I have to admit, I was giving my aunt some side-eye when she was covering everything in tin foil to keep her two new cats off the counters and couch. It looked like she was preparing for a UFO to land. We all know that cats DGAF. I mean, cats are bad...that’s why we love them. 

But then....

I saw an orange tabby leap through the air, land on the counter for a millisecond, and INSTANTLY leap off yell-meowing RWaaaaaaaaaaaRRRRR! 

It worked. 

Cats DGAF...unless there is tinfoil.

So here are our ways to keep your plants AND the “bad” pets we love safe:

KEEP YOUR PLANTS OUT OF REACH 

Sure, this sounds obvious but here is how we like to do it...

Putting your plants out of reach keeps your pets away from your plants and there are many ways to get your plants out of reach:

• Place on high shelves. If you don’t have a high shelf, place your plants on a shelf with no empty space so your cat won’t be able to get to it.
• Hanging planters
• Plant stands are a fun decorative way to keep your plants away from your pet. 

Some of our favorite ways to put plants out of reach include:

• Flipping planters upside down to stack the plant higher

• Using bar stools and other narrow stands around the house
• Create a DIY plant stand! 

TRAIN YOUR PET

Again obvious, but here comes the tin foil...

If your pet is housetrained then you can use similar tactics to get your pet to stay away from your plants - some of the most popular tools are spray bottles and positive reinforcements with treats, but you can't be around all the time and kitty might think it's nicer than her litter box or your dog is a little dopey and wants to eat everything you love...

Of course, our favorite trick for cats is tin foil. Lay out some foil underneath your plant pot, covering the whole area you want to keep your cat away from and wait to see your cat approach it! And or add some tin foil around the top of the planter, soil, or leaves they like to chew. After several days of leaving the tin foil there, your cat will know to stay away from that area and you can remove the tin foil without your cat getting back into your plant. 

My aunt’s cats DO NOT get on her counter, but she did give in and invited them back to the couch.

PUT PLANTS IN A ROOM YOUR PETS DON’T HAVE ACCESS TO

Consider it your plant oasis! Maybe it's to escape pets and or humans. We have a 5 year old...we don’t judge.

If you have a room that your pets aren’t allowed in, say the kitchen or the office, this is probably the quickest way to get your pets away from your plants. As long as that off limits room has a window, your plants will be happy there and you won’t have any worry.

NON-TOXIC PLANTS - MOST IMPORTANT

Last, but most importantly! you have to make sure your plants are non-toxic for your pet!

We have a whole category on our website and section of the shop devoted to plants that are safe for your pets, according to the ASPCA. But of course, always double check to be safe.

Many cacti are not only non-toxic to animals, they are really good at keeping cats and dogs away because of their spines - the whiskers on your pets’ face tells them to leave space between them and cacti. If your pet isn't the “sharpest spine on the cactus”…and might just eat a cactus - spines and all...just stick with some pet friendly succulents and houseplants.

Our Pet Friendly Plants!

Once you have plants you know are non-toxic for your pet, there are a couple of easy steps you can take just to make sure your furry friend doesn’t get into your plant baby.

We’ve heard so many people say that they can’t be both a plant parent and a pet parent but we know you can have it all! Starting with non-toxic plants is the key and then it just takes some trial and error to figure out what works best for you, your plants, and your pets.  Then you can have as many green and furry babies as your heart desires!!

xo, Seana

p.s. Have you ever heard of cats and tinfoil before? How do you keep your pets away from your plants? Respond to this email and tell us about it!