How to teach a cat to shit in a flowerpot

Remember that physical punishment is useless. They only provoke aggression, aggravating the situation. Also such a solution is fraught with problems of a psychological nature.

The cat poops in the flower pot – why does he do it and how to stop him?

Why does your cat treat pots with your favorite plants on an equal footing. litter tray?

It's not common knowledge that cats and plants present a complex problem – coexistence can sometimes be difficult, especially for plants. Many cats have a strong attraction to gardening, which usually ends up with bitten flowers and over-cultivated soil. Could it get any worse? Yes – one day you may find that your cat goes potty. with a flower.

Why does she do this?

This behavior may seem amusing – especially to outsiders – but it's actually a lot of trouble. Cat urine has a strong and quite unpleasant smell, and it is not good for the condition of the plant that is being "watered". Even worse is cleaning cat excrement out of the pot. On top of that, it makes a mess all around, as the cat digs up the soil and spreads it all over the apartment. Where in the cat's head does this idea come from? Why would a cat defecate in a flower pot when it has a litter box at its disposal?

First of all, it is not malice – such emotions are foreign to cats. Cat behavior is not random – there is always some motivation behind it. There may be several possible reasons:

A poorly cleaned litter box – Poop outside the "cat litter box" can be a signal that the litter box is in poor condition. If your cat finds that the litter box is dirty, he may look for another place to satisfy his physiological needs.

The litter box is too small or poorly placed – some cats avoid the litter box not because it is dirty, but because it just doesn't fit them. This may be because the litter box is too small, or the location of the litter box is unfortunate. The location of the litter box is important – for example, if the litter box is next to a frequently running washing machine, the cat may not want to go to it.

Rivalry with another cat in the house – urinating in the potty may be a form of territory marking. If there are several cats in the house, it is worth paying attention to their relationship with each other – there may be some friction between them.

Specific tastes – there are cats who prefer the softness of flower soil to the most expensive toilet litter.

If the cat won't pee in the potty

If a cat doesn't pee in the pot, but is constantly climbing into it and digging up the soil, it may be a manifestation of resentment against the owner. Or the pet is trying to get attention. If you play with him more often, pet him, show care – the cat can leave the flowerpots alone. Or put the flowers away, move them to an inaccessible place.

When the animal moves around the pots, climbs into them, but does not shit there, the reason may be stress. For example, a change of scenery, the appearance of a dog in the house, small children. The pet tries to hide from them in a quiet place. You can arrange a cot on the closet. There is a chance that the pet will leave the vases alone.

The cat sleeps in the potty

House cats are rarely allowed outdoors and sleeping in a potty is an opportunity for them to feel in harmony with nature. Also, pets like to snuggle up to plants and chew on leaves. Some are attracted to the smell of flowers. As an option – close the flowers with netting or film, fence with wooden mini-fence. As soon as the pet falls asleep in the pot – spray water on it.

Plan of measures to wean the cat from climbing into the flowerpot:

1. Pour special crystals on the ground. By swelling, the pellets are transformed into jelly. Watering and the plant are not affected by the crystals, but they scare away animals.
2. Cats like comfort, sleeping on soft earth. Therefore, you can pour pebbles (preferably sharp) into the pot. This will create discomfort for the pet, he will look for another place.
3. Cover the ground with cardboard. On top, pour ground pepper. The protection is removed only before watering.
4. The ground is covered with several layers of foil. The rustling will deter the cat.
5. If the flower is small – cover with a plastic lid from under the cake. Cut a hole in the top so that air can enter through it. If the plant is tall – the hole is made so that the trunk and leaves pass through it.
6. The ground is covered with paper with double sided tape glued to it. The pet's paws will stick, and it will try not to approach the "dangerous" place anymore.
7. Around the perimeter of the pot a fence is made of planks or plastic rods tied with string or glued with scotch tape. The structure is half-immersed in the ground.
8. Around the perimeter of the vase you can scatter pieces of garlic, onion, ginger.
9. Surround the plant with spicy herbs.
10. Sprinkle cotton pads with essential oils and spread on the ground.

Pets like to dig holes and get comfortable in them. This way they can control the territory around them. A simple method is to make a pile of toothpicks or sharp shells, pebbles.

