Keep Cats Out of Houseplants

I used to keep the few houseplants that I didn’t kill by neglecting them to work in the gardens in windows or on plant stands near windows. Then the boy kitten, who is apparently going to be known as the boy kitten or bad kitten until he is 15, started murdering them. He prefers the dig madly at the dirt until the plant crashes to the floor approach, but will also try the rip leaves off and tear them into little bits technique. So, it was either get rid of the plants entirely or learn to keep him out of them.

Photo: SXC

Here are a few things I’ve tried that seem to be working:

• Put the half marbles from the florist department on top of the soil in plants that have a lot of soil exposed.
• Place a big container of Gourmet Cat Treats Mixed Greens from Renee’s Garden on the ground near the biggest group of houseplants. (I guess you could just sprout ordinary grass seed, too.
• Say, “No!” in a firm voice and put him down when he does try to mess with a plant. (He glares, twitches his tail and stomps off. Aren’t cats supposed to walk quietly? He thunders through the house like a herd of elephants when he is mad or excited.)

Do you have any tips for keeping cats out of houseplants?