I have two cats. One doesn’t notice the plants. The other, Teddy, is obsessed. I have several plants in my bathroom and in the morning he follows me in as I pull myself together. I had a crocodile fern sitting on a bench next to the bathtub and he loved chewing on this plant, burying his head in it. I decided to hang it in a Wally pot on the wall. The next morning he walked into the room and his plant wasn’t there. He looked around and then saw it on the wall. He looked at the plant. Looked at me. If looks could kill I would be sitting in an urn on the mantle now.
You have 400 plants and two cats because you are a loving caring person and like to be surrounded by life and serenity! Surrounding by joy in difficult time
a few things i want to add: 1) just because a plant is toxic doesnt mean its like pumping out toxic fumes or something. alot of people seem to have the misconception that they somehow do? and 2) just because its non-toxic doesnt mean your cat wont react. my cat ate an unrooted baby spider plant, non-toxic, no problem right? Well no, gagging, diareah, urinating randomly out of the litter box. Went to the vet, and yup, she's allergic/intolerant to spider plants (vet compared it to lactose intolerant person drinking 1L of milk). So each pet might react differently.
Great comment. However there are a few flowers that actually are dangerous just by being there as even just the pollen is very toxic e.g. lilies. So they should never be brought into a home with cats even if the cat isn't a chewer
@@ItsBecauseImBored is this about lilies true??? I know they are toxic to cats but I have a calla Lilly plant far out of reach of my cats, I’m very careful about it and it doesn’t flower, but if it’s putting out toxins I need to know! I had never read that before, I’m going to look into it further. I always try to warn ppl about lilies but I didn’t know it was that bad!
@@rainbomg I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you. I'm neither a vet nor a botanist so I don't really know how dangerous exactly they are. I was just trying to make the point that pollen can be dangerous, too. You should probably just ask your vet the next time you visit :)
@@ItsBecauseImBored lolz I already called my mom and asked her to take it- but today so far I’ve learned that merely one lick of the pollen can cause irreversible kidney failure, but I’m still getting a lot of mixed results on exactly to what extent this can be an issue. I know it’s all parts of the plant, but I have looked at the aspca and in my opinion they don’t say it’s as severe as they should be saying it is on there. I will keep looking into it and updating this thread in case anyone is interested. 💙🐈🪴
@@rainbomg lily pollen can be fatal to cats - a friend of mine rescued kittens and they were playing around a lily plant on the table and they all died, because some pollen got on their paws/body and they licked themselves, except for the one who did not go near the lily.
I had a friend whose cat would eat their plants. They bought a "sacrifice" plant that they give specifically to the cat. They used a spider plant. Cheap, non-toxic, and abundant.
I basically do the same thing, but I inherited a big spider plant with a lot of babies, and I place spider babies in the soil of a lot of other plants to distract the cat.
I always say that my cat is a little gardener. She's interested in plants but in a safe way: likes to look at them, sniff them, rest among them and watch me re-potting them :) She has her very own tiny garden on a windowsill where she has 3 pots of cat-grass. The only houseplant she couldn't resist was a ponytail palm. It reminded her of the cat-grass too much I think, plus it must've smelled pretty delish :D I solved this by putting the ponytail palm in one of those decorative bird cages.
@@rainbowsandkittens1537 I'm happy you think so :) I always thought it was a bit weird to put plants in cages. But now I see how very practical it can be :D
Crazy cat and plant lady here! One of my cats loves chewing on things, especially plants and cords. I grow grass in little pots and put "grass stations" around my house, and this keeps him occupied since he'd rather munch on it instead! It's cheap and easy to grow, you just have to make sure to start a new pot before you run out. I also find apple bitter works. Also, cats LOVE new smells, so I try to keep new plants out of reach until they've been in the house a while and the allure of a new smell goes away:)
My cat ignores my plants. I bring a new one home, he rolls his eyes. Once, I brought home fresh catnip for him. I threw it on the carpet, he looked at it, then looked at me, then asked me if I was going to vacuum that mess up. Hmmm
Thank you SO MUCH for this video. I recently rescued a cat, have absolutely no cat experience, and have a houseful of plants. I feel much better knowing that a simple nibble is not going to kill my sweet baby Stanley. Largely though, he doesn’t bother the plants.
I used to have a cat that also required child-proofing gadgets on cabinets and the refrigerator. He liked to chew on snake plants, Christmas cacti, you name it. I couldn’t keep anything within his reach. My current cat is a precious (senior) angel and wants nothing to do with plants.
This is basically exactly how I approach my plants and cats situation. I don't keep anything deadly and make sure I elevate anything that could possibly make them sick with plant stands/shelves/hanging and keep everything non toxic as a floor plant.
Me too and I never really see people saying this- I think it’s better to know what’s toxic and just keep it out of reach than to not, bc a lot of plant labels don’t tell you they are toxic anyway, very few plants are completely safe. I just have thoughtful placement
We have two kittens and gave them some catgrass plants, they love chewing them and leave the rest of our plants alone. The main issue is they love pulling out the bark from inside the pots to play with 😅
Spackle and sand your hook holes when you move out! Everything gets repainted when you move out anyway. If you do the work of fixing it so they don’t have to, you’re more likely to get your deposit back
NICK THIS VIDEO CAME AT THE PERFECT TIME my cat has never been interested in my plants ever and last week all of a sudden SHE HAS BIT LIKE 7 OF THEM!!! And i’m losing my mind!!! thank you for gracing my timeline
Also growing catnip have it around where the cats normally be at. I definitely know they don't like the smell of Vick just a little bit on a cotton balls through out the areas you have your plants.It works I use these technique for cats and dogs for my clients.Great tips and happy growing and stay safe.
