Is your feline in love with your garden as much as you are? Regardless of all your sneaky or tricky tactics to prevent him or her from perusing your plants, they always seem to out-smart you. An easy fix is to provide your cat with their own lush paradise. I know, I know, it seems really silly to grow and nurture plants and a garden just for your cat, but trust me - you will thank me.
Your first step is to decide whether to plant a separate are in your garden or to mix cat-loving plants within yours. If you ultimately choose to mix among your garden, make sure to plant them in the back or in less prominent places. This is primarily due to the fact that your cat will be rolling around, chewing, eating and laying on them. Avoiding wilted, trampled, and nibbled garden plants is probably something you'd like to avoid.
Next is to decide what to plant. Starting off with catnip is a no-brainer. The majority of cats go nuts for this stuff and is actually a very aesthetically pleasing plant. Tiny green leaves appear first then talk stalks of cone-shaped little white or light purple flowers. Plus, it can benefit you - people use it in tea and it is supposed to aid in respiratory infections.
Felines are also in love with grass, of any kind. A popular type is cat grass, which is high in vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. An added bonus is cat grass aids in digestion and can reduce hairballs.
A few other plants that are safe for cats are herbs like bee balm, lavender, thyme and flowers like orchids, snapdragons, cockscomb, and many more. Consult a vet or do research before planting your flower bed.
If you want, make a little home for your cat amongst the plants with an enclosed cathouse. Place the litter box behind it so it's out of site but still accessible. Having a kitty litter in the garden will prevent her from peeing on your plants which will in turn kill them. Make sure she also has food and water out there if she is spending a large amount of time in the garden.
There are some plants you want to avoid in your garden all together. Lilies of any kind, azalea, potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, paprika plants, ivy, chrysanthemums, figs, mistletoe, daffodils and bulb plants, like onions and rhododendrons can all be poisonous to your kitty.
Also, make sure you don't use any chemical pesticides or soil in your garden. Since your cat will be eating and frolicking in her garden, you don't want her ingesting or being exposed to toxic chemicals. Instead, use organic, pet safe mulch and insect killer. A great brand is EcoSmart which uses herbs like rosemary, peppermint, thyme, and clove to repel pests but be careful as even these essential oils can be harmful to your cat