Creating negative associations in the cat after going to the toilet in the flowers (psychological methods)

If you notice a kitten squatting in a pot to pee, spray water in its face from a spray bottle or lightly slap with a wet rag. It is important to do so at the very moment of action, so that the trouble is clearly associated with the bad action. Otherwise, it will be perceived as a demonstration of the owner's superiority and will discourage him from repeating nastiness:

Spoiling flowers as a defense of its territory, stress, illness or lack of attention, on the part of the cat is regarded by the owner simply as a bad habit. If you can get to the bottom of this strange behavior and wean the cat from shitting in the potty right away, you can avoid more serious problems in the future.

Toothpicks

To make the flower safer, you can place a toothpick in the soil underneath it with the sharp edge pointing upward. The distance between them should not be more than one and a half centimeters, so that a cat's paw cannot fit between the teeth.

Insert the toothpicks so that most of them stay on top and rise above the edges of the pot. Fill the entire surface of the soil under the plant in this way, leaving no empty spaces.

Every time the cat tries to climb into the flower container, it will prick its paws and soon give up its favorite spot. Particularly clever pets can pull out toothpicks with their teeth, freeing their favorite potty from obstacles. So periodically check and replenish the "prickly mat".

How to secure plants for the future

Unfortunately, you will have to do rescue measures for flowers more than once. There is a good chance that the cat will enjoy the new fun. Therefore, you should protect the plants from future attacks.

If cats try to use the flowerpot as a toilet, blunt-edged toothpicks stuck in the ground with the end up could be helpful. They won't harm the cat, but they might make it uncomfortable if they try to use the pot for purposes other than its intended use. Another option is to cover the pot with a cardboard circle with a hole cut in it for the flower.

To prevent cats from throwing flowers off the windowsill, you can make special borders along the area where the plants are. If, however, your flowers are subjected to regular nibbling, the cat is very likely lacking in vitamins. Or she needs more food to tune up some of her body processes. By providing your pet with a regular supply of grass, you'll keep your beloved plants from getting ruined. Grass can be purchased at a specialty store, or in the summer just picked up outside and washed.

Problem-solving methods

When the cat approaches the pots, say "ew" or "no", spraying water from a sprayer. This method is very effective, but requires a lot of time. Cats are less trainable than dogs. It is much easier to eliminate the cause of their increased love for plants or to go for a trick.

Discourage an unpleasant odor

Cats have a very sensitive sense of smell, so they are well repelled by pungent smells. Defog the soil surface, leaves, or pots with:

Renew the odor as soon as it disappears. In addition to the above, you can use special sprays available in pet stores.

Sharp or rustling objects.

Frequent digging of the soil can be prevented by protective nets and grids. In addition, decorate the soil with shells or stones. This will make it harder for the flower to spoil.

Cats are afraid of rustling and sticky objects, so cover the area with double-sided tape, foil or food film. Once a cat gets into a trap like this a few times, it will quickly lose interest.

For larger plants, any loud objects will do. Decorate the indoor tree with rattles and jars of buttons or grits. Each encroachment will be accompanied by a loud rattle and a swift escape of the intruder.

Some owners recommend using toothpicks. Although effective, they have a negative effect on the appearance of flower pots and can cause injury to the animal.

Replacing plants with cat grass

Never pluck grass near your home. Although logical and cheap, such a decision can lead to serious poisoning. Cities often struggle with rats, so particles of poisons get on the soil. If you bring such grass home, you could ruin your pet.

How do I keep my cat away from potted plants?

Covering the soil with large rocks

The easiest way is to use small stones in the soil. These can be smooth river stones or white desert flint stones.

Cats prefer to rest on the ground, so putting rocks on the ground makes it unattractive to your pet.

Stones make your potted plant attractive and also serve as mulch. They help retain moisture in the soil longer. And keep the soil temperature regulated.

This method will deter many cats from your flower pots, but there will still be some other cats who will poop on the rocks.

You may want to look at other methods that will work better for these cats.

Wrap wire mesh around the potted plant

Another good option is to cover the flowers in the pot with wire mesh. This acts like a cage and keeps animals away from your potted plants.

You need to work this kind of wire with pliers to wrap it around the entire plant because it is stiff.

If you have a large potted plant, one piece may not be enough. You may need to staple two pieces of wire mesh together. This is because you will have to wrap the wire mesh around the base of the potted plant rather than completely covering it.