LOL. Play with them a lot. It really minimizes the damage they'll do to your belongings. Cats have a lot of energy they need to burn everyday. They're evolved to hunt multiple times a day
@@heatherlynn4652 this! You’ve gotta play with your cats, they only ever get into things due to frustration/boredom. And don’t just buy a toy and wave it back and forth while staring at a screen. Stop what you’re doing and dedicate 5 minutes to the living thing you’ve trapped in your house. Get one of those toys at target that’s a blue extendable wand with a feather toy on a string and fold up a blanket and put it on the floor. Run that toy under the blanket or around a corner like it was a mouse, imagine how a mouse would behave. Then BE the mouse. If you don’t giggle at least once while playing with your cat you’re not actually playing with him. I don’t know why we expect these little marvels to just sit quietly inside all day with nothing to occupy the mind when we can’t even poop without our cellphones
I also just keep them out of reach as much as possible, in hangers and on high shelves etc. I tend to fill up surfaces so there's nowhere for them to jump up next to the plants. I also give them a cat grass pot that I bring in every few days for them to satisfy their chewing needs so they feel less compelled to go for the ornamental plants. I find they only get interested in chewing the plants that look like grass so some Dracaena and spider plants etc which I definitely don't leave in reach. Also I don't put pots on the ground at all because they will flick the dirt and try poop in there, so if you leave stuff on the ground use some sizable pebble topdressings or something. I find if the cats aren't entertained enough they might just poke their teeth through some leaves or tear off pieces just because of boredom, not so much because they want to eat it. Keep the kitties nice and entertained and let them have their own chewie plant and everyone's happy :)
LOVE that you chose to focus on ways to keep the cats away rather than deterrents like spray cans etc.!!! My cat is like Muffin, she just never seemed to care about my plants. The only plant she likes to chew on is a spider plant, so I let her
Aww Muffin and Denver are such cuties, new UA-cam stars in the making, love your videos Nick, please show more of Muffin and Denver, hugs from Orange County, Ca 😺😺🌱🌿❤❤❤
Lol... my rescue cat definitely realized snake plants are plants. My starfish and Whitney have significant gnaw marks. I had to put every plant out of reach. My favourite solution was a wooden curio cabinet. I took the backing off and staple gunned mesh onto it for air flow, but I can access the plants through the glass doors. I did have to load the top of the cabinet with plants because Kirby has a wicked vertical and got on top of it once! Lol.
I've always had cats- 2@ a time- but lost my last 2 kitties a few years back from old age... Thanks for bringing back the smiles & joy about having cats & plants! (I had a black cat, too!) Stay well 🙏
Also, cats LOVE house plants. My moms cat is an indoor outdoor cat but in the winter it’s too cold for him to explore, so all my moms 300 or so house plants keep him happy.. he loves playing Forrest.. just be aware of them using it as a litter out of no where..
I have had these two particular tuxedo's for the past four and a half years. The mother seems to have zero interest in plants. Her son is a little different. Tried a Boston Fern. Got big and beautiful outside one summer only to bring it in over the winter (too big to hang or put up somewhere high) and he proceeded to decimate it. Got a spider plant that summer. He proceeded to decimate that one too. But I really wanted some greenery here. Every time I brought a plant home, I would let him sniff it but I would tell him 'no tasting'. He didn't taste them but he was interested. Introduced him to his own plant. Cat Grass. He hasn't gone near any of my plants since but he still gets to sniff new ones and told 'no tasting'.
My partner is a vet and after months of trying everything to get our kittens to stop tormenting our plants (chewing, knocking them over, digging them out of pots and eating roots, etc) he suggested that we get a product called SSSCAT off of chewy.com. It’s just pressurized air in a can with a motion sensor. After about a week of having them on plant shelves, the kittens stopped jumping up or showing interest in plants. For a while we would turn them off but leave the can on shelves to serve as psychological barrier (they see it and remember they will get sprayed), and we only had to turn them back on once bc they started jumping onto plant shelves again. Since then, we keep them all turned off and even took the cans off of most plant shelves. Completely safe for pets bc it’s only pressurized air, and it was very effective in training them quickly.
I have one cat who doesn't care about plants and another that likes to munch! I try to always give them cat grass so she can get her munching energy out on that. You can even dress the cat grass up with a nice pot or something to make it look like it's part of the decoration. Other than that, I've found that different cats like to chew on different types of plants. My cat likes to chew on more stick-like or grass like plants as opposed to leafy plants like ferns. So if you know your cat and their preferences then you can get away with some mildly toxic plants within your cat's reach. I live in a really humid area so I'm considering keeping my plants on a glass enclosed plant shelf, but I'm worried it work for the majority of my plants.
I have a dog and she hasn't tried to eat any plant - toxic or non-toxic - fortunately. But I think keeping plants high up is always a good idea no matter what if you have pets and plants!
Great video, I really struggled with my plants when adopting my cat. I found like you said that it's all about prevention and giving your cat that one plant to take all their anger out on!
I have a wonderful little cat and he LOVES plants. But it’s very easy to see which ones he actually interacts with in ways that could cause concern. Big plants do not pose an issue, such as a ficus. While the sap is an irritant and not good for any type of species, my little guy doesn’t bite the leaves because they are bigger than his head so I don’t have to worry about it! I also make sure that plants are placed in locations that are appropriate to their level of pet friendliness. For example, baby cat loves to chew on small thin leaves, like my little parlor palm which he loves to investigate so I leave it where it is accessible to him as well as a little catnip plant I got just for him which he loves to sniff and rub his face in. At the end of the day as a pet owner you are the person with the best knowledge of ur animal baby and if u can gauge how they react to plants, it’s not difficult to find a way for pets and plants to live in harmony :). That being said, there are certain plants like Lilys that should NEVER be brought into pet households, so always do ur research before bringing home a new plant. What a great video, thank u for this !
I think baby cat is convinced he is a gardener hehe. I don’t have the heart to tell him all the plants would be dead and chewed up if it were up to him
Hi Nick, hope your well. This video was such great timing for us! My daughter is currently looking for a cat to adopt. I'm a huge plant lover, have prob 200. She too(@ 17 yrs old) has love of raising plants. She just redid her room to make it safe. I'll share this video with her. Thank you!
Yes,our 2nd bedroom is the plant room. I visit the room daily to do plant things. 2 cats 1 is still young so I hope she will lose interest in my plants eventually. Someday I hope I will be able to leave the plant room open full time so I can enjoy them more. Love the cats and plants so we will work it out.
