My cat keeps destroying my flower spikes--help!

[The Orchid Boy]

Maybe make your bedroom off limits for the cat. I did that with my bedroom where I have my orchids under lights. He doesn't touch the actual plants but he love the bark, sphagnum, and other media that they're in. I keep the door shut and him out even if I'm in there and even if I'll only be gone for a few seconds. He likes to dig in it and chew it. One time he even used my cactus pot as a littler box and made a huge mess. I'm also very worried what he'll do when my Paph. sanderianum is in bloom.

[JerseyGirlBecky]

I would get a scat mat. small ones are not too expensive. They DO work.

[nenella]

I have always had cats and have never had this problem with any except once when a kitten decided to chomp on the end of a leaf as I was showing him a plant I had just brought home!
I really agree with what orchidsarefun has said. Your cat is probably bored and wants more attention. Seeing he likes going out I would try and take him out everyday as well as what's also been said several times Toys and Play. Cat grass is also very important.
Hope he stops chewing on your buds..he probably sees them puffing out and growing and is attracted to this.

[mattryan]

I'd say time to get rid of the cat....roflmaoo. Sorry couldn't resist. I haven't had that problem, but my little rescue minipin peed on 1 of my oncs and rotted a new growing pbulb...was very mad!!! So I put plexiglass in front of my orchids that were on the stand, now he can't pee on them anymore. Maybe you try that with your orchids. I think you can get them cut to size, then he can look, but can't touch. Goodluck!

Cheryl

[RebeccaBC]

I have 3 cats, two of them love to munch on my plants, they also love to knock them off the shelves they were sitting on.

I finally had enough when one knocked a phal off to get at a Den. kingianum s.kallima gave me and chewed off the tops of a couple canes.

I used Cayenne pepper, wet the leaves and dusted them with it, then I made a trail of it along the only way they could get up to the plants. It was a pain to clean up, but I had to deal with it until I could get a container to keep them in that would close so the cats couldn't get to them.

They then changed their game plan, and tried to attack in a coordinated strike whenever I would water them. I had to finally lock them in a bedroom whenever I would water.

So the pepper does work, but if you don't want to make a big mess, you might want to look into getting something to grow them in.

[Picotee]

Kitty may be in need of cat grass/oats that you can buy at most pet stores. They are said to help with digestion. I was tired of losing my buds to various chewing pests and I have found that wrapping the inflorescence in netting (carefully so the buds don't become trapped in the weave as they open ) saves my buds. Netted scrubbies for the shower work very well. Just cut them apart and make a sleeve, tie at one end, slip it over the buds and stem, then tie it at the bottom. Sorry I don't have a picture for you but these have saved many an inflorescence for me and kitty may hopefully not like the feel of the netting and leave your buds alone.

[rosslyn1037]

Hi, oh I have a bad boy, a cat, like that, too. He has bitten off new growth/flowers on my plants such as African violets, and a sort of palm tree plant with sharp, pointy foliage. I also live in a condo with limited places to put my orchids. So when I purchased orchids, I knew that I would have to keep these out of his reach. Since my widows all face north, I needed to place my 3 orchids right in front of the living room windows so that they can get as much natural light as possible. To keep my bad boy from doing what your cat does, I had to put them up where he cannot reach, about 3 feet from the floor on a table. So, you can do something like that, put them up higher, but not next to any other furniture which would allow him access. I would be upset too, if I lost new buds, since it takes so long to get a spike to come up.

[Paddle_grl]

My solution was to buy an inexpensive short squatty curio cabinet from Craigslist for $50 (not the tall corner ones) Got some inexpensive fluorescent lights, drilled some holes in strategic places for the cords...and wala! Kitty can't eat the flowers anymore! (oh, and get the kind with glass shelves that move....very important when they spike!)
Here's a picture......of course, most of my orchids are on a shelf in my kitchen window now.....more room for more plants! It was mainly a solution to having no windows in my house that grow anything...and kitty eating prevention!

[orchidsarefun]

where there's a will there's a way....
....unfortunately that applies to kitty too, so be prepared for him to do something else irritating to get your attention ! It may take him a while, but he will get there.

[rosslyn1037]

Originally Posted by Paddle_grl

My solution was to buy an inexpensive short squatty curio cabinet from Craigslist for $50 (not the tall corner ones) Got some inexpensive fluorescent lights, drilled some holes in strategic places for the cords...and wala! Kitty can't eat the flowers anymore! (oh, and get the kind with glass shelves that move....very important when they spike!)
Here's a picture......of course, most of my orchids are on a shelf in my kitchen window now.....more room for more plants! It was mainly a solution to having no windows in my house that grow anything...and kitty eating prevention!

$50?? What a steal! That is exactly what I need. Did it come with the lights too? A curio cabinet is what it is called? I should look on Craig's List too, or Kijiji. You gave me an idea. Thanks for sharing!