Spray a cat repellent near the potted plant

If you don't want to cover the plant in the pot with wire mesh or the soil with rocks, you have the option of using cat repellent. You can buy it in a store or make a natural one yourself.

You can use essential oils like lavender, peppermint or lemongrass essential oils to make such a cat repellent. Or you can use something like apple cider vinegar.

The idea behind using cat repellent is that the cat's scent is suppressed, so they won't go near the area treated with it.

How can you train your cat not to shit on your flowers?

If you can train your cat to use a toilet tray, it will help prevent the problem of using your flower pots.

Make sure the litter tray is large and comfortable enough for your cat to use. You should use organic cat litter, sawdust or outside soil.

Clean up cat litter every day as soon as the cat has finished its business. And wash the litter every week with soapy water.

Keeping the litter box clean will encourage your cats to keep using it instead of reaching for your flowers.

Why does a cat go to the toilet in a flower pot

Flowers and cats in the home often have quite a complicated relationship. At times it happens that the owner has to get creative and figure out where to put the pot with the plant, so that the harmful fluffy tail doesn't get to it.

Nibbling on leaves and digging in the ground – this is a favorite activity of the house cat. And he sincerely believes that that is why the master brought home this bush. If the plant is big and has a thick stem (such as a palm tree), you can also sharpen the claws on the trunk. What? It's not a scratching post? Then what is this flower here for? Ahhhh, that's right, it's the new natural litter box)

Specifically, why the kitty decides to use a flower pot as her own litter box.

It seems that the owner has made sure that the pet has his own toilet. But no, he was not looking for easy ways and climbs on the window sill, twisting and suffering the inconvenience, goes to the toilet where it is not necessary.

But such "fertilizer" can not only be harmful to the indoor plant, but the unpleasant smell will not be long in coming.

The reason for such behavior may be that the cat does not like its litter box. Maybe it is in an uncomfortable place, or maybe there is no litter, which you want to dig with your paws. Or, on the contrary, there is a filler, but it does not suit the kitty, has a pungent aroma, sticks to her paws, etc. But the ground and digs well and has no smell.

In addition, the desire to use a flower pot as a toilet may be due to the animal's natural instincts. In the wild, the cat mostly digs a hole in the ground and then carefully buries everything. Here, too, you get a little piece of nature. And the larger the size of the pot, the more temptation for the domestic kitty.

Another reason for this may be that purr-fly not accustomed to the potty, she does not perceive it as the only place where you have to do all your important work. So if possible, she practiced other containers, corners and places that she considers suitable for toilet activities.

Why does the cat climb into the flowerpot

The pet shows interest in vases with houseplants for several reasons. If the pet has started digging into the flowers and shitting in the pots, you should not scold him, but figure out why he is doing it. A cat can climb into plant pots due to vitamin deficiencies, attention deficits, and an uncomfortable litter box to go to the bathroom.

Vitamin and mineral deficiencies

If a cat not only digs the ground in flower pots, but also chews the stems and leaves of plants, he lacks useful micronutrients. Unlike their backyard counterparts, pets aren't allowed to eat grass, so they're often deficient in sodium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and folic acid.

With progressive avitaminosis, the cat begins to eat not only flowers, but also the ground. And this can provoke severe poisoning, accompanied by diarrhea and vomiting.

Any vegetation is an excellent source of fiber, necessary for normal digestion and artificial vomiting. In addition to hairballs in the cat's stomach, gastrointestinal diseases and helminthiasis can be a concern.

Dissatisfaction with the cleanliness of the litter box

If a cat poops in flowers, the reason may lie in untimely cleaning of the litter box, repulsive smell of the litter, inappropriate location or configuration of the pot.

Important: If a cat suddenly starts pooping in a flower pot, it is possible that he has a health problem. With painful urination, he associates the tray and the place in which it stands with an unpleasant sensation. Therefore, the cat begins to shit all over the house, including vases.

A way of attracting attention

Sometimes a cat will go through the flowerpots and shit in them to get revenge for an offense or to get the owners attention. And she realizes that digging in the ground is bad, but deliberately continues to do so.

How to teach a cat to crawl into a flowerpot

The habit of digging in flower pots not only annoys the owners, but can also be dangerous for the cats themselves. In the process, the pet may chew on poisonous plants such as decembrist, geraniums, amaranth, ivy, cyclamen, diffenbahia and azalea.