Calcium oxalate crystals can cause horrible things in cats. Not only will it cause pain and inflammation in the back part of the throat, (resulting in hypersalivation, anorexia, vomiting amongst other ailments ) but it can also cause urinary tract issues including, but not limited to inflammation, infection, crystals and (mostly in male cats) total and complete urinary blockages, which if not treated immediately can become life threatening. Keep those lovely plants WAY out of our kitties reach at all times. 😼 We all know how ninja kitty they can be. 🐱👤 Maybe some catnip to divert them? Retired vet techs never actually retire. .. entirely. Love to your cats!
Our cat took a couple chews of our sansevieria, like when she started throwing up that was the first plant I checked. I couldn’t find any bite marks or chunks taken out or anything. But her lower jaw swelled up at least 3x the size of her head I was scared she was going to suffocate honestly and she was throwing up constantly and very clearly uncomfortable. We gave her 1/4 of a Benadryl and locked her in the bathroom with some water and her litter-box overnight. It wasn’t a couple days until the mother in law plant had shown where she had gnawed on the side of the plant. So the point of this story is that your cats definitely have very bad reactions to sansevieria so those specifically i would not keep ground level to kitties who you know like to chew plants.
I’m just getting into plants and been following you and wondering literally about this EXACT issue. I’ve only bought non-toxic so far, and one cat does take a nibble, but I have a few high floating shelves that I think would be safe as well as hanging and this vid makes me feel like I can use my intuition when buying a plant not explicitly designated non- toxic. I’m excited to become a cat and plant lady :). Also, my one cat is obsessed with a different type of peperomia, too!!
My black cat, who looks identical to Muffin, is the same with my houseplants. She doesn't really care. She does smell the plants occasionally, especially when I bring a new one home. But that's pretty much it. She likes to watch me repot them too. Not sure if it's the breed, but definitely got lucky there nonetheless!
My cats loves digging into the pots and remove all the soil or as much as possible, also love breaking/ dropping pots. And they also like to climb into my huge monstera 😭😭
I had a kitty who nibbled a couple plants: muehlenbeckia & most concerning [overwintering] Lobelia. I either hung them or have a couple 5 ft. tall stands. She died at 19 a year ago and the 2 remaining don't give a hoot about plants. I have one of those "Cat Off" Plectranthus in the midst of plants, but doubt it has any impact. Only stinks when bumped.
Give them what they need, to nibble on: spiderplants, umbrella plants, wheat sprouts (see the pet department for DIY sets). They will leave the rest alone. Never had one chew on other plants, IF I make sure they have what they need. Never had one climb into a treelike plant (or the curtains) either. Scratching: yes, until I gave them scratch poles and cardboard boxes.
one tip I have is that my cat (rest in peace) used to attack our christmas trees (we didn't have very many other plants at this time) because we got a real tree every year and one year we sprayed perfume on it and he stopped attacking the tree. We didn't even have to spray it again the next year, he just left the trees alone after that. So if you can't find some perfume that won't hurt your plants then I think that would probably work.
Damnit Denver, you naughty lil puss! I share a similar pain, Nick. I had a big 10 inch pot of thriving baby succulents I had raised for 2.5 years from propagation. My senior cat decided to make it into a cat bed and settled herself right down on top of them lol. Only had a 30% survival rate. We built her a catio.
Really enjoyed this! I have 2 black cats who both love to chew my spider plants and ponytail plant. Luckily, everything else is ignored. However, they have destroyed my ornamental garden grasses by wrestling them into shreds!
Hi Nick, I have always had cats and about 4-5 years ago I started becoming a hard core plant mom also. My new kittens (adopted in Nov 2020) are 6 months old now, and its like having terrible toddlers in the house. My one cat Larry jumps in the big plant pots and digs the dirt out, also he chewed up my Bird of Paradise, I spray them with water when they get close to the plants, but I'm not home all the time, so I'm still trying to train the cats to stay away from the plants. Larry damaged a plant I was propagating, and he killed 2 other plants, but I still feel like over time they are going to get it to stay away from the plants. Thank you for this video, it is so important!
Getting two kittens. I only have like 12 plants but need this advice. Also, I’m sure it’s a different video, but I must know how you *water* 400 house plants?! 🤯
Substituting plants is legit what saves my little collection //D I actually started growing cat grass at home recently, because one of my cats LOVES it - and everything else that remotely looks like it. So all my plant babies are on higher shelves etc. and my cat does get her daily dose of cat grass. (Sadly I can't just leave the pot on the ground cause she just inhales everything and eating too much at once - you can imagine what's happening then :'D) Thank you for the video! It was actually quite relieving to see someone be mindful about non-pet-friendly plants but also be super chill about it. :)
Is it just or many peoole who are into plants also have a pet in their home ? My little dog is very gentle with my plants too 😊 Great video again Nick 💚
Spider plants (chlorophytum comosum). Looks like grass. My cats (4) love it. Put on ground level, near plants you don't want them chewing on. Also if your cats a chronic chewers sometimes it suggests they are bored, so increased play time can really help.
Have been waiting for this video for so long! 😆🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 thanks for sharing. My cat would nibble on the spider plant, polka dot begonia n dracaena marginata once in a while, but leave the rest of my collection alone thank god. I do leave half of my window sill for him although he tried pushing for more I think we have settled now lol
I have a plant annihilator ... he’s super cute though. I just have to keep plant ip on stands, shelves, cupboards and hanging. It is all very strategic. I also have a load of plants in my room where I am not so careful and it is a cat free zone. (I downsized last year when I moved so keeping half my plants in my room and not letting the cats in was the only option)
One of my cats used to be obsessed with chewing my plants when I only had a couple. Once I got a whole bunch, she stopped giving a shit and now doesn't care. But I still avoid putting any toxic plants on their own in places that she walks past. I keep them grouped or up high :)
I love your vibe!! This video was super helpful. Currently crying bc my cat is so freaking long (when he stretches out fully he’s like a fully cooked linguini noodle) that he figured out how to reach up to my wall shelves and still knocks over my plants. It’s a wonder any of them survive with how often im having to repot hahaha
my SEVEN cats love chasing one another, stepping, and sleeping on my plants. they dgaf about broken terra cotta and sharp rocks, they step and sleep on them anyway. they try to climb on all the trellises and jump any hanging pots. two of them are obsessed with pooping and peeing in plant containers. I used to be so dismayed by their chewing, esp w younger plants/tiny leaves. but now it's a nothing problem compared with the bulldozing and err forced fertilization... I put all my plants together in two big clumps in a plant room, which they have access to bc it's my bedroom and I don't have the heart to say no to them, and this arrangement encourages them to explore the plants even more. they climb on all the shelves and knock all the plants down sooner or later.. my bedroom is the most "catified" room in the apt, including two big cat trees. nothing can distract them from trying to become one with the plants (just like me i suppose lol). help!!!
