How do I stop my cats from digging in my plants?

What causes cats to dig in houseplants?

Cats dig in houseplants for a few common reasons:

1. Natural instinct

Digging is an innate behavior for cats – they have a natural urge to dig in soil or similar materials. Houseplants with loose, soil-like potting mix can trigger this instinct. Cats enjoy digging their claws into the soft substrate and investigating new smells and textures. It’s a form of sensory play and enrichment for them.

2. Using the bathroom

Some cats may associate the smell or texture of houseplant soil with an appropriate place to eliminate. Cats that aren’t provided with enough litter boxes or that don’t like their current litter may opt to go elsewhere, like a houseplant.

3. Attention-seeking

Cats who dig in plants are often motivated by boredom and seeking your attention, even if it’s negative attention. By damaging your plants, they know they’ll get a reaction from you.

4. Stress or anxiety

Stress, anxiety, or other behavior issues can also manifest as inappropriate digging. It allows them to engage in a natural behavior while self-soothing. Providing more enrichment and proactively managing stressors may help curb this behavior.

How can I stop my cat from digging in plants?

There are several tactics you can try to make your houseplants less appealing targets for your cat’s digging instincts:

Use deterrents

Temporary deterrents may discourage your cat from returning to the plants:

– Citrus scents – orange or lemon peels, sprays, or oils often deter cats.

– Pipe cleaners – insert pipe cleaners firmly into the soil so they poke up.

– Foil or plastic wrap – cover the surface of the soil with sheets of these.

– Scat mats – these give a very mild static shock.

– Motion-activated devices – these can give a startle but won’t harm your cat.

– Aromatics – strong smells like citronella, lavender, peppermint may have temporary repellent effects.

Make plants unattractive

You can make the plant itself less appealing for digging:

– Cover the soil with large pebbles or rocks.

– Put bamboo skewers or sticks into the soil pointed upright.

– Allow the topsoil to dry out completely between waterings.

– Consider replacing soil with an alternate substrate like sand, moss, or stones.

Provide digging alternatives

Giving your cat approved outlets for digging may prevent unwanted digging:

– Keep their litter box extra clean and filled with soft, fine-grained clumping litter.

– Use a larger litter box or add additional boxes.

– Provide empty cardboard boxes or plastic tubs/plant pots for digging.

– Create a “dig box” by filling a container with soil, sand, or shredded paper.

– Consider adding a cat grass planter or catnip plant for them.

Use barriers

Prevent access to the plants entirely by using baby gates, closed doors, or other barriers to block the area when you can’t supervise. Place decorative rocks or heavy items on top of the soil. Cover with upside-down buckets or woven baskets.

Use repellent sprays

Repellent sprays made specifically for deterring cats from unwanted scratching, spraying, etc may also work as a training tool for digging. Use these around your plants.

Prune for protection

Remove trailing vines, exposed roots, and dangling leaves that may attract digging. Prune plants to minimize bare soil exposure. Group plants together to make digging harder.

How can I train my cat not to dig in houseplants?

While deterrents may work temporarily, the most effective solution is providing positive reinforcement training to discourage the undesirable behavior long-term:

Redirect and reward desired behavior

– Get your cat’s attention with a fun toy when you see them approaching plants, and lead them to an approved scratching post, bed, or play area instead. Praise and reward with treats when they start using appropriate areas.

– Place cat beds, scratchers, and toys nearby plants to divert their attention.

– Consider clicker training to teach them to move away from plants upon hearing a clicker sound. Always reward the correct behavior.

Use remote punishment

– When catching them in the act, make a loud noise (hand clap, air horn, keys jangled) or spray water to startle them away from the area. Never scare or punish them directly.

– Place motion detectors, Ssscat sprayers or similar deterrent devices around plants and avoid punishing or scolding them after the fact. The goal is establishing that plants themselves are undesirable, not that their human is mad at them afterwards.

Prevent access unsupervised

– Keep them confined in cat-proofed areas of the home when you’re not around to monitor their behavior and redirect as needed. Limit access until the habit is broken.

Address underlying issues

– Identify and resolve potential sources of stress, anxiety, insufficient enrichment, litter box aversions, etc. that may be contributing to inappropriate digging. Consult a vet or cat behaviorist for advice tailored to your cat.

