Poisonous Plants

• The safest thing you can do to make your house cat-safe is removing any houseplants toxic to cats. Check houseplant toxicity with the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or ask your local garden center or veterinarian. Some common houseplants poisonous to cats include arum lily, bird of paradise, begonia, ficus benjamina, geranium and tiger lily. Some types of grass, such as oat grass, are also toxic to cats.
  
  

Safe Plants

• There is a large number of houseplants nontoxic to cats. These include the common staghorn fern, dwarf palm, jewel orchid, Irish moss and Venus flytrap. Cats sometimes chew on houseplants because they crave minerals in the plant. Keep a few pots of plants just for your cat, such as ordinary lawn grass, cat grass or catnip. These plants can satisfy your cats craving for chewing on houseplants. Your cat also may be so busy chewing on these plants that she will not be interested in your other houseplants. Another option is moving your plants out of reach of your cat by hanging them up where the cat can't reach them.
  
  

Deterrence

• Even if your houseplants are not toxic to cats, you do not want your cats destroying them and scattering dirt. There are several methods to keep your cats from eating your houseplants and digging in the soil. Placing rocks or sticks in the soil of your houseplants may make it uncomfortable for your cat to dig in the soil. Another option is keeping a spray bottle filled with water nearby and giving your cat a squirt whenever you see him digging in the soil or eating a plant. Some people spray the leaves of their houseplants with citrus scent or cayenne pepper.
  
  

Plant Care

• Even if your houseplants are all varieties that are nontoxic to cats, ensure the fertilizer and insecticides used on the plants are nontoxic. Do this by repotting any plants you buy using fertilizer advertised as nontoxic to pets. Use nontoxic fertilizer and plant food on your houseplants. Bugs can prove very interesting to cats, and your cat may be attracted to the bugs on your houseplant, rather than to the plant itself. If your cat shows a sudden interest in a houseplant, make sure you check the plant carefully for insect infestation. Keeping plants insect free helps keep them cat-free as well.