Landscape and Urban Design Issue 45 2020 | Page 17

GARDEN DESIGN
• For dogs who love digging, adding
a sandpit gives them space to
have fun without destroying the
flowerbed. Make sure you stay
with them and teach them the
rules.
• Practise training – such as sit, stay,
leave and recall – in your garden.
The outdoor sights, scents and
sounds can be a distraction, but
will help to achieve the same
good behaviour whilst out in
public.
• Some plants can be poisonous
to dogs, so particular care needs
to be taken when puppies
and young dogs are exploring
their environment as they are
inclined to taste and chew nearly
everything they come across. For
further details on toxic plants,
please visit Wood Green’s website.
CATS
Providing outdoor access will allow
your cat to express their natural
behaviours. These simple tips will
help you to create a wonderful
environment for them to enjoy all
year round.
• Place pots or shrubs directly
outside the door or cat flap. Cats
like to have a bolthole nearby so
if they see or hear something that
worries them, they can run for
cover.
• Cats generally feel safer when
surveying their territory from up
high. Provide your cat with logs,
posts and perching platforms,
or trees with open growth, to
offer climbing and scratching
opportunities. Your cat will use
these to condition their claws,
exercise and mark their territory.
• Cats love to sunbathe, so make
sure they have some sunspots
to relax in. By also giving them
places to hide, your cat will have
the option to seek shelter from
the rain or midday sun.
• Consider your choice of plants.
Catnip, catmint and cat grass will
keep cats entertained, as well as
plants like Buddleia that attract
butterflies and other insects that
cats can watch and chase.
• To encourage your cat to toilet
outside, create a designated area
with loose non-toxic sand. Ideally,
it should be partially sheltered
to make it appealing to use in all
weathers.
• If you typically prefer to keep
your cat indoors, could you
build an enclosed garden or
‘catio’? Cats love being outside
so this will allow them to express
their natural behaviours, whilst
offering you peace of mind. Stepby-step
guidance is available on
Wood Green’s website.
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