How to Keep Cats Away from Succulents | 6 Proven Tips

Simple tips and tricks for pet owners. 

Calling all cat owners! It’s tough being a plant mama and cat mama. Both require attention and care. But what do you do when your beloved pet just won’t leave your succulent plants alone? Cats and dogs are often left free to roam the house and it isn’t unusual for them to sniff around your beautiful plant collection. If you’re wondering, ‘are succulents poisonous to cats?’, then you are not alone. It’s a common question asked in the houseplant/pet world! 

In this article, we aim to answer all your questions regarding succulents and pets. We’ve also put together our 6 proven tips on how to keep cats away from succulents. These have been tried and tested around our home and are the best things we have found that have worked for us. 

If you’re a newbie to the succulent world, then you should read up on succulent care for beginners. 

Are succulents poisonous to cats?

First and foremost, before we get onto our topic of how to keep cats away from succulents, I’ll answer the most important question. Are succulents poisonous to cats? This is a tricky question and can’t be answered with a simple yes or no. 

There are approximately 60 different plant families that contain succulents, and not all are poisonous to cats and dogs. If you are a pet owner, then you should do your research before you buy any type of houseplant to ensure that it is safe for your pet. If you buy a succulent that is poisonous to cats then you may notice signs such as vomiting, diarrhea and eye irritation. It is important to call your local veterinary clinic if you notice any of these symptoms.

To help guide you, some succulent types that are safe for cats and dogs are Haworthia (Zebra Plant), Hens and Chickens and Sedum Morganianum (Burro’s Tail). 

Do cats eat succulents? 

Fortunately, it is a rare occasion that your cat will actually try and eat your succulent plant. They don’t smell or taste very appetizing and more often than not, your housepet will find something that appeals to them more…like your socks from the laundry basket! 

However, this doesn’t mean that your cat or kitten won’t eat your houseplants. They’ll certainly be sniffing around them at the least, which is why you are asking how to keep cats away from succulents. To be on the safe side, always purchase a non-toxic succulent or cactus. 

How to keep cats away from succulents

Ok, so onto our main topic! We have tried and tested many different ways on how to keep cats away from succulents but have found the 6 detailed below work best for us. 

Terrariums

Terrariums are a fantastic investment if you have a busy schedule! Not to mention they are stunning and are a wonderful bit of decor to add to your home. Essentially, terrariums are like aquariums, but for plants instead of fish! 

In glass containers, terrariums look like it’s own little magical world. The glass container will shelter the succulents and cacti from any troublemakers that may be lurking around. Just make sure you purchase a container that is heavy enough so that you cats and dogs can’t topple it over.

You will also have to water your plants even less (did we even think that was possible for succulents?!). This is because the plants and soil in the terrarium release vapor water, which will be collected on the walls of your glass container and trickle back down into the soil – essentially recycling water! 

Find out more on the best succulents for terrariums and learn about the 4 easiest tips for succulent terrarium care.

Sprays

Probably the easiest and most inexpensive for any pet owner. Spray repellents can be bought from almost any gardening or pet store. Easy to use, simply spray onto your plants and it won’t be at all harmful to either the plant or your beloved pet. 

If DIY is your thing, then you can add cayenne pepper to the water and spray this onto your houseplants. The same can be done with vinegar or citrus fruits such as lemon. Essential oils are also a good natural pet-repellent and there are certain flavors you should get such as lavender or lemongrass. Simply mix 12-15 drops with water and spray onto your plant. This will have to be repeated throughout the month as the smell will eventually fade.

We recommend getting a shop-bought spray as they are affordable and work best. 

Coffee Grounds

If you have read any of my other blogs such as are coffee grounds good for Christmas cactus and are coffee grounds good for succulents then you will be well aware of the benefits that coffee already holds on succulents and cacti. But did you know it’s also a fantastic cat repellent? 

Not only will coffee grounds keep cats away from succulents, but it will also replenish the soil and add some very well needed nutrients. However, you should only try this method if you are using a soil that is low in acid. If you are using an acidic soil, then we recommend using another method we discuss in this article. 

Wall Planters

You can buy beautiful wall planters from almost any home decor shop. Geometric wall planters look great in any home and can be fitted to the wall securely. If you’re tempted by a hanging wall planter, then we would strongly advise against this. 

Although the hanging plants look fabulous, it doesn’t take much for your cat to go scrambling up the walls and jumping onto it. Next thing you know you’re lovely hanging plant is all over the floor. 

You will want to place your wall planter in a position that still gets a lot of sunlight otherwise you will begin to get etiolated succulents! 

Cages

Don’t worry, we don’t mean cages for your pets! You can buy daring cages for your plants online and this will create a dramatic effect around your home. Bundle your succulents and cacti in one cage together, or keep them separate. 

Having bunny cactus in one cage for example, and a Haworthia plant in another makes for a brilliant effect. You can buy cages of different sizes as well and place them next to each other. This look is both on point and is a great way on how to keep cats away from succulents. Keeping succulents in cages will also add a decorative touch to any desk plant or succulent in the office. 

Prickly Cactus

That’s right! Surround your beloved succulents with thorny and prickly cactus! The leaves on cacti are sharp and pointy. They won’t cause major harm to your cats or dogs, but if they poke their paws on a cactus then it will shock them enough so that they won’t be doing it again any time soon! 

It’s the perfect defense for your succulent. Surround your houseplant with more houseplants!

The above are our top 6 proven tips on how to keep cats away from succulents. They are all affordable and easy to test so why not give it a go at home and let us know what works for you! 

What succulents are poisonous to cats?

If you’re still a bit worried about whether or not you should have succulents around the home, then that’s totally fine! Pets are part of the family and you wouldn’t want any harm to come to them. We have listed a few succulents above that are totally safe for pets but of course, there are lots more than what we listed. 

If you are wondering what succulents are poisonous to cats, then here are a few toxic plants you should avoid:

 

• Adenium
• Agave
• Albuca
• Aloe
• Cactus
• Cotyledon
• Crassula (Jade)
• Euphorbia
• Kalanchoe
• Ledebouria
• Pachypodium
• Sansevieria
• Senecio

This list is not extensive but it gives you a good start on what succulents are toxic to cats. You should either avoid these houseplants or position them in a place where you are positive your pet won’t be able to get to. For example, if you don’t allow your pets in the bedroom, then you can start a fabulous succulent garden in there.

How to keep cats away from succulents concluded

We hope you have found this article helpful and you can now go away and try out some of these tips and tricks on how to keep cats away from succulents. To recap, the 6 tried and proven methods we have discussed are:

• Terrariums
• Sprays
• Coffee Grounds
• Wall Planters
• Cages
• Prickly Cactus

If you have any of your own methods that you use then leave a comment! We are always eager to learn new ways on how to keep cats away from succulents. Pets are a great addition to any household but so are succulents and you shouldn’t have to choose one over the other. 

If there is anything else you’d like to know regarding succulents and your pets, then leave a comment and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

At Succulent Care Guide, we aim to give you the best content and advice possible about all things succulent and cactus related. You can browse our related posts below or if you are in a hurry, read up on how fast do succulents grow?, 7 reasons why a jade plant is dropping leaves and why is my jade plant dying? 

If you notice your succulent turning purple, then here is why!