May 17, 2025, 12:55 pm | Read time: 4 minutes
Soaking up the sun, hunting, climbing—for many cats, the garden is a true paradise. However, pet owners who allow their cats to roam freely should be aware of certain dangers. How can a garden be designed to ensure cats can play safely and happily outside? The answers reveal: Safety starts with the details.
Outdoor access enriches cats’ lives but poses risks such as traffic, poisonous plants, and garden tools. A well-secured garden can be an ideal compromise. Experts warn about underestimated dangers lurking in gardens for cats and offer tips for cat-safe design.
Biggest Danger Comes from Cars
Grass under their paws, a sunny spot to lounge, and exciting climbing opportunities—many cats love being outdoors. But letting your cat roam freely exposes them to numerous risks. “The biggest danger for outdoor cats comes from cars,” warns Dr. Judith Förster, a biologist and pet expert at Four Paws, in a press release.
Extra caution is needed near busy roads. To minimize risk, the area must be completely cat-proof. Förster recommends fencing at least two meters high. Athletic animals may require even higher fences.
Ideally, a fence should have an inward-leaning top to make climbing over it difficult. For added security, you can cover the garden—similar to a balcony—with a net, depending on the size of the area.
Wild Animals and Fellow Cats
A cat-proof fence not only prevents your pet from escaping but also keeps out other cats or wild animals—except birds of prey. While wild animals like foxes generally don’t pose a threat to cats, injuries can occur if they clash. This is especially true for other cats. Depending on the cats’ gender and neutering status, territorial fights can occur, sometimes ending in bloodshed.
Dangerous Plants
Not all ornamental plants in the garden are suitable for cats. Some pose significant health risks. Nadia Wattad from the German Animal Welfare Association warns: “Ivy, yew, monkshood, angel’s trumpet, broom, and in spring crocuses, snowdrops, and tulips” are toxic to cats.
However, lilies (Lilium sp.) and daylilies (Hemerocallis sp.) are especially deadly for cats. They contain an unknown and very dangerous toxin for cats. The cat doesn’t even need to nibble on stems or flowers. Contact with pollen and licking it off their fur is enough to cause severe poisoning.1
In case of poisoning, cats show symptoms like excessive drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, and in severe cases, breathing difficulties, kidney failure, or seizures. “It depends on how much of the plant was ingested and which plant it is,” explains Wattad. The best precaution: don’t place toxic plants in the garden at all. Instead, she recommends non-toxic alternatives like lavender, valerian, lemon balm, catnip, or cat grass—these plants are not only safe but often popular with cats.
Open Water Areas
Water areas in the garden can also pose a threat to cats—especially if they don’t offer easy exits. “Cats avoid water but can swim in emergencies if they fall in,” explains Förster. Shallow shorelines help cats get out of garden ponds on their own. In pools, owners should install special exit aids.
Rain barrels must be secured with a solid lid—a simple net is not enough, as it can give way under the cat’s weight, causing them to fall in when trying to drink.
Dangerous Objects
Everyday garden tools or seemingly harmless objects are often underestimated. Sharp, pointed, or freely accessible tools, as well as large nets or strings, should be kept out of cats’ reach. Wattad warns: “Cats could get tangled and, in the worst case, be unable to free themselves and become strangled.”
Toxic Chemicals
Chemical agents like fertilizers, weed killers, or insecticides are also potentially dangerous. Wattad recommends avoiding them: “Organic fertilizers or bio-fertilizers are better suited for pet owners.” Poison bait for mice and rats should be avoided altogether—if a cat eats a poisoned animal, it can also suffer harm.
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Parasites
Outdoor cats face different health risks than indoor cats—even if it’s just in their own garden. While an indoor cat usually only needs protection against feline distemper and cat flu, outdoor cats should also be vaccinated against leukemia and FIP, as they might encounter other cats during their garden outings. It’s also advisable to regularly deworm your pet and protect them from ticks and fleas.2
With material from dpa