Dendrobium phalaenopsis spike damage

[aliceinwl]

My Dendrobium phalaenopsis has been slowly sending up a spike. It looks like the cat managed to get to it and eat off the tip. The spike was still pretty early in initiation. Did this just destroy any chance of flowers? It’s a young plant and it only produced one new cane last season, the other two canes have bloomed previously.

[Dollythehun]

The one the cat ate may bloom further down the spike, or not. Hard to tell. I recently had a similar situation (minus cats) and the spike blasted. However, my older canes kicked in with their own spikes.

[aliceinwl]

Thanks Dolly! That’s a much more optimistic outlook than I was anticipating. There’s still hope :-D

[dbarron]

And to ensure further spiking, move plant somewhere that cat is not (ever).
When you may have been waiting a year (or at least six months), cat nibbling simply not acceptable to your disappointment level (or mine at least).