Often even a small leaf can cause serious poisoning, accompanied by poisoning:

If the pet is not treated promptly, it can die. Therefore, it is important to permanently wean the cat from climbing into flowers.

Educational measures

To wean a cat from digging flowers is easy with a simple but effective method. As soon as the pet heads to the vase, it should be sprayed with water from a spray gun, strictly saying "No!" or "Ew!"

It is possible to divert the cat's attention by clapping your hands loudly or by touching its back. It is possible that the cat will not immediately guess what is required of him. But after several attempts to divert his attention away from the flowerpot he will catch the cause-and-effect relationship between approaching the pots and the punishment.

Important! You must wean your kitten from shitting in flower pots right away. Otherwise, the pet will get used to climbing into the pots and it will be much harder to wean it. The cat will simply not understand why he is forbidden something that was not forbidden before.

Restrict access to flowers

Cats are very fond of sunbathing and watching from the window. Flowers standing on the windowsill often interfere with this process. So that the pet does not have the desire to throw the vases, it is better to remove them to another place.

If there is no table or nightstand near the windowsill on which pots with flowers would fit, it is better to make hanging planters for them. Then the cat will not be tempted to scratch the furniture or damage the drapes and reach for them.

How to teach the cat to shit in a wrong place

If the cat has stopped going to the litter box you have to wean it off shitting in every corner as soon as possible. Otherwise the whole house will soon be impregnated with a pungent smell of cat excrement. And in order to get the desired result quickly, methods of influencing the pet should be chosen based on the causes of its behavior.

Change the litter box or litter box

If the cat began to poop wherever, perhaps she has complaints about the configuration or size of the litter tray. In this case the potty will have to be replaced with another model. Many owners forget that kittens grow up quickly and no longer fit in the old tray. In this case, the cat begins to pee in the wrong place, and the problem can only be solved by selecting a pot of the right size.

Also, when buying a toilet for the pet, you need to pay attention to the height of the sides of the model you like.

For kittens and older individuals, boxes with too high walls are not suitable, and adult large cats need deeper trays. Important: When buying a litter box, you should pay attention to the quality of materials from which it is made. In order for the cat not to shit in the wrong place and go to the potty properly, it must be made of expensive raw materials. Products made of low-quality plastic have a pungent smell that scares animals away.

To teach the cat to crap in the wrong place, it is necessary to pick up the appropriate filler. If instead of the usual lumpy option in the tray poured wood or mineral granules, the animal may refuse to use the tray. In this case, to teach him to crap in the corners you can simply return the old filler.

How to treat the place where the cat pooped, so that it will not poop again

You can teach the cat to poop wherever you can with the help of folk remedies and factory-made repellent sprays.

Folk remedies

To discourage the cat from shitting in a wrong place will help simple, but time-tested methods:

1. If the cat pooped in the flower pot, you can teach it to do it again with the help of toothpicks. They are poked densely into the ground so that the cat has nowhere to step. This method will help to permanently discourage the cat from shitting in the wrong place, but it is quite traumatic. It is much more humane to protect pots with double sided tape or homemade overlays cut from cardboard or other materials.
2. If the cat poops on the carpet or bed, you can make it stop defecating in the wrong place with water. If you notice that the cat is going to pee, spray it with a sprayer. Usually, to teach the cat to poop in the wrong place will be enough for 2-3 such lessons.
3. At each attempt to pee where you can clap your hands loudly. The loud sound will scare the cat away and help you quickly get him accustomed to order.
4. You can easily teach your kitten to crap in the wrong place by placing foil in the corners of your home. The baby is unlikely to like the rustling material and will stop defecating wherever it goes.
5. You can teach the cat to crap in the corner by putting garlic, citrus peels, burnt paper, hot pepper or mustard on the spot.
6. You can get rid of cat stench from furniture and furnishings by washing them with hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol or iodine. Expert Tip. Bite and bleach are not suitable for weaning a cat from shitting wherever it goes. Not only are these substances dangerous to the pets' health, but they also increase the smell of their urine. If you wash the corner where the cat used to shit with bleach or vinegar, it will attract the cat even more.

Industrial remedies

Chemical products known as "antigadins" can be used to wean a cat from shitting in the wrong place. These are sprays and contain disinfectants to help remove the smell of urine.