that they really don’t like. One of those is citrus smells; though you may be tempted to use a citrus essential oil, don’t. Instead, use citrus peels to keep your cat away.
Use coffee grounds
Cats don’t like the smell of coffee, and adding some coffee grounds to your plant’s soil is a great way to keep them out of your plants.
Human Hair
This may or may not work, depending on the cat. Most cats don’t enjoy the smell of human hair, and taking the hair from your brush and then putting it in the soil of your plants may keep your cat out.
Now, if your cat enjoys rubbing against your hair or even eating it, this may not work for you. It is very easy to try out, however, so it’s worth a chance.
Commercial Cat repellents
You can also buy commercial repellents that will keep your cats away from your plants, you want to find organic, non-toxic sprays so they won’t hurt your pet or your plants.
Use plants your cat won’t like
Rosemerry
If you want to keep your cats away from your garden, plant rosemary around it. Cats don’t like the smell, so it will keep them away. Rosemary also makes an excellent herb for seasoning, so it’s really a win/win. Rosemary is safe for your cats, though you shouldn’t have to worry about them eating it.
Lavender
Lavender is a great plant to have around your home or garden. Cats dislike the smell of Lavender and it also repels moths, fleas, and mosquitoes. You don’t have to have a live plant either, you can use dried lavender and hang it close to your plants.
Lemon thyme
One of the best plants to have to keep your cat away is Lemon Thyme, all Thyme plants are safe for cats, and Lemon thyme combines the hated citrus smell, and the hated strong herb smell, at least for cats. Have this plant close to the other plants you don’t want your cat into, and you won’t have to worry about your furry friend eating your house plant.
Put your plants out of reach
Putting your plant out of reach is the perfect way to keep your cat out of your plants. Hanging them is an obvious choice; however, you do want to make sure your cats can’t jump from something and onto the plant.
My cat Pumpkin did just that once. Luckily the plant was outside, but he broke the pot and tore it right out of the ceiling. If you have persistent cats or cats who love to be up high like mine. You will want to make sure there is no way they can get to the plant.
If you don’t want to hang your plant’s shelving is a great way to keep them up and out of the way. Purchase good shelving and make sure you fill the shelf up so that your cat doesn’t have a spot to sit and still get to the plant.
Prevent the urge to dig.
Sometimes you are not worried about your cat eating the plant, but it digging in the dirt. Not only does this make a mess, but if your cat is digging, they are probably eating your plants as well. No one wants to deal with a dirt mess, but how do you stop your cat from digging?
There are many different ways you can do this, you can cover the plant with chicken wire or you can use colorful stones to hide the dirt from your cat.
Cover your soil with stones
This is a great way to keep your cats out of your plants and can be personalized to your decor or personality. Use natural stones for a more natural look, or go a bit crazy with rainbow or colored stones. You can also match the stones to your decor with glass stones you can find at the craft store.
You can also use marbles if you want a different look but something that will have the same effect as the stones.
Moss
Moss is safe for your cat and is a great way to hide the soil from them and keep them from digging. You do want to use moss that is clean, natural, and free from pesticides.
Clay Pellets
Clay pellets are a great way to cover the soil of your houseplants and keep your cats out of it. Clay is what many cat litters are made of so using these pellets is a perfectly safe way to cover your soil. You can find them in different colors and sizes.
Burlap
Burlap is probably the most challenging cover to use; however, it’s not that difficult. It just takes a bit more preparation, and you may have to replace it every so often. Burlap is safe for cats but still allows water and air into the soil.
Provide your cat with their own plants
Your cat may just need their own plants. You can plant catnip and cat grass, which should do the trick if you combine them with the other tips. You will need to train your cat that these plants are okay for them to get into, but not your other plants.
You can do this by putting your cat’s plants lower to the ground and tempting them with treats and praise. You can also put them close to their food so they know these plants are okay to eat.
Plants that cats can eat:
Catnip
Did you know that catnip is a member of the mint family? Catnip is a known favorite of cats all over and can even give your cat a high. However, this only works for about 50% of cats. My last cat was not a fan of catnip so I can say that there are a few cats that don’t like it.
Cat Thyme
If your cat is not a catnip lover, you can try cat thyme. This is a slow-growing plant that will usually work for cats who are not affected by or don’t like catnip. In the summer, it blooms with strong-scented pink flowers. Cat thyme has a minty odor that you may also enjoy.
Cat Grass
Cat grass is an excellent addition to any cat home and is a fast-growing plant. Cat grass helps aid in resolving hairballs and is excellent for general digestion. It also provides nutrients that are not common in commercial pet food and is a great way to keep your pet healthy.
Play with your cat often
Playing with your cat may be the best way to keep them out of your plants. Many cats are just bored and need stimulation. Plants will provide that stimulation if they can’t get it somewhere else.
Just taking 10-15 minutes a day to play with your cat could keep them out of your houseplants and keep your cat healthy and happy. Laser toys are a great way to reduce your cat’s energy level. you can use a simple pointer laser or you can invest in an automatic laser that will turn on and off throughout the day.
The important thing here is to make sure your cat’s extra energy is used up with playtime and not by eating your plants. Cats do get bored, and just like humans, they will go eat something, just because it’s something to do.
Distract them
If you are home most of the time you may want to work on distracting your cat when they try to get into your plants. Throw a toy or pick them up and move them to the plants that are okay to get into. This will take time to work however, once they are trained, they should stay out of your plants.
You want to be careful when you’re distracting your cat from your plants as you don’t want to reward them for the behavior. Try not to give them treats or physically play with them if they get into the plants.
Throwing a toy is fine, but don’t pull out the laser and start playing. This will just make them go after your plants again to get your attention and some extra playtime.
Remove plants that are toxic to cats
Many plants are toxic to cats, and you want to make sure you keep those out of your home and garden as much as possible. One of the biggest killers of indoor cats that we don’t often think about is plants.
If you have plants that are harmful to your cat, keep them covered with chicken wire or place them high up to keep your cats from getting to them.
Plants that are poisonous to cats:
Hopefully, with these simple tips and a bit of training, you can have beautiful indoor plants and happy healthy cats. It will take some work, and it won’t be easy, but it will eventually all work out.

