Paws off! DIYs to keep your plants & furniture cat-free
Half-eaten plants and clawed furniture are not the most stylish additions to your decor. Steven's got a few solutions to help keep your cats away from your plants and your furniture! First up, a simple, eco-friendly spray to keep your plants and your cat safe.
DIY cat repellant spray
What you'll need:
- Mist bottle
- Essential oils
- Funnel to fit into bottle
- Water
Directions:
1. Mix together 3/4 parts water with 15 drops of each essential oil. Cats dislike eucalyptus, lavender, lemongrass, and peppermint – just choose the ones you don't mind the scent of yourself.
2. Shake the bottle up and spray the solution on the leaves of your plant and into the soil.
3. You can spray your plants pretty liberally, and you can add more or less oil depending on what works for you and your cats.
DIY cat scratcher
Now that we've saved your plants, we're going to save your furniture with a DIY cat scratcher that looks like art!
What you'll need:
- Birch art panel 10x10
- Heavy duty Velcro
- Carpet pieces – available at Allan Rug Co.
- Utility knife or heavy duty scissors
Directions:
1. Cut carpet pieces into decorative pattern as desired.
2. Attach Velcro (hook & loop tape) to the back of the carpet pieces.
3. With the flat panel against the wall, screw the birch panel into the wall using wall anchors & screws.
4. Peel off backing from Velcro and adhere to the inset section of your panel. Once the carpet piece has been destroyed by the cat's nails, remove the old piece and replace with a new one.
5. Add catnip to the carpet to entice your cat to scratch it!