If you have cats and potted plants, you’ve probably discovered excrement in the plant pot on a bad day. It may be aggravating and unpleasant if your cat(s) uses your potted plant pots as a litter box.
Using a cat repellent, placing pebbles on the surface of the soil, and teaching your cat to use the litter box are the best ways to prevent cats from pooping in your potted plants.
Other methods will work, but they may or may not be cat-friendly.
You should also be mindful of and avoid utilizing procedures harmful to your cat. Continue reading for more information on how to prevent your cats from pooping in your potted plants.
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My Cat Pooped In My Plant
If your cat poops in your potted house plants, then you need to restrict this behaviour by using scents and textures they don’t like.
Using tiny stones in your potting soil is the most accessible approach. Smooth river stones or white silicon desert stones might be used.
Because cats like to urinate themselves on the ground, placing stones on top of the dirt makes it unappealing to them.
The stones serve as a decorative element and mulch for your potted plant. They will aid in retaining moisture in the soil for a more extended period. Maintain a constant temperature in the ground.
Using this strategy, many cats will be deterred from pooping in your potted plants, but some cats will still defecate on the stones.
You might check at some of the various options for dealing with such cats. Another solution is to use chicken wire to cover your potted plant. This serves as a barrier, keeping animals away from your potted plants.
Because such wire is stiff, you’ll need to use pliers to drape it around the entire plant. The pliers may cut the chicken wire and bend it into the desired form.
A single piece may not be enough if you have a large potted plant. Two sections of chicken wire may need to be fastened together. Because you’ll have to wrap the chicken wire around the pot plant’s base rather than entirely covering it, this is the case.
Is Cat Poop Bad For Plants?
Cat poop is dangerous for plants.
Cat excrement in potting soil is not only unpleasant to smell when you’re working in the garden, but it may also be deadly.
According to the University of California Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County, it can include germs and parasites like toxoplasmosis.
Without first digging and removing the top layer of soil, vegetables cannot be grown safely in a heavily polluted garden bed. That doesn’t imply your entire vegetable garden bed is damaged because a cat uses it as a potty on occasion.
It is feasible to save your garden while also deterring troublesome pets from returning in the future.
Cat faeces are similar to cow faeces in appearance. It’s high in nitrogen, phosphate, and potash, common constituents in organic fertilizers. However, it does not have the same makeup as cow manure.
According to the University of Minnesota Extension, cat excrement contains more than twice as much nitrogen, the same amount of phosphate, and roughly half as much potash as bovine dung.
However, the health dangers of cat excrement exceed its benefit; it should not be left in the garden even if your cat appears to be in perfect health.
Cat faeces can carry a variety of parasites, including the one that causes toxoplasmosis, a condition that is particularly deadly to pregnant women and individuals with weakened immune systems.
Many other mammals are infected with the parasites. The distinction is that these parasites can only finish their life cycle in a cat’s intestines.
Roundworm, hookworm, and tapeworm parasites can all be found in cat faeces. On the other hand, gardeners may considerably reduce the risk of infection by wearing gloves, washing their hands, and rinsing and washing any harvested vegetables.
In reality, much of the composition of cat excrement is comparable to that of other animals that we pay people to collect – cows, birds, and so on. I’m not advocating the use of cat poop as a fertilizer, but it’s also not the end of the world.
The nitrogen, potassium, and potash balances aren’t quite the same; digging up cat excrement isn’t precisely a pleasurable gardening experience, and there’s a slight danger of infection.
Will Cat Poop Kill My Plants?
Yes, cat poop is toxic enough to ruin and kill your plants.
You may believe that cat poop is organic and will not hurt your houseplants. However, it has the potential to cause them significant harm.
The issue is that the cat excrement may include hazardous diseases that may end up in your plants. It’s much worse if you’re producing fruits and veggies for your consumption in pots.
The cat litter will also be heavy in nitrogen, injuring the plants’ roots.
Cats like soft dirt for their litter boxes, and cat excrement can cause severe infections in humans. Other parasites like roundworm and hookworm and pathogens like E. coli and Salmonella may infect the soil from any animal excrement, not only cats’.
What is the time it takes for cat faeces to decompose? In around 90 days, compostable materials decompose into carbon dioxide, water, inorganic chemicals, and biomass, leaving no visible, identifiable, or hazardous legacy.
In your garden, use the peels of oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit. Certain people use mothballs.