I have two cats. One doesn’t bother the plants the other one will eat everyone she can get too. I had a huge peace lily and she literally ate almost every leaf on it while I was at work! It made her vomit but was fine. So I have had to get creative as to where I place them or hang them. Every time I get them down to water in the sink she will come running and jump on the counter to get to them. She is a rescue cat.
THANK YOU!! I feel like so many people don't realize how dangerous their plants can be to animals. I wish plant sellers would put warnings on their highly toxic plants, like the Sago palm.
Thank you! I've always windered how people do it. One of my two cats will eat even FAKE Christmas wreaths so I was worried. I'll just make sure to put the toxic ones in hanging pots and such.
my younger cat surprisingly chews on EVERY plant. snake plants, pathos, succulents even😭 i have a fake tree she CLIMBS so i cant get any real plants that are tree like😭 hanging my plants somewhat works but she LEAPS for them. keep an eye on your cat and your plants bc if you have them together (depending the cat) both are at risk! also props! if she spots a plant in water she will find a way to knock it over. genuinely the ONLY thing that helps is keeping a “plant room” cat free zone
Cute kitties! I understand the child proofing as I had to put a Velcro lock on my fridge top freezer to prevent my cat from opening it up when I was at work. Have you ever thought of growing some catnip for the cats?
I have 7 cats. For the most part, I can only think of 2 that may want to 'explore' any of my plants (which are still outside, btw..lol). thanks for the video. Great ideas!
When my cat was a bit younger she loved nibbling my fern (non toxic) & you can still see the damage on the plant. My oldest cat loves rubbing up against plants but doesn't nom. The majority of my plants are kept in one room & we keep the door shut, everything else is kept on tables
I have 5 cats and they are not destructive on purpose, but P has knocked down my pilea yesterday and damaged it pretty badly. They don't eat them either... Well, they like munching on yucca, dracena (toxic) and spider plant if they are bored... It's mainly a winter issue...
My cat LOVES to chew on leaves! He has no desire to knock things over, but he loves eating plants. I just keep my plants out of his reach (up on high shelves) and make it clear that it is NOT okay for him to do that. He gets the picture now, and leaves my plant babies alone (unless he’s mad at me, which is rare) Also? I love Muffin and Denver!! They’re so cute!
Mine don't chew on my plants. In fact my Persian generally isn't concerned with them at all. My little ginger demon sh!t insists on peeing in them though. I've found rocks to be helpful but they have to completely cover the dirt because if there is an open spot of dirt she will pee on it.
I got lucky. For the most part, my beast pays no attention to my plants. He does occasionally get riled up and go into a tail-chasing spin and knocks over a plant nearby. But that's my own fault for putting something in his path. The only plant he has really ever chewed on was a haworthia and it's so big a few teeth marks aren't going to make a dent.
Hi Nick! I don't have a cat, but this was so much fun to watch with all of your facial expressions. It's always good seeing Muffin! She's so pretty, and such a good kitty. Denver is cute, too! You said your roommate is moving this year. Will you be getting another roommate? Just curious..... Thank you so much for sharing!
My late cat used to destroy my cacti. She pulled them from the pots and carefully rolled them back and forward until their spikes bend or break, then butcher them and eat their pulp. Savage. My current cat likes to pinch leaves with her teeth, not even eat, just makes holes. I have a small collection, so I just keep all my expensive and toxic plants in fish tanks.
I have two cats. One doesn’t notice the plants. The other, Teddy, is obsessed. I have several plants in my bathroom and in the morning he follows me in as I pull myself together. I had a crocodile fern sitting on a bench next to the bathtub and he loved chewing on this plant, burying his head in it. I decided to hang it in a Wally pot on the wall. The next morning he walked into the room and his plant wasn’t there. He looked around and then saw it on the wall. He looked at the plant. Looked at me. If looks could kill I would be sitting in an urn on the mantle now.
Give him a pot of grass. He will love you all over again.
😂 cats are so fickle... And just so funny!
Ha! I’m about to do the same with my birds nest fern. I’m hoping my cat isn’t as smart as yours and doesn’t look up!
Hahaha
Lol they are terrible.
You have 400 plants and two cats because you are a loving caring person and like to be surrounded by life and serenity! Surrounding by joy in difficult time
My cats don't really chew on the plants BUT they often walk in between the pots and push them over "accidentally" 😭
Kel does that. Oops, Mutti. Did I do that?
Yep. My pilea got pushed off the table. I guess by accident really
I. LOVE. That you put accidentally in quotes.😄
"Accidentally "...ha!
Haha, gotta lovem, I get mad like a second and then I look at their cute face and I start kissing them
a few things i want to add: 1) just because a plant is toxic doesnt mean its like pumping out toxic fumes or something. alot of people seem to have the misconception that they somehow do? and 2) just because its non-toxic doesnt mean your cat wont react. my cat ate an unrooted baby spider plant, non-toxic, no problem right? Well no, gagging, diareah, urinating randomly out of the litter box. Went to the vet, and yup, she's allergic/intolerant to spider plants (vet compared it to lactose intolerant person drinking 1L of milk). So each pet might react differently.
Great comment. However there are a few flowers that actually are dangerous just by being there as even just the pollen is very toxic e.g. lilies. So they should never be brought into a home with cats even if the cat isn't a chewer
@@ItsBecauseImBored is this about lilies true??? I know they are toxic to cats but I have a calla Lilly plant far out of reach of my cats, I’m very careful about it and it doesn’t flower, but if it’s putting out toxins I need to know! I had never read that before, I’m going to look into it further. I always try to warn ppl about lilies but I didn’t know it was that bad!
