Happy Garden Sharing Tips for Dogs & Cats
Pets and gardens can sometimes clash, particularly when the owner is an avid gardener keen to preserve their plants. Both dogs and cats show natural behaviours like digging, and cats especially love freshly weeded or new soil patches as their toilet spots. Dogs may be less selective but often favour particular lawn areas for toileting or nibbling on plants. This comprehensive guide will help you create a stress-free space where you, your canine and feline friends, can all enjoy the garden together harmoniously.
Understanding Your Cats’ Toileting Habits
Cats are instinctively attracted to soft, freshly turned soil, making flower beds a popular outdoor toilet. While it can be challenging to deter them, safe natural deterrents like pepper, or lines of sliced citrus fruits, might help. However, the most effective strategy is often to create a dedicated toileting patch. Consider using a painted car tyre filled with a mixture of fine earth and your cat’s usual litter, adding some soiled indoor litter to encourage familiarity. Plant catnip near this area to make it appealing, as catnip thrives easily and attracts cats naturally. Providing both indoor and outdoor toileting spaces ensures your cat’s comfort and urinary health, reducing the risk of urinary tract issues.
Managing Dog Urine and Lawn Damage
Dog urine contains nitrogenous compounds that can scorch grass, causing unsightly lawn stains. Female dogs may cause more concentrated damage by urinating in one spot, whereas males tend to mark a wider area. Lawns already stressed by drought, heavy fertiliser use, or recent sowing are especially vulnerable. To protect your lawn, training your dog to use a designated area, such as a sandpit, is the best preventative measure. If accidents happen, immediately dilute the urine with plenty of water using a watering can. Certain lawn products can neutralise nitrogen in the soil, helping recovery, but do not alter your pet’s urine pH without veterinary advice, as this can harm their health.
Promoting Good Hygiene Standards
Keeping outdoor pet toileting areas clean is vital to prevent flies, odours, and infections. Fast removal of faeces and regular hosing of urine spots encourages pets to consistently use the designated areas. A hygienic outdoor toilet space also means a healthier environment for both your pets and your garden.
Designing a Pet-Friendly Garden: Tips for Sharing Your Space
- Designate Specific Areas for Pets: Create clear spaces where your dogs and cats can play, rest and toilet without risking your plants. Paths through longer grass and separate gravel or sand areas can help protect flower beds and lawns.
- Choose Safe, Tough Plants: Opt for resilient plants that tolerate pet activity and avoid toxic species. Consider native shrubs or ground covers like bugle (Ajuga) that provide barriers and are less attractive for nibbling.
- Use Physical Barriers: Install decorative fencing, edging or natural obstacles to keep pets away from delicate garden zones.
- Cat Accommodations: Include climbing structures and sheltered hideouts to meet cats’ natural behaviours and provide comfort.
- Balance Planting with Open Space: Mix dense planting to discourage unwanted pet visits and open lawns or safe surfaces for running and playing.
With thoughtful planning and compassionate training, your garden can become a welcoming haven for your canine and feline friends as well as a place of beauty for you to enjoy.
For those interested in finding a pet to share your garden with, ensure you choose from reputable breeders or shelters online. Responsible ownership ensures your new companion will thrive alongside your green spaces.
