College cats and their gardens
Every week we pick a theme to explore in more depth, and this week that theme is eco-friendly pets. To read all our posts related to this theme, click here.
For many students living off-campus, cats provide company and amusement. Unfortunately, students also tend to crave the green outdoors brought indoors, considering they're often too busy to really get out and enjoy the scenery.
As both a cat owner, and attempted plant owner, I can testify to the fact that indoor cats are also craving the green.
Aside from ensuring that none of your plants are toxic to cats, there are also plants you can grow specifically for your cats, that will bring you pleasure and serve decoratively as well. In fact, given the right plants, your cat might just ignore your other ones.
For many students living off-campus, cats provide company and amusement. Unfortunately, students also tend to crave the green outdoors brought indoors, considering they're often too busy to really get out and enjoy the scenery. As both a cat owner, and attempted plant owner, I can testify to the fact that indoor cats are also craving the green.
Aside from ensuring that none of your plants are toxic to cats, there are also plants you can grow specifically for your cats, that will bring you pleasure and serve decoratively as well. In fact, given the right plants, your cat might just ignore your other ones.
There are several reasons why cats like plants, and if all of these needs can be met, you'll have a much happier cat all around. Cats really enjoy sniffing, chewing/eating, and recreation. Let's take a look at the plants you can grow for your cat.
Sniffing: Herbs like mint, parsley and thyme are enjoyable to a cat's sense of smell, although they might nibble on it a bit.
Chewing: Cats enjoy munching on grass, so keep a few pots of grass seedlings, including alfalfa, rye and wheat.
Playing: Catnip is the obvious choice to get your cat rowdy, although some cats won't respond to it because the ability to find it so appealing is genetic. Valerian is another plant that will get your kitty riled up.
Go to your local nursery and inquire about plants that cats will find enjoyable, and weigh the benefits between seed packets and the more expensive kits, against your own green thumb.
Try to grow the plants in pots with wide bases to discourage them from being knocked over, and if you can find areas that are low to the ground and still sunny, then place the pots there.
If you live in a house where your cat has room to roam, try to place the plants where he or she likes to hang out. My scratching posts tend to get more use than the furniture if they're in the room with the furniture, as an example.
I recommend keeping a few extra pots of herbs, grass and catnip growing in a room or area inaccessible to the cats, so that you can rotate chewed-up plants for new ones easily.
As for your other plants, consider hanging plants. You can also buy bitter scents and rub them on the pots and leaves of your plants, to deter the cat, although some plants do better with clean leaves. If you find your cat digging, you can buy decorative rock and place it over the dirt, and spray that with bitter scents.
One final benefit to these types of plants is that they're relatively easy to grow. Even students have the time and energy to put into these ones, and seeing how much your cat enjoys them, plus the boost of green in your space, can really brighten up your day (and your cat's).
Sniffing: Herbs like mint, parsley and thyme are enjoyable to a cat's sense of smell, although they might nibble on it a bit.
Chewing: Cats enjoy munching on grass, so keep a few pots of grass seedlings, including alfalfa, rye and wheat.
Playing: Catnip is the obvious choice to get your cat rowdy, although some cats won't respond to it because the ability to find it so appealing is genetic. Valerian is another plant that will get your kitty riled up.
Go to your local nursery and inquire about plants that cats will find enjoyable, and weigh the benefits between seed packets and the more expensive kits, against your own green thumb.
Try to grow the plants in pots with wide bases to discourage them from being knocked over, and if you can find areas that are low to the ground and still sunny, then place the pots there.
If you live in a house where your cat has room to roam, try to place the plants where he or she likes to hang out. My scratching posts tend to get more use than the furniture if they're in the room with the furniture, as an example.
I recommend keeping a few extra pots of herbs, grass and catnip growing in a room or area inaccessible to the cats, so that you can rotate chewed-up plants for new ones easily.
As for your other plants, consider hanging plants. You can also buy bitter scents and rub them on the pots and leaves of your plants, to deter the cat, although some plants do better with clean leaves. If you find your cat digging, you can buy decorative rock and place it over the dirt, and spray that with bitter scents.
One final benefit to these types of plants is that they're relatively easy to grow. Even students have the time and energy to put into these ones, and seeing how much your cat enjoys them, plus the boost of green in your space, can really brighten up your day (and your cat's).
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