@@rainbomg I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you. I'm neither a vet nor a botanist so I don't really know how dangerous exactly they are. I was just trying to make the point that pollen can be dangerous, too. You should probably just ask your vet the next time you visit :)
@@ItsBecauseImBored lolz I already called my mom and asked her to take it- but today so far I’ve learned that merely one lick of the pollen can cause irreversible kidney failure, but I’m still getting a lot of mixed results on exactly to what extent this can be an issue. I know it’s all parts of the plant, but I have looked at the aspca and in my opinion they don’t say it’s as severe as they should be saying it is on there. I will keep looking into it and updating this thread in case anyone is interested. 💙🐈🪴
@@rainbomg lily pollen can be fatal to cats - a friend of mine rescued kittens and they were playing around a lily plant on the table and they all died, because some pollen got on their paws/body and they licked themselves, except for the one who did not go near the lily.
I had a friend whose cat would eat their plants. They bought a "sacrifice" plant that they give specifically to the cat. They used a spider plant. Cheap, non-toxic, and abundant.
They trip a bit with them that's why they love them 😂
@@RainyDayWolf hmmmm that would explain why my cat chews those primarily.
Omg they ate the first baby mine has ever had recently 😩 but good to know that's why that's the only plant they've gone after.
Yah I use "decoy" plants too!
I basically do the same thing, but I inherited a big spider plant with a lot of babies, and I place spider babies in the soil of a lot of other plants to distract the cat.
“oh god there’s a fungus gnat in my face” is SUCH a mood lolll felt that one
I always say that my cat is a little gardener. She's interested in plants but in a safe way: likes to look at them, sniff them, rest among them and watch me re-potting them :) She has her very own tiny garden on a windowsill where she has 3 pots of cat-grass. The only houseplant she couldn't resist was a ponytail palm. It reminded her of the cat-grass too much I think, plus it must've smelled pretty delish :D I solved this by putting the ponytail palm in one of those decorative bird cages.
Cats love ponytail palms. Our local nursery cat can often be found on that display, batting away at the leaves.
To much like a feather I think
What a smart idea w a bird cage?!
@@rainbowsandkittens1537 I'm happy you think so :) I always thought it was a bit weird to put plants in cages. But now I see how very practical it can be :D
@@deaconsmom2000 that’s incredibly adorable !
Came for the cats and plants, stayed for the how to trick landlord tips.
Crazy cat and plant lady here! One of my cats loves chewing on things, especially plants and cords. I grow grass in little pots and put "grass stations" around my house, and this keeps him occupied since he'd rather munch on it instead! It's cheap and easy to grow, you just have to make sure to start a new pot before you run out. I also find apple bitter works. Also, cats LOVE new smells, so I try to keep new plants out of reach until they've been in the house a while and the allure of a new smell goes away:)
does any kind of grass work or specificity cat grass?
My cat ignores my plants. I bring a new one home, he rolls his eyes. Once, I brought home fresh catnip for him. I threw it on the carpet, he looked at it, then looked at me, then asked me if I was going to vacuum that mess up. Hmmm
mine dont touch it either but like the cat grass i grow for them,
@@missmary5048 I think I had some cat grass....he didn't bother it either
Sounds like my cat 🐈⬛
Thank you SO MUCH for this video. I recently rescued a cat, have absolutely no cat experience, and have a houseful of plants. I feel much better knowing that a simple nibble is not going to kill my sweet baby Stanley. Largely though, he doesn’t bother the plants.
I used to have a cat that also required child-proofing gadgets on cabinets and the refrigerator. He liked to chew on snake plants, Christmas cacti, you name it. I couldn’t keep anything within his reach. My current cat is a precious (senior) angel and wants nothing to do with plants.
This is basically exactly how I approach my plants and cats situation. I don't keep anything deadly and make sure I elevate anything that could possibly make them sick with plant stands/shelves/hanging and keep everything non toxic as a floor plant.
Me too and I never really see people saying this- I think it’s better to know what’s toxic and just keep it out of reach than to not, bc a lot of plant labels don’t tell you they are toxic anyway, very few plants are completely safe. I just have thoughtful placement
large fish tanks
Yes to "stuffed surfaces"
That's how I became a maximalist.
We have two kittens and gave them some catgrass plants, they love chewing them and leave the rest of our plants alone. The main issue is they love pulling out the bark from inside the pots to play with 😅
Spackle and sand your hook holes when you move out! Everything gets repainted when you move out anyway. If you do the work of fixing it so they don’t have to, you’re more likely to get your deposit back
Yes. And please don’t use toothpaste.
NICK THIS VIDEO CAME AT THE PERFECT TIME my cat has never been interested in my plants ever and last week all of a sudden SHE HAS BIT LIKE 7 OF THEM!!! And i’m losing my mind!!! thank you for gracing my timeline
I cant believe it - two of my favorite topics in one video!!!❤️
Also growing catnip have it around where the cats normally be at. I definitely know they don't like the smell of Vick just a little bit on a cotton balls through out the areas you have your plants.It works I use these technique for cats and dogs for my clients.Great tips and happy growing and stay safe.
Planning to adopt a cat and this exactly answers my questions. Thank you!
My cats can’t even handle me having a small rug.
They jump and slide on it like a surf board, Lol!
😂😂😂 sounds like my cats.
LOL. Play with them a lot. It really minimizes the damage they'll do to your belongings. Cats have a lot of energy they need to burn everyday. They're evolved to hunt multiple times a day
This is my favorite comment so far
@@heatherlynn4652 this! You’ve gotta play with your cats, they only ever get into things due to frustration/boredom. And don’t just buy a toy and wave it back and forth while staring at a screen. Stop what you’re doing and dedicate 5 minutes to the living thing you’ve trapped in your house. Get one of those toys at target that’s a blue extendable wand with a feather toy on a string and fold up a blanket and put it on the floor. Run that toy under the blanket or around a corner like it was a mouse, imagine how a mouse would behave. Then BE the mouse. If you don’t giggle at least once while playing with your cat you’re not actually playing with him.
