Designing a garden, we should take into consideration not only climate, humidity, amount of sun, style and functionality but also who’s gonna use the space. Besides you yourself, your family and your pets are going to show up there, and you should keep them all in mind, too, creating maximal comfort for everybody. Today’s roundup is dedicated to designing a garden for your little cuties, your adorable cats, here are the best ideas for you, cat dads and moms!
Choose Cat-Friendly Garden Plants
Like when designing any garden, aim for safe and enticing elements, positioned in cat-friendly arrangements to direct your audience’s attention. A too-neat garden won’t provide any cat-friendly places in which they can sit, hide or play. A dust or dirt patch is a good start, allowing your cat to indulge in a dust bath during warmer weather. Similarly, an area of lawn grass can provide a cool place to sit, and a safe surface to scratch.
Tall, trailing, and foliage plants will provide plenty of cover to satisfy a cat’s stalking instinct. Plants with overhanging leaves and branches may be kept in large pots, spaced apart to allow cats to thread a path between them. Maidenhair ferns, spider plants, areca palms and ponytail palms will create interesting movement and textures for a wandering cat.
Cat love higher spots for sleeping and observing to keep control, so an old bird bath will be a perfect one.
If you have a water feature, make a bridge over it to let your kitty check it out carefully.
Choose plants that are non-toxic for cats or keep toxic plants out of reach.
Make sure that all the plants you have at hand won't harm your lovely pet.
Prefer natural and non-harmful materials for hardscaping in a gardne where your cat will be.
Water sources are a must for cats, they should have some spots for drinking, and it can be an old bird bath.
If you don't have any water sources, place some usual bowls with fresh water.
Cats love hiding somewhere to stalk everything carefully, so make some non-polished spots for that.
Find out if your flowers are toxic or not and keep your cat away from them if they are.
Create some spots for your cat to hide, in greenery, blooms or some other spaces.
Create Cat Chill-Out Zones
Though cats are busy and playful, they relish spending their downtime in cozy, safe spaces. What’s safe for a cat may seem counter-intuitive for a human but here’s what you need to know. Higher is better. Or at least slightly higher than another cat might be. Rocks, tables, pedestals, statues, bird baths, stumps, and bollards can serve as platforms for cats to attain the above-ground altitudes they prefer. Ropes and ladders would be a welcome addition to trees, giving otherwise stranded cats a way to get back down. A cat tree or two are also a great idea that your fluffs will love.
Rocky nooks and alcoves provide sturdy shelter for a cat in need of a hiding place. Cats prefer a nook that leaves them less open to a surprise attack or pouncing from overhead, so aim for a structure with height, depth, or ‘round the corner’ access from the entrance, allowing your cat to retreat as far from threat as possible. Where you can’t include an actual cave, clusters of shade plants, and small clearings between bushes will suffice.
Indoors, cats often place themselves in doorways, or in halls between rooms. This location offers maximum vantage of their surroundings. Outdoors, designate spaces where you cat may remain concealed from view while still keeping an eye on activity in the garden. Of course, you may not need to go to the trouble. Sometimes your cat may like just a chair, bench, or cardboard box left in the right spot.
Don’t forget to place some bowls with clean water to prevent dehydration, this is especially important during hot days.
Cats love their little secret garden spots, so avoid polished and manicured garden designs and let your fluffs hide.
Your cat will check out everything, so make sure it's safe for them everywhere.
A hidden spot in the plants is a great one to check out the territory and observe.
Your usual garden furniture may be nice for your cats to rest on.
Cats will reach a lot of spaces unlike dogs, so you won't hide anything from them.
A cat can sit on a garden bed edge to check everything and can check your plants in it, too.
A small bench like this one is a nice furniture piece for a cat to have a rest - it's high enough and there's enough space.
Cats love sitting high, so if you don't make such spots, they will found their own ones.
A gate can be also used by your cat to sit on, cat prefer staying higher.
An old bird bath can become a tall bed or a water bowl if you want.
Prepare Damage Control
Keep your veggie patch safe from heavy paws, pee, and poo by investing in a barrier, such as chicken wire, to fence off or cover your food growing zones. This will also keep out puckish mice, rabbits, moles, voles, and birds.
It may help to create secluded ‘dead zones’ around the garden where a cat can relieve itself and declare its territory. Bury a small amount of soiled litter at these sites as a scent marker and ensure adequate shelter and privacy so your cat feels safe.
Strong smells may be used to deter cats from areas of the yard. Fragrant plants like rosemary, lavender, rue, lemon verbena and lemon thyme can make areas less attractive. Likewise, fresh citrus peel may urge a cat toward the more amicable garden spaces.
If you keep a birdbath in your garden, ensure the vicinity is clear of foliage that might be used for sneaking cover. Bird feeders should be placed up high and away from platforms that may be used as feline access paths, perhaps with deterrent plants close by.
A special cat tree is always a good idea, your pets will be happy having high and safe spots that are comfortable for reaching.
One cat hiding under the table, the other one sleeping on the chair.
Make a cat bowl with water more garden-like surrounding it with pebbles, rocks and succulents or some non-harmful plants.
A garden bench is perfect for sleeping, place some pillows to make your kitty happy.
Consider if everything is safe - from plants and blooms to furniture and other stuff.
A large cat tree with suspended plants and a swing is a cool idea if you have several cats.
A large cat tree is a nice fit even for a small garden or patio, it will make your cats happy.
A rock can be used as a seat and observation spot by your cat, leave some for them and as part of the landscape.
Staying in the shade is natural for cats, so a shady garden will always be a nice space for them.
Build a simple cat tree that will match your outdoor design and make your kitties happy with it giving them both beds and observation spots.
Your usual furniture will be loved by cats, especially if it's not tall. So if you don't want a cat tree, just place usual furniture.
Tree stumps can be also loved by cats, they are soft and warm, natural and great for sleeping and not only.
Make your landscape interesting for your fluffy babies, they love checking out shady spaces with lots of greenery, foliage and other elements.
Leave some garden furniture here and there to let your cats have a rest peacefully.
An old bird house can be used by your cat to observe everything and hide there if needed. Decorate it with cat-friendly plants.
Cats love hiding in plants and blooms, be ready for your cats using your flower beds.
Leave some space between the plants when planting, otherwise your fluffy babe will lie on the plants.
Make sure you aren't growing dangerous and toxic plants.
If you have trees, be ready that your cat will climb them, make sure you can help them go down.
If you are growing catnip, make a cage, otherwise your fluffs will eat it for sure.
A cat checking the garden and controlling everything.
Gravel paths are ok as hardscaping if you have cats and dogs.
More natural pathway materials will be always loved by cats more and they will lie on such paths.