Make cat stop bother my 'chids

[Louder Than Hell]

The cat that lives with me is a little fury, he cannot get any weed around here because lives in a flat so whenever he can he first eat my orchids and then play with them
Just yesterday I've got my Iwanagara ruined as the last of a series of victims....

I've got sick of this so please if anybody have some advice I would be so thankful

I've tought to mount and hang the plant high enough but I'm so scarred he gonna jump, grapple on the cork and pull it all down that would be just a better game to do for him.
Another idea is to make the plant disgusting to him through spraying, I've read bout red peppers but i'm not sure how to use it. The plant rarely takes any rain and the cat do anything with his teeth so i'm pretty sure a bad smell and a taste should work fine. This also would work for any plant and with no extra effort beside prepare the solution.

Last is to grow some cat weed togeter but beside eating weed I'm sure he would keep play with 'chids

[Amanda L]

My only suggestion is to grow some grass for him to eat. I'm not really sure what you can do about him playing with them, except get him some toys that are more appealing. My cats don't bother my chids, they can't get on the tables, because they are so full.

[Louder Than Hell]

It's plenty of toys round but he still goes hunting stuff on tables at night like pencils, lighters, etc. I suppose that's just the way he's: bothersome
If pepper spraying ain't going to make any effect I'm going to buy seeds and find an heavy pot where to put them, hoping the best
Thanks

[natasha]

i think better off you make the area off limit to your cat

[Blueszz]

My 'chids share their house with 2 cats. Besides the orchids I have a few other plants. Sometimes one of the cats nibbles on plants and if I don't make sure she has access to the other plants, my orchids suffer.
My cats nibble on a spider plant (grows like weed and easy to grow). I prefer them to leave that plant allone as I'm not convinced it's harmless to them. What does help is growing some Pelargonium, the lemon scented one. I started with one cutting which I got from a neighbor September last year. Currently I have 2 pots with Pelargonium. I put them in between the orchids, especially in between young plants or plants in small pots. It really helps to keep the cats away from the orchids, I guess by the smell of lemon. I never noticed they try to eat from the Pelargonium.

Currently I'm preparing a setup for artificial lights with heat maps for during the winter. I know my cats will like to nap in between the plants on the bottom heat so I made an enclosure for the low light 'chids were the cats can't get in. It has windows from plexi glass and is roofed with a metal grid...

Nicole

[Louder Than Hell]

Originally Posted by natasha

i think better off you make the area off limit to your cat

That was my first strategy but really...doesn't work for me Also i dont live alone so I'm not the only one opening doors and deciding

Blueszz thanks for the info, i never head bout that plant but I may try with mint, melissa (lemon scented) and some other aromatic. However he's got very strong and curious temper so I'm really aiming to make any part of the plant disgusting to him instead.

[Blueszz]

Originally Posted by Louder Than Hell

That was my first strategy but really...doesn't work for me Also i dont live alone so I'm not the only one opening doors and deciding

Blueszz thanks for the info, i never head bout that plant but I may try with mint, melissa (lemon scented) and some other aromatic. However he's got very strong and curious temper so I'm really aiming to make any part of the plant disgusting to him instead.

I think Melissa doesn't smell as strong as Pelargonium. When you touch the leaves from Pelargonium graveolens only slightly you can smell the lemon from a distance and even the smell is on your hands! I think that is what withholds the cats from touching the plant.
Currently my motherplant is not large enough to take cuttings (I recently took cuttings for myself) but I think I could cut something from the plant within 6 weeks or so. If you can't find Pelargonium where you live, I can send you one or two cuttings within a month or two. They root very easily and can be grown outdoors where you live. In fact, when you grow them outdoors the plant stays more compact. I think it should flower for you too.
I got my first cutting in september 2008 and by december I could shorten the plant and stick that cutting in the same pot. Imagine, it rooted mid winter in the Netherlands in the kitchen window sill. They like to be kept cool during the winter but will survive in heated rooms. No problem for this plant.

I think I can send you cuttings if wrap the stem with some moist sphagnum moss.

Nicole

[Louder Than Hell]

Originally Posted by Blueszz

I think Melissa doesn't smell as strong as Pelargonium. When you touch the leaves from Pelargonium graveolens only slightly you can smell the lemon from a distance and even the smell is on your hands! I think that is what withholds the cats from touching the plant.
Currently my motherplant is not large enough to take cuttings (I recently took cuttings for myself) but I think I could cut something from the plant within 6 weeks or so. If you can't find Pelargonium where you live, I can send you one or two cuttings within a month or two. They root very easily and can be grown outdoors where you live. In fact, when you grow them outdoors the plant stays more compact. I think it should flower for you too.
I got my first cutting in september 2008 and by december I could shorten the plant and stick that cutting in the same pot. Imagine, it rooted mid winter in the Netherlands in the kitchen window sill. They like to be kept cool during the winter but will survive in heated rooms. No problem for this plant.

I think I can send you cuttings if wrap the stem with some moist sphagnum moss.

Nicole

You are so kind! Thank you I gonna add you to my friend list

[Blueszz]

Originally Posted by Louder Than Hell

You are so kind! Thank you I gonna add you to my friend list

Just let me know. To be honest I would love to deliver the cuttings myself, the pictures I've seen from Sardenia are so wonderful! I've been often in Italy but never so farth South.
Don't be affraid, I won't deliver the cuttings myself Way to far away for a short trip despite Italy is one of my favorite countries to visit! I love the country, the food, the people...

Just something funny to share and very OT: We had to practise for a concert with some locals. We always were in time and had to wait at least 15-30 minutes for the locals to show up. After a week we learned and decided to come a bit later too. When we arrived the locals allready were waiting for us, tapping on their watches to point us out were were too late.
Afterwards we always had a drink in a local bar and I never ordered alcoholic drinks. Alcohol and high temperatures don't mix for me. Then one of the locals yelled to the person behind the bar: "one milk for this lady"! Oh my gosh, so funny....
In my early twenties I even wanted to emigrated to Italy to study music in Padova. Hmmm... I still regret I didn't do that.

Nicole

[Louder Than Hell]

Originally Posted by Blueszz

Just let me know. To be honest I would love to deliver the cuttings myself, the pictures I've seen from Sardenia are so wonderful! I've been often in Italy but never so farth South.
Don't be affraid, I won't deliver the cuttings myself Way to far away for a short trip despite Italy is one of my favorite countries to visit! I love the country, the food, the people...

Just something funny to share and very OT: We had to practise for a concert with some locals. We always were in time and had to wait at least 15-30 minutes for the locals to show up. After a week we learned and decided to come a bit later too. When we arrived the locals allready were waiting for us, tapping on their watches to point us out were were too late.
Afterwards we always had a drink in a local bar and I never ordered alcoholic drinks. Alcohol and high temperatures don't mix for me. Then one of the locals yelled to the person behind the bar: "one milk for this lady"! Oh my gosh, so funny....
In my early twenties I even wanted to emigrated to Italy to study music in Padova. Hmmm... I still regret I didn't do that.

Nicole

Glad to hear you like it. Italy have lot of pro 'n' cons, just watch this very funny animation Europe and Italy | Flash

Now back on topic