Stopping a Cat ruining potted plants

brianregan09

Can anyone help our Cat is treating my girlfriends new potted plants as a ****ting ground is there anything that we can do to stop him at them ?? and we can't move them as we're in a very small house with limited garden space

SillyMangoX

The soil is very attractive as it's nice and soft for them to dig in and covers the smell well (or so the cats think anyway!) Maybe you could try putting some of the soil into the cats litter to attract him back using it?

Renegade Mechanic

Super soaker.
Not something thatll actually knock them off the pot mind, just something that shoots a small bit of water. And dont hit them with it either, just near them.

boardbrowser

Nope to super soaker. delayed punishment never works nor is it acceptable when there are so many other management alternatives.
More humane alternatives which have worked for me.
1-cover the dirt with broken pieces of slate laid flat over soil, therefore preventing them from digging.
2- if no to slate, then use tin foil to cover soil or chicken fence wire laid on top of soil.
3- smell deterrent could work also- spritz soil with diluted lemon juice.

boomerang

Was going to suggest a top layer of gravel but the broken pieces of slate (or tile) is an even better idea!

jmauel

we put stones to cover the soil of our potted plants. it stopped the cats messing there

kylith

I've heard of people using entire pine cones as a mulch to keep animals out of flower beds, maybe you could do the same in the pots.

CBRLizzie

Thanks for all these tips, I've noticed the bulbs from my pots out on the driveway every day for the last couple of months - I don't have a cat but its all I can think of that can be doing it.