Planting a cat friendly garden

I’ve read up a lot on the subject of plants that cats are fond of over the years and these are a few of the type of plants that crop up regularly,  because it’s always nice to know what will make your feline family member a little happier.

Spider plants – predominantly indoor, but can also be used in hanging baskets outside in UK summer time. Cats can nibble this plant with no negative impact, in fact, it’s believed to work as a relaxant to a lot of the feline species.

Cat grass/ Cocksfoot grass – this type of grass is actually what a cat uses to aid their digestion. It can be beneficial to both indoor and outdoor cats to have.

Catnip – I think most people that have cats sharing their home have heard of this one. Some cats are actually immune to the plant and it has no effect at all, but other cats react extremely strongly to a little bit of a nibble on it, or even just the smell of it.

Valerian – indigenous in the UK, valerian grows wild and can have an extremely strong odour.

Honeysuckle – this plant is becoming very popular with regards to being used in a dried capacity in cat toys.

Silvervine – this plant is also being used increasingly in cat toys. However, as an actual plant it is extremely difficult to source in the UK. When I eventually managed to source the plant with a view to planting it in my garden, I was met with a warning about how out of control it makes some cats. Due to the number of entire toms that visit my garden I decided it wasn’t worth risking, but if you’re in a position to control that aspect of your outdoor space, I don’t think the plant is at all harmful.

There are also plenty of well known herbs used in cooking that are safe for cats. It’s worth looking that up so you can make a cat friendly herb garden that’s a resource for your cooking forays too.

Happy planting!

Lazing on a sunny afternoon….around the catnip                                              plant