[Ava.]

I brought all my plants inside recently, it's been very cold here and there is a chance of Snow on Monday.

the issue is, I can't keep my cats away from the plants. There are little bitty cat-sized bite marks in every single one of my plants

I've tried everything to no prevail. Tinfoil, tape sticky side up on the surfaces the pots sit, spritzing them with water (my female cat will stare at me straight in the eyes as I spray her as if to say "wtf you crazy woman). I even went to a Halloween store and bought out all of their small motion sensored decorations that made a sound...

My cats are fearless! None of this even made them take a step back, they find a way around whatever I do.

I tried hanging some of my plants up but some are just too big to be put up (like my massive spider plant). Of course, there is no high place that's off-limits to my cats as well... Sigh.

 

[fjm]

A) Check your plants against a toxic plants list (eg Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List - Cats), and remove or isolate any dangerous ones
then
B) Grow Cat Grass and catmint for them - that will satisfy their need to chew green stuff while leaving your plants undamaged

 

[twyla]

fjm has the right idea. Cat grass
I have had a lot more cats go through my life than dogs, you can try a scat mat not the shock version but a determined cat may not be swayed.
Best idea is a compromise
Scat mat

 

[Ava.]

oh yeah, I only buy non toxic plants.

I've also sprayed my plants in lemon juice, and scattered mint leaves in the pot. No go.

I'll plant them some cat grass and see how that goes

 

[vandog]

We had the same problem with our cat that was a stray for the first few months of his life before he showed up at our door. He not only would eat the leaves but also go to the bathroom in the pots. We tried everything including tinfoil, rocks in the pots and bitter apple spray. He likes the taste of the bitter apple spray so I tried diluted vinaigre sprayed on the leaves and put rocks and lemon peels in the pots. It worked, although not 100% because he does still chew on the leaves but he doesn’t use them as a litter box anymore. 🙌🏻 The fresh herbs can only be outside because he kills them by biting the base and eating the leaves. The other two could care less about plants but the one, is an odd creature with several quirks.

I also have “cat” plants (cat grass and catnip) in a few places around the house to try to give him options that are not my plants.

 

[Ava.]

i tried to get away with strong smells and weird textures.. didn't work.

might try one of those things that blast air... saw it on my cat from hell LOL

 

[Fenris-wolf]

I don't have any advice to add, but I wish you luck! Can we have photos of your cat please?

 

[Ava.]

Yes of course!

And Leo, I may be Bias but I think he's the most Handsome Cat ever. Very Cuddly too.

 

[Fenris-wolf]

Yes of course!

View attachment 470563 Ivy and my Senior Rescue Mix.

View attachment 470564 And Leo, I may be Bias but I think he's the most Handsome Cat ever. Very Cuddly too.

View attachment 470565

Thank you! They are all so cute!

 

[Skylar]

Hot sauce. Any brand of chili pepper mixed in vinegar. Tabasco sauce is good. One taste and your cats will move on to someone more palatable.

 

[Ava.]

wont that hurt?

 

[Spottytoes]

I have no advice but I certainly do sympathize. We’ve had multiple cats for years although we only have one now and he’s 16 years old so no plant issues. Now anything adhesive, like tape? That’s a whole different deal. 😳This kitty has had an adhesive addiction ever since he was a kitten. Tape is like candy to him, candy which he absolutely cannot have, of course. It’s actually scary as we can never accidentally leave anything with adhesive out or he will eat it! He will even chew packing tape off from boxes.

Back to the plants, we had one kitty, a wonderful, sweet, dog like cat...a huge long haired tabby named Wallace, who loved plants, especially flowers. I literally gave up and told people to never bring me flowers or plants because I couldn’t enjoy them. I had no plants or flowers indoors for years! He would seek them out, jump on anything to reach the flowers. Absolutely nothing could keep him away from them. Some cats you can distract but as anyone with cats knows, some cats are quite, shall we say....persistent! 😉 I decided
life was much easier without indoor plants. I know..it’s sad.
I do hope you can figure out a way!
P.S. I actually have 4 plants now.

 

[Ava.]

due to where I live, my non-indoor plants have to become indoor plants during the winter. I've stored all of my plants with dangeling bits in the bedroom where a certian animal dislking child lives... sigh. And the rest are in the bathroom.

my succlents are in a plant stand in the dining room surrounded with tape, tin foil, and strong smells.. it doesn't work but I can hear the tin foil crinkle and come running lol

 

[Skylar]

It’s unpleasant for most but some cats like hot sauce and will eat it or spicy hot human food. My cats tried it once or twice and then stopped eating plants.