---
title: "Hi! I just bought a fern, and I need tips on how to keep my cat from…"
description: "Hi! I just bought a fern, and I need tips on how to keep my cat from eating the leaves. So far I’ve just been squirting her with a water bottle every time she…"
url: "https://getplanta.com/community/Ktw8B5CcTlSQqDurUu87ug/GBaiXTrFIQwL9kcBykUPt4"
community: "Pets and Plants"
author: "Rey0824"
published: "2025-04-16T19:49:22.769807Z"
language: "en"
image: "https://images.getplanta.com/v2/cloudinary/global_data/communities/txq3ypuciydmvlx30bvu.jpg"
---

[Community](https://getplanta.com/community.md) / [Pets and Plants](https://getplanta.com/community/Ktw8B5CcTlSQqDurUu87ug.md)

# Hi! I just bought a fern, and I need tips on how to keep my cat from…

_Posted by Rey0824 on 2025-04-16_

Hi! I just bought a fern, and I need tips on how to keep my cat from eating the leaves. So far I’ve just been squirting her with a water bottle every time she tries. I feel like I need something to keep her away from the plant.

## 17 comments

### Alex 🌿 commented on 2025-04-16

There’s pet repellent sprays for furniture, maybe you could find one that is plant safe?

#### Rey0824 replied on 2025-04-16

Thank you!

### Alex 🌿 commented on 2025-04-16

Other than that, cat safe plants

### Squirrelywhirl commented on 2025-04-16

Ferns like high humidity, so you could try a terrarium if you have one. When I had cats I had to do a lot of hanging plants

### MattL commented on 2025-04-17

With cats, I think the key is cat grass. Give them a plant they're allowed to eat, and put it somewhere else, and reward them when they eat that rather than punishing them when they eat the plants they're not supposed to.

#### Rey0824 replied on 2025-04-17

I might try that. I’m worried that if I reward her for eating the grass she’ll think it’s okay to eat the fern too.

#### MattL replied on 2025-04-17

You'd think that, but apparently not. Still YMMV.

#### Miel y limón 🍯🍋‍🟩 replied on 2025-04-17

I’m having the same problem and about to try this solution. Hopefully it works for us both

#### MattL replied on 2025-04-18

Come back and report if it works for you as well!

#### Miel y limón 🍯🍋‍🟩 replied on 2025-05-05

Update: working well for the most part! The nibbles I’ve seen on other plants have decreased but still happen occasionally. They mowed down the small pot of cat grass I got like a lawnmower lol. I’m going to get another small pot of cat grass and might occasionally put out catmint to keep their attention away from the other plants.

_2 more replies in the app_

### Black Cat Lover commented on 2025-04-18

I would hang the fern out of the kitty's reach.

#### Rey0824 replied on 2025-04-18

I would do that but I’m currently living in a dorm. I’m not allowed to nail anything into the wall and it’s too heavy to hang with command strips. Also love the username!! I’ve got a black cat named Beans!

### Rhus commented on 2025-04-26

I have a small table, like nightstand-sized but taller, that is totally crowded with plants and placed away from other furniture. My plant-obsessed little furballs can't figure out how to get up onto it, so they've stopped trying. I did also put cat grass in a reachable place just a few feet away. It's one option if you're not allowed to hang shelves!

#### Rey0824 replied on 2025-04-26

Thank you!!! I’ve got cat grass out for her now but I’ll try the nightstand too!

### Shivvy commented on 2025-05-01

They sell some bitter spray that my cats don’t like. You could try that

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