Cat Pooping in House Plants

Does ammonia work for cats urinating and pooping in house plants?

By April from Dallas, TX

Answers:

Cat Pooping in House Plants

I would not put ammonia on the soil of house plants. I had a cat that did the same thing and here is what worked for us.

If you can re-pot the plants, do so. If this is not feasible, take off as much of the potting mixture as you can and replace with fresh mixture. We then used regular pine cones and placed around the plants. My cat did not like them at all and you can water right over them. (11/26/2009)

By Diane

Cat Pooping in House Plants

Save the mesh bags that onions come in and crumple them up and place on the soil around the bottom of the plants. They don't like it because the mesh gets caught in their claws. You may have a mess the first couple of times that they jump in, but they will not go back. (11/26/2009)

By LEONA LABINE

Cat Pooping in House Plants

You do not even want to use ammonia for cleaning urine or poop spots on carpet, floors, comforters, etc. Cats are attracted to it because it's an odor similar to their urine and makes them think that's where they should go potty. (11/26/2009)

By Deeli

Cat Pooping in House Plants

I put coffee grounds, about an inch deep, on top of the soil. The pine cones can go right on top of it. Great idea. Now they don't use my plants as a bathroom. They just eat them! So I hung them all from the ceiling; the plants, not the cats! (11/26/2009)

By Dena Roberts

Cat Pooping in House Plants

I used to have this problem. I took large decorative rocks and spread them around the top of the soil. The cats can't move them to dig and then they leave it alone. You could take a small amount of potting soil and spread it on their litter box. They will like it. (11/26/2009)

By christine M. Thayer

Cat Pooping in House Plants

Ammonia may actually make them think that is the right place to go. I've read on Thriftyfun that orange rinds will keep them out. I used to put wire mesh across the top of my large plants. You can cut it to fit around the plant and it's pliable so that you can fit it down around the top of the pot. (11/27/2009)

By Beth

Cat Pooping in House Plants

Maybe he does not like your brand of cat litter? Try to find some that is more like plant dirt. Good luck. If this fails, I would call the vet as maybe there are health issues? (11/28/2009)

By Sandi

Cat Pooping in House Plants

Cats do not like the smell of citrus, so you could put orange rinds on the soil. Or bend the peels with the outside facing the soil, it will spray out the smell of the fruit. Go to the local dollar store, buy the small jars of citrus air freshener, poke a couple of holes in the top, set 1 in each pot. In a month or 2 you will still be able to use the jars elsewhere in your home, and the cats will leave the plants alone. I have 3 cats. It worked with them. One of them was wild when she came here to live. She didn't know what "no,no" meant. But she leaves the plants alone. (11/29/2009)

By mrs joe

Cat Pooping in House Plants

Sorry but I have to ask you; how clean is the box? Ours is cleaned twice a day (in the morning and again at night). Cats do not like a dirty box at all and are picky about some of the litters that they are expected to relieve themselves in several times a day. (11/30/2009)

By Paula Jo C.