The cat and plants in the garden and home

 Cats need to eat plants: they help them purge and give them the fibre they need. But should plants in the house and garden suffer?

 What's more, some plants are poisonous, so it's necessary to ensure that your garden or flat has plants that are good for your cat, which he will prefer to all others, whether they are valuable or poisonous.

Cats need herbs for purging, they help rid their intestines or stomachs of the hairballs they swallow when they lick themselves. Flat cats don't have many green plants to eat, and inevitably they lick and chew on the poisonous Yucca, Anthurium, Ficus...! Generally, the cat will only ingest a small amount, as it is quickly put off by their bitter or irritating taste... and very quickly vomits most of what it has swallowed. Keep a close eye on young animals (kittens, puppies) and rodents, whose stomachs and intestines are much more sensitive to toxins.

Good to know: In the garden, what causes the most damage and death in cats are plant protection products. Avoid using them in the garden and make sure that your pet does not return to the garden too quickly after using these products.

Some tips...

To prevent your cat from doing its business in the vegetable garden, from scratching the soil in the flower beds

Does your cat relieve itself between your vegetables and other plants intended for consumption? Does it scratch the soil of your freshly planted beds of new varieties? Keep him away from the vegetable garden and flower beds by :

• Watering in the evening, the cat does not like to walk on sticky, damp soil.
• Putting up a net or fence to prevent them from getting through.
• Spraying a repellent: a mixture of essential oils of peppermint, eucalyptus, citronella or geranium, or ground pepper, citrus peel, etc.

To prevent the cat from nibbling on plants in the house and garden

It is in the cat's nature to eat plants, as they help it to purge, causing it to vomit and spit out the hair it has ingested while grooming. If you don't want your cat to attack your beautiful green plants, give him a green spot, a plant that he'll appreciate more than yours: see our paragraph Plants that are good for cats. You can also enrich his diet with raw or cooked vegetables such as radishes, rocket, salad, courgettes, beans, asparagus or beetroot.

If you live in a flat, it is important to give your cat games and hiding places to distract it from your plants.

Plants that are good for cats

Plants that are not only good for cats, but which they love, they will devote themselves to them, leaving your ornamental plants behind, to your great pleasure and relief!

These include grasses (wheat, oats, barley, Deschampsia, Briza media, pennisetum, etc.) and aromatic herbs (valerian, thyme, sage, lemon balm). Let us also mention heather, papyrus... The famous catnip, which has the same effects on cats as a drug. This aromatic plant, with its minty scent, drives cats "crazy": they sniff it, lick it, chew it, start purring and rolling around in it. Don't worry, it's safe for him!

Even in a flat, grow these plants for the well-being of your cat... and the health of your green plants.

Plants that are dangerous for cats

Cats can put themselves in danger by chewing on plant leaves. Poisonous plants are more numerous than you might think and quite common.

In the home: Dieffenbachia sp., Ficus, Chlorophytum, Yucca, Amaryllis, Alocasia (or Colocasia), Anthurium sp., Arisaema, Caladium, Monstera deliciosa (Philodendron pertusum), Philodendron sp., Poinsettia, Xanthosoma sp., Zantedeschia (Arum of the flower shops).

In the kitchen: garlic, onion, shallot, chocolate, parsley

If the cat laps up a shallot sauce without your knowledge, the drama begins...

In the garden: lily (pollen), azalea, rhododendron, lily of the valley, ivy, rhubarb, aloes, fern, holly, honeysuckle, jasmine, marigold, mistletoe, bindweed, mushrooms, yew, Virginia creeper, tulip, tobacco (watch out for cigarette packets! ), tomato plants, fruit stones, apple seeds, gypsophila, cactus, hellebore, chrysanthemum, daffodil, elderberries.

In bold: the most common

At low doses, the animal may suffer from some mouth irritations and other digestive disorders. At high doses, the toxins have a "curarising" effect (muscle tremors, paralysis, incoordination, prostration) and cardiac toxicity (slowing of the heart, rhythm disorders). In a second phase, complications can appear at the level of the liver. So be careful, especially with kittens.

Also be careful with cut flowers and water in vases. Keep an eye on kittens in particular, as they are smaller and have a fragile body.

How to keep cats away from risky plants

Use repellents: sprinkle diluted lemon juice on the plants, a commercial product, citrus peel, mothballs, chilli oil, tabasco, vinegar, coffee grounds, etc.

If, despite your precautions, your cat ingests a large quantity of a toxic plant, go to your vet immediately.

A few extra arrangements for the cat

Place a comfortable cushion in a well exposed spot in the garden. Provide "scratching posts", wooden posts or other branches. Provide high, easily accessible observation points for your cat.

In your garden, favour bushes, corners of wild tall grass, refuge for mice, voles, field mice, foraging insects such as butterflies which will keep him busy for hours.

Give him access to aromatic plants, whose scent he will appreciate. Also reserve a patch of earth for him to scratch.