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Grandma in glasses and a green vest plants a tomato seedling as a grey Scottish Fold digs a hole in the soil next to her. 8 / 27

Ruth Dug One Neat Hole for Her Tomato. Pebble Dug Another One.

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Ruth kneels in the dark garden soil, glasses on, carefully settling a young tomato plant into its new home. Her green quilted vest is streaked with dirt and her jeans are dusty at the knees. Right beside her, Pebble has decided to help in the only way he knows. The grey Scottish Fold has both front paws deep in a fresh hole, flinging soil with great enthusiasm and very little regard for planning. A watering can, a trowel, and an overturned clay pot sit nearby, and bamboo stakes rise along the raised beds behind them.

Cats dig in soft garden soil for a few reasons. Loose dirt feels a lot like a litter box, and digging is also a natural way to explore and mark territory. That can be a problem for freshly planted beds, and there are a couple of health points to keep in mind too. Tomato leaves and stems contain compounds that can upset a cat's stomach if chewed, and garden fertilizers or pest products may be harmful. Gardeners often lay chicken wire or rough mulch over new beds and offer a designated digging patch elsewhere. Wearing gloves while gardening is also a good habit in areas cats use.

Ruth's tomatoes will survive, and Pebble's hole may even turn out useful for the next seedling. Some garden helpers just work faster than they think.

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