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P.O. Box 1015 Waldorf, MD 20604-1015
Phone: 301 645-8181

13 May 2000, From the American Humane Association
Growing a Kitty Garden
Grow a safe alternative to nibbling on house plants!

Do your houseplants look as if someone took a lawn mower to one side? Or do they have little puncture wounds on their leaves? Then chances are you have a cat.

Cats may chew on plants as a form of entertainment, but chewing on plants can be dangerous. There are hundreds of plants that can produce toxic reactions in your feline.

A safe alternative is to grow an indoor mini-lawn for your cats to nibble on. While outside grass can be loaded with deadly fertilizers and pesticides, an indoor mini-lawn provides your cat with a safe, edible source of greenery. Special feline gardens are available commercially or you can start your own kitty garden using a bowl, soil, and some grass seed.

You can grow catnip, too, but monitor how much your cat chews. While catnip isn't generally toxic to cats, too much fresh catnip can overstimulate the central nervous system and may cause a cat to actually injure herself. Make sure you do not add or spray on fertilizers, weed killers or any other chemical. Another alternative is to note the type of plant your cat is chewing and talk to your vet to see if it can be toxic. If not, perhaps you can grow your cat one of its own (but make absolutely sure that it is not toxic!).