If your cat eats your orchids --

[Paphluvr]

Had an experience like this once myself, but it involved an orchid (a Paph. concolor division) that I had sold to one of my co-workers. A week after purchasing it, she brought the pot (containing a stub of the original plant) back in, explaining that her cat had eaten it. I'd forgotten that I'd fertilized it with fish emulsion shortly before selling it.

[escualida]

Found this out a few days ago, most of you probably already know this but you can buy the cat grass seeds WAY cheaper than just buying the grass at a pet store. Usually even cheaper if you buy it labeled as Wheat Grass and not Cat Grass. You can buy them on eBay, Amazon, health food stores, even most grocery stores sell them, and it grows really fast, within a week you have it ready for your cat.

[LadySoren]

Reading old threads... I haven't grown any plants you eat yet. Once we move out of our apartment, I plan to grow some veggies. Anyway, for both people and animals, which soils do you buy for plants you're going to eat? I want it to be safe.
I have 2 cats that might like some of that grass.

[silken]

Stanley, one of our 3 cats chews on any orchid that has grassy type leaves. That would be all oncidiums, cymbidiums, some Phrags and even the odd Cattleya that has the more thin narrow leaves. He'll chew on some spikes too and generally make it hard to bring many of my blooming plants in from the greenhouse to enjoy in the house.

I tried a few things but what finally worked was rubbing a bit of olive oil on the tips of the leaves and then dipping the tips in a baggie of cayenne pepper. It's a bit of work and then I like to clean it all off once the plant is done blooming. But it's the only thing that has ever worked with him. He is hell on 4 legs that one!

I've seen lots of comments about people growing grass for their cats which sounds like the obvious solution. But our cats are indoor cats except for one that gets to go out on a leash in the back yard occasionally. When she eats grass (or Stan chews my plants) they always throw up. So by having a pot of grass in the house for them to dine on would be inviting a regular puke fest to occur. I think its a normal thing that helps them get rid of fur balls because we have had cats for over 30 years and they all do it. If they are frequent out door cats, it may not be so bad as they will do some of their puking out there. But I hate those surprises on the carpet or the rest of the floor!

[LadySoren]

Oh..... Mine are indoor cats too. I forgot about that...

[WhiteRabbit]

Oat, wheat, or barley grass is unlikely to cause your cat to vomit. I keep a pot of wheat grass for my kitty, as well as a por of catnip

[Optimist]

I have also used granicks bitter apple spray on a plant (sansaveria not orchid) and wondered I it would work with orchids. It does not seem to bother plants.

[Laserbeak]

Originally Posted by Optimist

I have also used granicks bitter apple spray on a plant (sansaveria not orchid) and wondered I it would work with orchids. It does not seem to bother plants.

Should be fine, hot chili peppers work too.

[Andre]

My cat likes certain genera. I can't leave them accessible. She loves oncidiums and relatives, dendrobium canes, and Paph spikes. I have tried peppers and all, but I just keep them out of her way. Good luck with the cat.


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