I don’t know why we expect these little marvels to just sit quietly inside all day with nothing to occupy the mind when we can’t even poop without our cellphones
I also just keep them out of reach as much as possible, in hangers and on high shelves etc. I tend to fill up surfaces so there's nowhere for them to jump up next to the plants. I also give them a cat grass pot that I bring in every few days for them to satisfy their chewing needs so they feel less compelled to go for the ornamental plants. I find they only get interested in chewing the plants that look like grass so some Dracaena and spider plants etc which I definitely don't leave in reach. Also I don't put pots on the ground at all because they will flick the dirt and try poop in there, so if you leave stuff on the ground use some sizable pebble topdressings or something. I find if the cats aren't entertained enough they might just poke their teeth through some leaves or tear off pieces just because of boredom, not so much because they want to eat it. Keep the kitties nice and entertained and let them have their own chewie plant and everyone's happy :)
LOVE that you chose to focus on ways to keep the cats away rather than deterrents like spray cans etc.!!!
My cat is like Muffin, she just never seemed to care about my plants. The only plant she likes to chew on is a spider plant, so I let her
Spider plants are safe for cats and apparently are a mild hallucinogenic!
Aww Muffin and Denver are such cuties, new UA-cam stars in the making, love your videos Nick, please show more of Muffin and Denver, hugs from Orange County, Ca 😺😺🌱🌿❤❤❤
My cat doesn’t bother mine either & they’re everywhere, I definitely got lucky as well
Lol... my rescue cat definitely realized snake plants are plants. My starfish and Whitney have significant gnaw marks. I had to put every plant out of reach. My favourite solution was a wooden curio cabinet. I took the backing off and staple gunned mesh onto it for air flow, but I can access the plants through the glass doors. I did have to load the top of the cabinet with plants because Kirby has a wicked vertical and got on top of it once! Lol.
6:40 holy shit you reminded me I have a plant in the sink my cat's going to eat... she thinks she's a goat.🙃
I came for the plants but stayed for Muffin ♥
I’m about to be a new cat mom of 2and I have an affinity for Peace Lily plants. I want to have 2 peace lilies as well. This is giving me hope
I've always had cats- 2@ a time- but lost my last 2 kitties a few years back from old age... Thanks for bringing back the smiles & joy about having cats & plants! (I had a black cat, too!) Stay well 🙏
I look forward to Friday mornings to watch your new content.
Also, cats LOVE house plants. My moms cat is an indoor outdoor cat but in the winter it’s too cold for him to explore, so all my moms 300 or so house plants keep him happy.. he loves playing Forrest.. just be aware of them using it as a litter out of no where..
I have had these two particular tuxedo's for the past four and a half years. The mother seems to have zero interest in plants. Her son is a little different. Tried a Boston Fern. Got big and beautiful outside one summer only to bring it in over the winter (too big to hang or put up somewhere high) and he proceeded to decimate it. Got a spider plant that summer. He proceeded to decimate that one too. But I really wanted some greenery here. Every time I brought a plant home, I would let him sniff it but I would tell him 'no tasting'. He didn't taste them but he was interested. Introduced him to his own plant. Cat Grass. He hasn't gone near any of my plants since but he still gets to sniff new ones and told 'no tasting'.
Thank you for this video!! I’m just starting my plant addiction and I was so fearful with my cats but I feel so much better!
My partner is a vet and after months of trying everything to get our kittens to stop tormenting our plants (chewing, knocking them over, digging them out of pots and eating roots, etc) he suggested that we get a product called SSSCAT off of chewy.com. It’s just pressurized air in a can with a motion sensor. After about a week of having them on plant shelves, the kittens stopped jumping up or showing interest in plants. For a while we would turn them off but leave the can on shelves to serve as psychological barrier (they see it and remember they will get sprayed), and we only had to turn them back on once bc they started jumping onto plant shelves again. Since then, we keep them all turned off and even took the cans off of most plant shelves. Completely safe for pets bc it’s only pressurized air, and it was very effective in training them quickly.
I have one cat who doesn't care about plants and another that likes to munch! I try to always give them cat grass so she can get her munching energy out on that. You can even dress the cat grass up with a nice pot or something to make it look like it's part of the decoration. Other than that, I've found that different cats like to chew on different types of plants. My cat likes to chew on more stick-like or grass like plants as opposed to leafy plants like ferns. So if you know your cat and their preferences then you can get away with some mildly toxic plants within your cat's reach. I live in a really humid area so I'm considering keeping my plants on a glass enclosed plant shelf, but I'm worried it work for the majority of my plants.
The topic today is so exciting and entertaining. So adorable...❤️❤️❤️❤️
Wow awesome 2 cats and 400 plants a lot to take care stay safe and god bless
No indoor plants for me.. sad… coz my cats got sick…. But I’ll put them outdoor… so I can still keep them 🪴 🌱 💕
ooooh!! I love that little extra bit!!! Both of you are so adorable!! 💖
I have a dog and she hasn't tried to eat any plant - toxic or non-toxic - fortunately. But I think keeping plants high up is always a good idea no matter what if you have pets and plants!
Cutie! Ours is black also but he's an angel it's the other one Olivia that loves my plants and anything I bring home in grocery store that's green
Great video, I really struggled with my plants when adopting my cat. I found like you said that it's all about prevention and giving your cat that one plant to take all their anger out on!
I have a wonderful little cat and he LOVES plants. But it’s very easy to see which ones he actually interacts with in ways that could cause concern. Big plants do not pose an issue, such as a ficus. While the sap is an irritant and not good for any type of species, my little guy doesn’t bite the leaves because they are bigger than his head so I don’t have to worry about it! I also make sure that plants are placed in locations that are appropriate to their level of pet friendliness. For example, baby cat loves to chew on small thin leaves, like my little parlor palm which he loves to investigate so I leave it where it is accessible to him as well as a little catnip plant I got just for him which he loves to sniff and rub his face in. At the end of the day as a pet owner you are the person with the best knowledge of ur animal baby and if u can gauge how they react to plants, it’s not difficult to find a way for pets and plants to live in harmony :). That being said, there are certain plants like Lilys that should NEVER be brought into pet households, so always do ur research before bringing home a new plant. What a great video, thank u for this !
I think baby cat is convinced he is a gardener hehe. I don’t have the heart to tell him all the plants would be dead and chewed up if it were up to him
i think it’s definitely a case of the cats temperaments!! my cat has never been interested in plants at all
Hi Nick, hope your well. This video was such great timing for us! My daughter is currently looking for a cat to adopt. I'm a huge plant lover, have prob 200. She too(@ 17 yrs old) has love of raising plants. She just redid her room to make it safe. I'll share this video with her. Thank you!
