As with other wildlife, cats prefer an environment which has not been perfectly manicured rather than one which has been meticulously landscaped. Furthermore, they love eating plants which are safe for them.
Cats often feel vulnerable when venturing out into an open space for the first time, so it is vitally important that they have somewhere safe to hide as soon as they set foot outside and assess any possible threats in the form of hedges and shrubbery planting.
Fencing
Cats often patrol outdoor spaces and mark them with urine, so creating a physical boundary around a garden with high fencing may help keep community cats within its borders (provided there are no harmful plants like philodendrons, lilies or begonias present).
By providing them with places they can hide, we can increase their sense of safety and comfort levels. Tall shrubs, plant pots, urns or even chairs may offer good shelter from prying eyes.
Scratching is an integral component of a cat’s enrichment; they use it to stretch, sharpen their claws, leave their own scent behind and express emotions. Create surfaces they can scratch on such as scratching posts or cardboard pieces to provide them with ample opportunities to scratch. Cats also like digging and rolling in dirt as part of grooming themselves!
Places to Hide
Cats often feel insecure and unsafe in open environments, so having hiding spaces such as cat thyme, catmint, and lemon grass in their garden is essential to ensure they feel secure and safe. Hedgerows provide further cover.
Some common landscaping plants can be harmful to cats, making their garden an unsafe space. Such plants include ivy, azaleas, hollies, hydrangea shrubs and many lilies – to name just a few!
Outdoor enrichment for cats is an effective way to keep them mentally stimulated, physically active, and content. Scratching posts provide entertainment stops while keeping nails short and healthy – and help decrease indoor cat furniture needs as a result!
Places to Climb
Cats love climbing trees or bushes and using climbing structures gives them a place to explore their environment while helping keep their nails trimmed. Scratching posts, available both online and at pet stores, also allow cats to stretch out their nails, mark their territory, and express themselves emotionally.
Cats also enjoy resting high up and can often be found sunbathing on ledges or furniture such as tables. By providing high spots in your garden for them to use as sunbath spots and hideaway places from wind and rain, they will find shelter.
Cats often enjoy nibbling at fish swimming around in a pond or fountain, and watching them swim. Another simple way to provide outdoor enrichment for cats is allowing them to roll around in dirt, sand or mulch patches where they can roll and dig for themselves.
Places to Scratch
Cats love scratching surfaces like chairs’ arms or your pricy leather handbag, so providing scratching posts throughout your landscape will provide them with mini entertainment stops while safeguarding plants and furnishings.
Many cats enjoy nibbling at grasses and weeds, such as catmint and yarrow, making an addition to any garden an attractive feature. Some grasses, however, such as oat, wheat berry and barley grass seeds are toxic to cats so research must be completed prior to planting any.
Water is another key aspect of making your garden cat-friendly, and providing safe drinking water sources for them is essential. Cats tend to prefer small puddles over fountains or ponds as it contains harmful chemicals which could endanger their health.
Places to Dig
Cats love to dig, so providing areas where they can do this naturally will provide them with an enrichment experience and natural grooming process. Even just a small bed of soil or straw may do just the trick!
As not all plants are safe for cats, it’s wise to keep some flowers and vegetables behind closed fences or consult the ASPCA’s list of toxic plants to make sure your garden doesn’t contain anything harmful for felines.
Crafting a cat-friendly garden can be an engaging DIY task, but you might benefit from consulting with a lawn care expert who can offer unexpected ideas. Additionally, their expertise will help ensure a healthier lawn and garden, with reduced fleas, ticks and other pests which could annoy your feline friend.https://www.youtube.com/embed/6yCORh-OcXo