How do you keep your cat from destroying your house plants? Do my methods seem weird and elaborate?

Question

I keep him from destroying them by putting them on the floor instead of the plant shelf. I also put vulnerable plants behind a cactus. If there are small pots that can be easily knocked over, I place them between several larges pots so this can't happen. I've also done things like get mad at him for eating certain plants and not others. Having plants he can chew on seems to protect the ones I don't want him to chew on. Is all of this weird and elaborate, or do you do similar things with your cat? Is it weird that he's less likely to do something bad to plants that are on the floor than he is to plants on a plant shelf?

Answer 1

No, your methods don't seem weird at all.

Putting plants on the floor allows for easy access, of course, but making sure that plants are in a spot that he's less likely to want to climb is also a way to prevent trouble.

Also, make sure that you don't have any plants that will be dangerous, like lilies, orchids or tulips.

Answer 2

Are you aware of which of your plants are toxic?  Here's a list:

Toxic Plants & Foods

“Here is a quick reference guide to the more common house and garden plants and foods that are toxic to most all animals....*Indicates that a substances[sic] is especially dangerous and can be fatal.

alcohol (all beverages, ethanol, methanol, isopropyl)

almonds*

amaryllis bulb*

anthurium*

apricot*

autumn crocus

avocado (leaves, seeds, stem, skin)*

(these are fatal to birds)

azalea (entire rhododendron family)

begonia*

bird of paradise

bittersweet

bleeding heart*

boxwood

bracken fern

buckeye

buttercup (ranunculus)

caffeine

caladium*

calla lily*

castor bean* (can be fatal if chewed)

cherry

Chinese sacred or heavenly bamboo*

chocolate*

choke cherry, unripe berries*

chrysanthemum (a natural source of pyrethrins)

clematis

crocus bulb

croton (Codiaeum sp.)

cyclamen bulb

delphinium, larkspur, monkshood*

dumb cane (dieffenbachia)*

elderberry, unripe berries*

English ivy (all Hedera species of ivy)

fig

four-o’clocks (mirabilis)

foxglove (digitalis)*

garlic*

hyacinth bulbs

hydrangea*

holly berries

iris corms

Jack-in-the-pulpit*

jimson weed*

kalanchoe*

Lantana*

lily (bulbs of most species)

lily-of-the-valley*

lupine species

marijuana or hemp(cannabis)*

milkweed*

mistletoe berries*

morning glory*

mountain laurel

narcissus, daffodil

oak* (remove bark for use as a bird perch)

oleander*

onions*

peaches*

pencil cactus/plant*

philodendron* (all species)

poinsettia (many hybrids, avoid them all)

potato (leaves and stem)

rhubarb leaves*

rosary pea* (can be fatal if chewed)

scheffelera (umbrella plant)*

shamrock* (oxalis)

spurge

tomatoes (leaves and stem)

yew*

photocopy from Emergency Vet Care South,

02.04.2003

I'd put the plants where he can't get to them or give them away to friends.  We had a fresh flower arrangement last month for our anniversary.  We do not keep live plants because I knew some were bad for the cats.  I never knew that lilies are very toxic.  $1500.00 later in vet bills, I can promise you that we will NEVER have another live arrangement in the house while we have cats.  We nearly lost our sweet 1 yr. old little boy.  Fortunately, a great vet was accurate in his diagnosis (thank you, Dr. Rius) and began treatment immediately.