Mary Allen
There comes a point in life when many cat lover should abandon their dream of a lush conservatory. The reason: A surprising number of cats are devotedly involved in “vandalism” on plants while playing curiously. Even bouquets of flowers are not safe from some velvet paws. Plants, especially those with tendrils and filigree leaves, exert an irresistible attraction on some cats and are pawed at – or tested as a snack. The latter in particular can be fatal: Quite a few plants are not suitable for consumption and are highly toxic for cats. Kittens are particularly at risk when, in their inexperience, they want to examine everything with their sense of taste. Find out here how you can prevent something from happening to your house cat in the room jungle.
Why Do Cats Eat Plants?
Eating plants is an instinctive, natural need of cats. Feral and outdoor cats consume grass and herbs to better manage hairballs. These balls of hair swallowed while grooming — called “bezoars” — are regurgitated regularly. And that’s easier if their structure is strengthened by plant fibers. So grass acts as a natural emetic. In contrast to an outdoor cat, an indoor cat has no way of instinctively looking for grass to nibble on and will therefore do with anything that could have a similar effect. If she then only finds indoor plants, she usually has no other choice for her needs.
How to Offer Your Cat a Green Alternative
It is therefore extremely important that you provide your cat with a flower pot with cat grass that the animal can use. Seed mixtures or kits for growing cat grass are available in garden centers and pet shops, and sowing is easy. Even in winter, you can offer your cat fresh greenery. If you have a particularly dear plant in your home or garden, or if the risky plant cannot be removed for other reasons, the cat must be prevented from reaching the enticing greenery. Try to place the plant as inaccessible to the cat as possible or block the way to it. If necessary, use suitable material to build a fence around the plant or place sharp stones on the substrate.
Which Plants are Poisonous for My Cat?
As a human plant lover without in-depth botanical knowledge, one usually does not think about the toxicity of plants. After all, you wouldn’t think of eating your ornamental plants. In addition, in very few plants all components are equally toxic. Sometimes the poison is concentrated in the tuber, sometimes in the leaves, flowers, fruits, or plant sap.
Cats (and small children), unlike many plant-eating, so-called herbivorous animals, do not instinctively distinguish between edible and poisonous. Therefore, in a cat-safe household, you must ensure that the house cat is not even tempted to nibble on poisonous plants.