Cayenne pepper flakes can also be used, but they hurt, and you may not want to apply them to your cat. The idea that lion’s dung and transparent water bottles discourage cats was debunked on the “Myth Busters” show.
If at all feasible, remove all excrement as well as the dirt in the adjacent area. Discard any product that has come into touch with waste. Remove extra dirt from crops while in the garden—Wash vegetables under flowing tap water instead of batch washing in a basin.
How To Stop Cats From Pooping In My Potted Plants?
You have to spray some cat repellent with a solid scent to stop cats from pooping in potted plants.
Here are a few ways to stop your cats from pooping in the potted plant:
1. Using Restrictions
If you don’t want to use chicken wire or stones to protect your potted plant, you may use a cat repellent instead. You may buy one or create one out of natural materials.
Use essential oils like lavender, peppermint, or lemongrass to produce cat repellent. Alternatively, apple cider vinegar can be used.
The concept behind using a cat repellent is that the aroma is overpowering to the cat, causing them to avoid the area where it has been sprayed.
Because essential oils and other materials are too potent and might be dangerous to the cat, don’t apply them directly as a spray.
Mix three parts of water and one essential oil to get a diluted mixture.
This combination may then be sprayed near the pot to keep cats away from it. Make sure the repellant does not contact the potting soil or the plant.
Your plants may find this mixture overly acidic, resulting in stunted development. In the worst-case scenario, you may harm your plants.
So apply the cat repellant with caution, diluting it well and sprinkling it near the pot rather than directly into it.
Check out more details about Does Vinegar Keep Cats Away?
2. Using Motion Detector
The motion detector distraction device’s concept is straightforward. When your cat gets close to it, it produces noise.
Because most cats dislike being interrupted when pooping, this serves as a deterrent.
You may get such a device at your local store or on Amazon.
This strategy appeals to me since it is the most efficient way to prevent cat pooping in your potted plant without irritating the cat’s senses, as a cat repellent does.
3. Using Cardboard
Cutting a circle out of a cardboard box is another simple method. A pizza box may suffice. Make it easier to tape, make it somewhat more significant than the potted plant.
Cut the cardboard circular in half and make a slot in the centre large enough to accommodate the plant stem.
You may now tape both cardboard pieces to the pot, with the stem tucked inside the notch you made earlier. Make careful to fasten it to the pot’s sides using thick tape.
The cardboard disc fits on top of the potting soil and covers it, preventing your cats from accessing it.
This strategy isn’t recommended for long periods since it prevents air and light from reaching the potting soil.
This may be a temporary distraction while you educate your cats to use the litter box. You may remove the cardboard from your potted plant once the cat has been taught.
You might like to check out Will Cayenne Pepper Keep Cats Away?
Home Remedies To Stop Cats Pooping In Garden
You can use the smell of citrus or strong herbs to stop cats from pooping in the garden.
Citrus scents are a tried-and-true home remedy for keeping cats away from a particular place.
There are numerous approaches you may take. Essential oils, concentrated oils derived from citrus plants and fruits, or raw fruit fragments can be used.
Scatter some peels or bits of citrus fruit, such as oranges, grapefruits, and limes. Alternatively, mix a spray with water and citrus and sprinkle it around your plants.
Several strong-smelling plants will turn cats away. The most excellent part about utilizing herbs is that you can pick the ones that smell good to you!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my cat suddenly pooping in my plants?
This is frequently caused by a gastrointestinal upset, a stomach infection, or worms (intestinal parasites). Other problems might include a lack of litter-box access, a litter-box that isn’t being swept regularly, or a too tiny litter-box.
What smells deter cats from pooping?
Citrus, pepper, and essential oils like lavender and citronella are all scents that prevent cats from pooping. Plants that cats despise in your garden include Coleus Canina, Catmint, Lavender, and Rosemary.
Does vinegar stop cats from pooping in the house?
Yes, vinegar works as a deterrent to keep cats from urinating and pooping in specific regions. Cats dislike the pungent odour of vinegar and avoid locations where it is present. Vinegar is an excellent deterrent since it is non-toxic, safe, and effective.
Final Words
Cats are naturally drawn to the soil, so they will try to defecate or pee on your potted plants first. One method is to use a deterrent or obstacles to prevent a cat from pooping on your potted plants.
Cover it with stones, chicken wire, cat repellant spray, a motion detector noise distraction, and educate your cat to defecate outside or in a litter box.