Yes,our 2nd bedroom is the plant room. I visit the room daily to do plant things. 2 cats 1 is still young so I hope she will lose interest in my plants eventually. Someday I hope I will be able to leave the plant room open full time so I can enjoy them more. Love the cats and plants so we will work it out.
Calcium oxalate crystals can cause horrible things in cats. Not only will it cause pain and inflammation in the back part of the throat, (resulting in hypersalivation, anorexia, vomiting amongst other ailments ) but it can also cause urinary tract issues including, but not limited to inflammation, infection, crystals and (mostly in male cats) total and complete urinary blockages, which if not treated immediately can become life threatening. Keep those lovely plants WAY out of our kitties reach at all times. 😼 We all know how ninja kitty they can be. 🐱👤 Maybe some catnip to divert them? Retired vet techs never actually retire. .. entirely. Love to your cats!
Our cat took a couple chews of our sansevieria, like when she started throwing up that was the first plant I checked. I couldn’t find any bite marks or chunks taken out or anything. But her lower jaw swelled up at least 3x the size of her head I was scared she was going to suffocate honestly and she was throwing up constantly and very clearly uncomfortable. We gave her 1/4 of a Benadryl and locked her in the bathroom with some water and her litter-box overnight. It wasn’t a couple days until the mother in law plant had shown where she had gnawed on the side of the plant. So the point of this story is that your cats definitely have very bad reactions to sansevieria so those specifically i would not keep ground level to kitties who you know like to chew plants.
I’m just getting into plants and been following you and wondering literally about this EXACT issue. I’ve only bought non-toxic so far, and one cat does take a nibble, but I have a few high floating shelves that I think would be safe as well as hanging and this vid makes me feel like I can use my intuition when buying a plant not explicitly designated non- toxic. I’m excited to become a cat and plant lady :). Also, my one cat is obsessed with a different type of peperomia, too!!
Muffin is super adorable and Denver is real pretty too. 😻😻😻
My black cat, who looks identical to Muffin, is the same with my houseplants. She doesn't really care. She does smell the plants occasionally, especially when I bring a new one home. But that's pretty much it. She likes to watch me repot them too. Not sure if it's the breed, but definitely got lucky there nonetheless!
Hey nick..... keep smiling boy.... you look amazing when you smile. 😊💚
Love from Bangladesh. 💚💚
Please make a video on your vanda baskets!!
I’ve been binging your videos all week hehe
My cats loves digging into the pots and remove all the soil or as much as possible, also love breaking/ dropping pots. And they also like to climb into my huge monstera 😭😭
I didn't know Napoleon had a twin
I hang some plants in the curtain rods. Works if u dont really close the curtains often and means i dont have to make wholes on the wall or ceiling.
I have 2 cats, one would rather eat plastic, than houseplants. The other loves his greens. I found the IKEA glass cabinet with closed doors helpful.
I had a kitty who nibbled a couple plants: muehlenbeckia & most concerning [overwintering] Lobelia. I either hung them or have a couple 5 ft. tall stands. She died at 19 a year ago and the 2 remaining don't give a hoot about plants. I have one of those "Cat Off" Plectranthus in the midst of plants, but doubt it has any impact. Only stinks when bumped.
Give them what they need, to nibble on: spiderplants, umbrella plants, wheat sprouts (see the pet department for DIY sets). They will leave the rest alone.
Never had one chew on other plants, IF I make sure they have what they need. Never had one climb into a treelike plant (or the curtains) either. Scratching: yes, until I gave them scratch poles and cardboard boxes.
This. Plus lots of playtime. Cats need bad behaviors redirected
one tip I have is that my cat (rest in peace) used to attack our christmas trees (we didn't have very many other plants at this time) because we got a real tree every year and one year we sprayed perfume on it and he stopped attacking the tree. We didn't even have to spray it again the next year, he just left the trees alone after that. So if you can't find some perfume that won't hurt your plants then I think that would probably work.
Damnit Denver, you naughty lil puss! I share a similar pain, Nick. I had a big 10 inch pot of thriving baby succulents I had raised for 2.5 years from propagation. My senior cat decided to make it into a cat bed and settled herself right down on top of them lol. Only had a 30% survival rate. We built her a catio.
Decorative birdcages also work well as cat deterrent.
I've had cats for my entire life and still got so excited when I saw this video😅 show us your lil fur babyys😍
Really enjoyed this! I have 2 black cats who both love to chew my spider plants and ponytail plant. Luckily, everything else is ignored. However, they have destroyed my ornamental garden grasses by wrestling them into shreds!
I love you even more now with the kitties !!!!! Muffin looks like my CocoLi 🌸😻🌸
You have a calathea orbifolia!! Omg it’s gorgeous
Hi Nick, I have always had cats and about 4-5 years ago I started becoming a hard core plant mom also. My new kittens (adopted in Nov 2020) are 6 months old now, and its like having terrible toddlers in the house. My one cat Larry jumps in the big plant pots and digs the dirt out, also he chewed up my Bird of Paradise, I spray them with water when they get close to the plants, but I'm not home all the time, so I'm still trying to train the cats to stay away from the plants. Larry damaged a plant I was propagating, and he killed 2 other plants, but I still feel like over time they are going to get it to stay away from the plants. Thank you for this video, it is so important!
What cute kitties! Denver sounds like my Salem lol
I blinking flipping love Nick 💕💕💕💕
I’ve just limited myself to non toxic/pet friendly plants. Every time I want to get a new plant I google to see it it’s toxic to the kitties. 😭😂
Getting two kittens. I only have like 12 plants but need this advice. Also, I’m sure it’s a different video, but I must know how you *water* 400 house plants?! 🤯
Substituting plants is legit what saves my little collection //D
I actually started growing cat grass at home recently, because one of my cats LOVES it - and everything else that remotely looks like it. So all my plant babies are on higher shelves etc. and my cat does get her daily dose of cat grass. (Sadly I can't just leave the pot on the ground cause she just inhales everything and eating too much at once - you can imagine what's happening then :'D)
Thank you for the video! It was actually quite relieving to see someone be mindful about non-pet-friendly plants but also be super chill about it. :)
Is it just or many peoole who are into plants also have a pet in their home ? My little dog is very gentle with my plants too 😊
Great video again Nick 💚
Spider plants (chlorophytum comosum). Looks like grass. My cats (4) love it. Put on ground level, near plants you don't want them chewing on. Also if your cats a chronic chewers sometimes it suggests they are bored, so increased play time can really help.
