Cat "Assisting" with orchids

[Pippa]

Awww, your cats are all so cute - even if they are detrimental to your orchids. I love the photo of the cat 'supervising' the unpacking of the orchids!

My dog likes to 'help' me garden (by digging up everything I've just planted and bringing it to me - "look, you left this behind.") but fortunately she can't reach my orchids as the shelves are out of reach of her paws!

[WaterWitchin]

No cats here. Very allergic. I'm more of a dog person anyway, so it all works out fine. The picture, Kim, of your Goddess taking a chomp of a blossom is priceless... need to frame that one.

My dogs have to be locked up when I plant, Pippa. Otherwise they are constantly "fetching" the plants and bulbs they figure I've left behind. And one just looooves to roll in the fresh manure or bonemeal I've used. Thinks it's a special dust bath treat for her. Yuck.

[PaphMadMan]

Back when I had cats, the two of them divided up the orchid chomping duties. The female only went for the grassier leaves, usually just a dainty nibble. The male only bit the hardest thickest Catt and Phal leaves he could reach. Vampire punctures were his specialty. He also chewed cardboard, magazines, the most important mail, and the occasional wooden furniture leg. They were both too lazy to go out of their way to reach the orchids, so as long as leaves or spikes weren't dangling over an edge like bait they mostly left the plants alone. I still miss those fuzzy slugs.

[Dollythehun]

My Nathan (who just passed last Thursday) lived one plant, my Epi radicans. The bottom looked like fringe. I used Bitter Apple spray, which worked, and out it toward the back. Our new addition, Guinness, doesn't seem to like plants. However, she loves plastic ( a form of pica.) She will annoying lick, furniture tags, bedding care tags, shower curtains, plastic bags, etc.

PhapMadMan, I'd gladly let him chew my Epi to have him back whole and healthy. The hole in my heart feels like the grand canyon.

[DeaC]

Oh my, wish I could make you feel better somehow, Carol. Pretty sure that he and Jackson are catching up on missed playtime and knowing how much you remember them. Peace.

[Dollythehun]

I hope so, DeaC. It was FIP and it wasn't pretty. They usually get it before they're two, and it's hard to diagnose. Nathan was 10. We did everything we could, and spent everything we needed to. I could not have done more... Still, it's an awful disease. Basically feline Covid and more.

[Subrosa]

My cat Yoshi who sadly passed away once ate every last bite of a 30+ fan specimen of Vanda (Neofinetia) falcata 'Suminagashi'. Naturally he left the larger 'Onami Secai' sitting next to it untouched...... he's the reason I have a separate plant room.

[spinrah]

Originally Posted by Dollythehun

I hope so, DeaC. It was FIP and it wasn't pretty. They usually get it before they're two, and it's hard to diagnose. Nathan was 10. We did everything we could, and spent everything we needed to. I could not have done more... Still, it's an awful disease. Basically feline Covid and more.

I’m so sorry. Cats are my number one love (more than orchids), so I feel your pain.

[Dollythehun]

TY, I might have loved Nathan more than my husband. 🤔