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Lots of homeowners add to the attractiveness of their homes with houseplants. Are those plants safe from your cat? A cat can reduce a houseplant to useless shreds in a matter of minutes. Bad Kitty! But wait before you spank.

First, you must decide what caused your cat to attack the plant. Cats will attack plants for two main reasons. First, cats need greens for a balanced diet. Your cat may feel that he needs to eat your plants if he hasn't had sufficient vegetables lately. Cats can eat grass if you let them out on a regular basis, thus sparing your plants. Eating grass will also help to remove fur balls that can catch in his throat. If you cannot let your cat outside, then grow some special cat grass in a pot and allow him free access to it. Most large pet stores sell cat grass seeds.

Second, cats sometimes attack plants because when their leaves rustle in the breeze, they think the plant is an enemy. Cats in the wild attack enemies by instinct. To prevent this problem, put the plant somewhere away from breezes where the cat cannot see it. Maybe all you need to do is put the plant on a low table or move it to a higher shelf.

If your cat enjoyed attacking your plant, he may make a habit of it. This may require you to either keep your cat in rooms without plants, or it may require you to move all of your plants out of the house. If a cat is bored because of lack of attention, attacking a plant may be just a ploy to get attention. So don't let your cat go too long without knowing that it is loved and cared for. Your cat needs to have toys to play with. They need not be expensive store-bought toys; homemade ones are easy to make and easily renewable.

Tie a piece of crumpled paper to a string and hang it just above floor level. Hang it from a chair rung or cabinet door. Cats like to stalk such dangling objects and attack them. Another good cat toy is a small light ball, which your cat will love chasing all over the floor. With plenty else to interest him, he should soon forget about your indoor plants.