Have been waiting for this video for so long! 😆🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 thanks for sharing. My cat would nibble on the spider plant, polka dot begonia n dracaena marginata once in a while, but leave the rest of my collection alone thank god. I do leave half of my window sill for him although he tried pushing for more I think we have settled now lol
I have a plant annihilator ... he’s super cute though. I just have to keep plant ip on stands, shelves, cupboards and hanging. It is all very strategic. I also have a load of plants in my room where I am not so careful and it is a cat free zone. (I downsized last year when I moved so keeping half my plants in my room and not letting the cats in was the only option)
One of my cats used to be obsessed with chewing my plants when I only had a couple. Once I got a whole bunch, she stopped giving a shit and now doesn't care. But I still avoid putting any toxic plants on their own in places that she walks past. I keep them grouped or up high :)
Thank you for the presentation! I loved it!
I love your vibe!! This video was super helpful. Currently crying bc my cat is so freaking long (when he stretches out fully he’s like a fully cooked linguini noodle) that he figured out how to reach up to my wall shelves and still knocks over my plants. It’s a wonder any of them survive with how often im having to repot hahaha
my SEVEN cats love chasing one another, stepping, and sleeping on my plants. they dgaf about broken terra cotta and sharp rocks, they step and sleep on them anyway. they try to climb on all the trellises and jump any hanging pots. two of them are obsessed with pooping and peeing in plant containers. I used to be so dismayed by their chewing, esp w younger plants/tiny leaves. but now it's a nothing problem compared with the bulldozing and err forced fertilization... I put all my plants together in two big clumps in a plant room, which they have access to bc it's my bedroom and I don't have the heart to say no to them, and this arrangement encourages them to explore the plants even more. they climb on all the shelves and knock all the plants down sooner or later.. my bedroom is the most "catified" room in the apt, including two big cat trees. nothing can distract them from trying to become one with the plants (just like me i suppose lol). help!!!
Little spray bottle is my solution 😂 and keeping a cat grass available
I have two cats. One doesn’t bother the plants the other one will eat everyone she can get too. I had a huge peace lily and she literally ate almost every leaf on it while I was at work! It made her vomit but was fine. So I have had to get creative as to where I place them or hang them. Every time I get them down to water in the sink she will come running and jump on the counter to get to them. She is a rescue cat.
THANK YOU!! I feel like so many people don't realize how dangerous their plants can be to animals. I wish plant sellers would put warnings on their highly toxic plants, like the Sago palm.
This is so encouraging thank you
Thank you for making a video clarifying this!
Thank you! I've always windered how people do it. One of my two cats will eat even FAKE Christmas wreaths so I was worried. I'll just make sure to put the toxic ones in hanging pots and such.
my younger cat surprisingly chews on EVERY plant. snake plants, pathos, succulents even😭 i have a fake tree she CLIMBS so i cant get any real plants that are tree like😭 hanging my plants somewhat works but she LEAPS for them. keep an eye on your cat and your plants bc if you have them together (depending the cat) both are at risk!
also props! if she spots a plant in water she will find a way to knock it over.
genuinely the ONLY thing that helps is keeping a “plant room” cat free zone
Ooh have you seen those cat trees made with drift wood that they can climb
LOL cover the holes in tooth paste lol Gold!
The more plants I get, the less my cats pay attention to them 😂😂😂 45+ plants vs. 3 cats ❤️
Cute kitties! I understand the child proofing as I had to put a Velcro lock on my fridge top freezer to prevent my cat from opening it up when I was at work. Have you ever thought of growing some catnip for the cats?
I have 7 cats. For the most part, I can only think of 2 that may want to 'explore' any of my plants (which are still outside, btw..lol). thanks for the video. Great ideas!
When my cat was a bit younger she loved nibbling my fern (non toxic) & you can still see the damage on the plant. My oldest cat loves rubbing up against plants but doesn't nom. The majority of my plants are kept in one room & we keep the door shut, everything else is kept on tables
Thank you for this video!!!! I don’t have cats but I do have dogs who like to stick their noses in all my plants
I have 5 cats and they are not destructive on purpose, but P has knocked down my pilea yesterday and damaged it pretty badly. They don't eat them either... Well, they like munching on yucca, dracena (toxic) and spider plant if they are bored... It's mainly a winter issue...
My cat LOVES to chew on leaves! He has no desire to knock things over, but he loves eating plants. I just keep my plants out of his reach (up on high shelves) and make it clear that it is NOT okay for him to do that. He gets the picture now, and leaves my plant babies alone (unless he’s mad at me, which is rare)
Also? I love Muffin and Denver!! They’re so cute!
Mine don't chew on my plants. In fact my Persian generally isn't concerned with them at all. My little ginger demon sh!t insists on peeing in them though. I've found rocks to be helpful but they have to completely cover the dirt because if there is an open spot of dirt she will pee on it.
I got lucky. For the most part, my beast pays no attention to my plants. He does occasionally get riled up and go into a tail-chasing spin and knocks over a plant nearby. But that's my own fault for putting something in his path. The only plant he has really ever chewed on was a haworthia and it's so big a few teeth marks aren't going to make a dent.
Hi Nick! I don't have a cat, but this was so much fun to watch with all of your facial expressions. It's always good seeing Muffin! She's so pretty, and such a good kitty. Denver is cute, too! You said your roommate is moving this year. Will you be getting another roommate? Just curious..... Thank you so much for sharing!
My late cat used to destroy my cacti. She pulled them from the pots and carefully rolled them back and forward until their spikes bend or break, then butcher them and eat their pulp. Savage.
My current cat likes to pinch leaves with her teeth, not even eat, just makes holes. I have a small collection, so I just keep all my expensive and toxic plants in fish tanks.