– Ensure your cat’s basic needs are met with appropriate nutrition, playtime, scratching surfaces, cat trees/perches and other enrichment. A mentally stimulated, content cat is less likely to act out with destructive behaviors.

Conclusion

Digging houseplants is a common undesirable behavior in cats that usually relates back to their natural instincts and needs. While deterrents can help minimize the damage to your plants, training alternatives and addressing the root cause of the behavior is key to permanently stopping unwanted digging. With consistent positive reinforcement training and providing acceptable outlets for natural behaviors like digging, you can redirect your cat away from using your houseplants as impromptu litter boxes or sensory playthings. A little patience and creativity in both plant protection and cat training will keep your feline – and your foliage – happy and healthy.

Method	Pros	Cons
Deterrents	– Immediate but temporary repellent effect	– Must be reapplied frequently
Barriers	– Prevents access completely if effective	– Can look unsightly
Aversion training	– Teaches cats not to dig in plants	– May not address root causes of behavior
Positive reinforcement	– Rewards correct behavior instead of punishing	– Requires time and consistency
Alternate substrate	– Removes digging temptation entirely	– Limits plant choices to non-soil
Digging post	– Gives cat approved outlet	– Cat may still dig in plants too

Here is a breakdown of some common cat repellents and their ingredients:

Repellent	Potential Active Ingredients
Citrus peels	D-limonene
Citrus oil sprays	D-limonene
Peppermint oil	Menthol
Lavender oil	Linalool, linalyl acetate
Pipe cleaners	Physical discomfort
Scat mats	Mild electric shock
Aluminum foil	Reflective surface
Repellent sprays	Citrus oils, mint oils

Here are some appropriate cat-friendly digging substrate alternatives to regular potting soil:

Substrate	Properties
Sand	– Coarse grain won’t stick to paws – Won’t track around house – Heavy enough to not kick out easily
Small pebbles	– Too large to dig claws into – Adds decorative top dressing
Shredded paper	– Satisfies digging urge – Disposable and replaceable
Moss	– Soft texture – Conceals soil – Retains moisture well
Wood shavings	– Natural material – Good drainage
Foam beads	– Lightweight – Easy to reshape surface
Expanded clay pellets	– Plant roots can grow in pores – Loose and gritty

Some good indoor cat-friendly plants that withstand digging well:

Plant	Notes
Philodendrons	– Tough leaves – Withstand some abuse
Spider plants	– Shallow roots – Rapid growers
Ponytail palms	– Hardy – Don’t need much care
Pothos	– Trailing vines regrow easily – Tolerate digging damage
Dracaenas	– Tall and hardy – Distinctive strappy leaves
Calatheas	– Tough leaves – Interesting patterns
Ferns	– Frond damage not fatal – Regrows from rhizomes

Some signs your cat may have additional issues leading to inappropriate digging:

Symptoms	Potential underlying issue
– Excessive digging – Agitation – Restlessness	Stress or anxiety
– Digging and elimination – Not covering waste	Litter box aversion
– Attention-seeking behaviors	Boredom
– Digging and scratching at doors/floors	Inadequate environmental enrichment
– Digging with trips to litter box	Urinary tract infection
– Sudden change in behavior	Underlying medical issue

Some appropriate environmental enrichment options to meet cats’ needs:

Enrichment	Benefits
– Cat trees/tall perches	– Allows natural climbing and scratching urges
– Catnip	– Stimulates play and rub/roll instincts
– Puzzle feeders	– Engages hunting instincts
– Scratching posts	– Satisfies scratching urge
– Interactive toys	– Provides mental + physical stimulation
– Window perches	– Allows natural watching behaviors

Some tips for litter box set up to encourage use:

Litter Box Tip	Reasoning
– 1 per cat + 1 extra	– Prevents competition for resources
– Large, open boxes	– Allows comfortable movement
– Multiple sites	– Cats feel more secure with options
– Quiet, low-traffic area	– Avoids startling while vulnerable
– Soft, sandy clumping litter	– Comfortable on paws
– Daily scooping	– Keeps box clean
– Replace litter regularly	– Removes soiled material buildup