7 Tips for Creating a Pet-Friendly Yard

Your yard and garden are great places to hang out, play, and have parties. They are, however, not without risk to your pets. We have a responsibility as owners to ensure the security of all areas frequented by our pets, including the outside ones. Insecticides, weed killers, and pet-toxic plants are just a few of the hazards that cause cats and other animal companions to see emergency veterinarians each year. So, here are some tips for creating a pet-friendly yard!

Pet-friendly yards keep poisonous plants away!

Several common plants, such as lilies, bluebells, foxgloves, hydrangeas, yew trees, rhododendrons, cyclamen, and wisteria, are toxic to pets. You can find a complete and detailed list of all the plants, both evergreen and bulbous, that are toxic to cats online. Even if you have pets, you may still have a beautiful flower garden with pet-friendly plants like lavender, honeysuckle, snapdragons, Michaelmas daisies, camellias, sunflowers, forget-me-nots, nasturtiums, cornflowers, hollyhocks, violets, pansies, petunias, and impatiens. Cats love catnip and catmint plants and may choose to lay there during the day. However, their effects might become too much for your furry companion. So, make sure you keep your pet in sight while they frolic and play in your yard.

Provide shade for pets

Creating a pet-friendly yard means providing plenty of cool shade and clean water for your pets to drink during the hot summer months. You should have shady places with sufficient ventilation, so trees and tarps are usually a good option. Outdoor pet houses and other small, enclosed spaces can add to the problem of overheating by trapping heat.

If you live somewhere hot during the summer, consider getting a splash pool or installing a sprinkler system for your pets. Contrary to the stereotype, cats need a lot of water! Provide regular access to clean water for them. Keep their water dish clean and use a non-slip rubber mat to prevent spills.

Fence off the flowerbed

If you’re worried about your pet digging up the dirt surrounding your plants, why not consider fencing off the flower bed? This is one of the most important tips for creating a pet-friendly yard. With the wide variety of patterns and colors available, you can give your flowerbed a really one-of-a-kind appearance while also keeping your cats out of it. Also, use some cat-friendly plants to start a flower garden in a new home. That way, even if your kitties succeed in jumping over the fence, they won’t be in danger! Your pets might try to dig under a fence, so it’s important to bury its foundation. If you do it right, your flowers and plants will be safe, but so will your pets!

Put compost away from pets

Keep your compost pile far from any roaming scavenging pets since grapes, raisins, avocados, and onions may all be poisonous to animals. We all know that cats have weird food habits, so imagine what they can find to munch on around the yard! Food trash recycling bins are also a bit dangerous, as the rapid growth of toxic mold in these hermetically sealed plastic containers poses a serious health risk to pets eating foods like bread, cheese, and pasta. When disposing of barbecue leftovers, keep in mind that your pet may be harmed by the sharp splinters or broken bones left behind.

Keep the pesticides away

There is no way for a dog or cat to survive if they ingest an insecticide—store insecticides away from the reach of children and pets at all times. Make sure to read the manufacturer’s label carefully for safe usage and storage. We may need to use fertilizer, herbicides, granules, sprays, and pesticide baits to maintain our yards in excellent shape, but these products include chemicals that are harmful to our children and pets.

The most lethal types of pesticides are metaldehyde-containing snail bait, desisting- and disulfoton-based systemic insecticides, methomyl-containing fly bait, zinc phosphide-containing mole and gopher bait, and most rat poisons. If you must use chemicals, keep your pets out of the area until they have dispersed. If possible, choose pet-friendly choices and always read and follow the package’s guidelines for using them around pets.

Keep the shed closed

Pets are naturally curious and will investigate every new location they come across, but a shed is not the place you want them to be sniffing about because of all the dangerous tools and chemicals that may be stored there. Summerhouses and conservatories can become like furnaces on a hot day, so make sure your pet isn’t inside before closing the door.

Also, you should correctly store all garden equipment in a safe spot like the shed, not leave them lying on the ground. They may seem like no big concern, but rakes, tillers, hoes, and trowels can be harmful to pets and children. If your pet gets hurt by a rusty or sharp object, it could get tetanus if they puncture its skin. This includes their eyes, paws, or noses.

Reduce the risk of fleas

Tall grass and shrubs provide ideal hiding places for fleas and ticks, so keeping your lawn mowed and trimmed is crucial. This is because a flea infestation can cause serious complications for your furry friends. To keep your cats healthy, make sure you take care of the grass in your yard.

Fleas on dogs and cats can lead to itching, hair loss, tapeworms, scabs, hot spots, and anemia due to excessive blood loss. Ticks may transmit illnesses, including Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease, and Babesiosis, which can have comparable effects.

Final words

You want your yard to serve its purpose and look well, but you also want your pets to feel safe and enjoy playing in it. Pets have natural, often required habits like digging, running, and exploring, but these actions aren’t necessarily great for your yard or your pets. That’s why creating a pet-friendly yard is extremely important. We hope our guide has helped you get an idea of how to go about it. Good luck, and always remember to keep your pet’s safety a priority.