I just started an indoor herb garden over the weekend. My 1 year old black cat is on the prowl to dig it up. I have the seeds planted in small containers in a shallow plastic box container. It is not possible to shut the door, as they are in the only window facing south/west, and it's located in my son's room. Any suggestions about how to catproof? She's been known to pull the stopper out of the sink and loves to get as high as possible.:>

-- Lee Martin (martinceo@yahoo.com), January 01, 2002

Answers

I think someone once said something about cats hating citrus? Maybe you could put some peels around inside the box.

-- Diana (rock_hunter83@hotmail.com), January 01, 2002.

We've used moth balls to keep tomcats from spraying our basement windows and to keep our own cats out of houseplants.

-- Cindy in NY (cjpopeck@worldnet.att.net), January 01, 2002.

I used Black Pepper in my outside flowers to keep the cat next door from digging it up. DON'T use RED pepper it will hurt them.

-- Teresa (c3ranch@socket.net), January 01, 2002.

Cats ate my dwarf banana tree... I know the problem. On herbs, could you possibly get that mesh wire... with small holes, and make a tallish top to the box? It is hardware cloth or something like that, but I made a rack for my eggs in the incubator with it and it is really easy to cut with the wire cutter and sturdy once you mold it to whatever shape. It would be like a tough cage over the top, but you can cut and shape the thing. Our cat ate the tops of plants, shredded plants, etc. Our cat also liked to dig in plants, and tipped one over. Once it was tipped it used it instead of the cat box, so BEWARE! :o) Must have decided to make me mad.

-- notnow (notnow@blabla.com), January 04, 2002.

Be careful with using mothballs on things you eat--they are toxic. I've heard of putting plastic forks (you might use clear if it's too ugly for you) upside down in the dirt so they get poked if they get into the box.

-- Ann Markson (tngreenacres@hotmail.com), January 04, 2002.

A friend of mine has a very unusual garden as she has found all kinds of unique pokey things from old silverware to odd bits of wire to pretty chopsticks and stuck them amongst her beds specifically to deter cats.

-- Shannon (bramblescratched@yahoo.com), January 06, 2002.