How to Keep Your Cat from Mutilating Houseplants
Numerous people embellish their homes with fine houseplants. Will your kitty be able to resist attacking those houseplants? A cat can reduce a houseplant to useless shreds in a matter of minutes. Bad Kitty! But wait before you spank.
Think about why your cat may have eaten the plant. Cats eat plants for at least two reasons. First, cats are not completely carnivorous; they naturally eat some plants. Cats who aren't given vegetables or plants to eat by their owners will instinctively seek such foods for themselves. The simplest solution to this problem is to let your cat go outside frequently where there is grass and other plants to eat. Cats who are allowed to eat grass have fewer problems with fur balls getting stuck in their throats. If you don't have a yard or other safe place where your cat can go outdoors, another solution is to grow some special cat grass indoors where the cat can get to it. cat grass seed can be purchased at good pet shops.
Cats can also hear breeze rustling in the leaves of a houseplant and think the plant is an enemy, leading them to attack and eat it. This is a natural behavior for cats in the wild. If you think this may be the reason your cat attacked the plant, the simplest solution is to put the plant somewhere away from drafts and breezes and out of the cat's sight. The problem may go away if you just put the plant up higher, perhaps on a low table or a shelf.
Of course, once kitty has had a wonderful time destroying that plant you loved so much, he might decide he wants to do it all the time. This may require you to either keep your cat in rooms without plants, or it may require you to move all of your plants out of the house. On the other hand, it may have been sheer boredom that made him attack the plant - he could have just needed something or someone to play with. So don't let your cat go too long without knowing that it is loved and cared for. Toys should be made available for your cat. Toys you make at home, which are inexpensive and easily replaced, are at least as good as costly models from the pet store.
Tie a piece of crumpled paper to a string and hang it just above floor level. You can tie it to a chair rung or doorknob. Cats like to stalk such dangling objects and attack them. Cats also like to chase small, light balls. When your cat has something else to entertain it, it will probably forget about your houseplants.
About the Author: Ed Brancheau's cat training audio course and ebook makes life with your darling cat enjoyable.
More articles by 4artsub1
Print Article | Download PDF | 62 views | Oct 04 2007
|
|
