To save your plants, give cats their own

Q: We have two cats, and I need some suggestions on how to get them to leave the houseplants alone.

A: Give your cats their own plants and make yours harder to get to. That way you can both be happy.

For your cat's chewing pleasure, always keep a pot of tender grass seedlings - rye, alfalfa and wheat - growing in a sunny spot. Parsley and thyme are herbs that many cats enjoy smelling and chewing, and both can be grown indoors. Catnip is a natural, but the herb is so appealing to some cats that they just won't leave it alone. Keep seedlings out of reach of your pet, or the plant may never get a chance to reach maturity. Once you have a mature plant, snip off pieces to give your cat, stuff into toys or rub on cat trees.

When your cat has its own plants, you can work on keeping him away from yours. Put plants up high or, better yet, hang them. For the plants you can't move out of harm's way, make them less appealing by coating leaves with something your cat finds disagreeable. Cat-discouragers include Bitter Apple, a nasty-tasting substance available at any pet-supply store, or Tabasco sauce.

Remember that some houseplants, especially lilies, are toxic to cats. Check the list provided by the Animal Poison Control Center (ASPCA.org/APCC) and re-home any plants that are dangerous to your pets.

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