Kitten???
 

I was thinking of getting a kitten... I don't know if it'll be a problem with my collection. Does anyone have any experiences that you would like to share? Like their cat knocking things over, eating chids, etc.

Well - orchids, mostly, aren't toxic, so kitty should be safe. I know a few people have posted about their cats munching on their plants - I haven't had this problem ... But providing kitty greens may help in that area ...
My recently adopted adult cat did knock some plants over in a windowsill - there was a cat perch in that window - my previous cat never used it, so I started putting plants there - new kitty found it and likes it - so now I don't have plants in that window ;) He did once jump onto another windowsill with plants on it - he was actually pretty careful - but every time since then when I would see him looking like he wanted to jump up there, I interrupted him ...
He has his window perch, and a cat tower in front of a large patio window. And when he sees me watering plants, he asks to be picked up so he can look out the windows lol ...

I have never had a kitten, only adopted adult cats, and haven't had any real problems with having cats and plants ...

Awesome to know! Thank you! I really want a feline friend. :D

I would think that supervision, especially early on, would be good - keep the squirt bottle handy ?
But like I said - for me this hasn't been a problem, but have read of a few people having some instances of kitties munching on plants ...

I have two cats. One of them completely leaves all plants alone. My other one selectively chews. He did pretty good at leaving my orchids alone when they were in the house under lights. The shelving was wire though... so not something he wanted to try to walk on. However, I left a den. hercoglossum and my maxillaria tenuifolia x sanguinea on the counter one night when I was re-organizing and the bugger helped himself. I think he bit into every single leaf at least once :((

Now all the 'chids are either in the green house, or in the tank hubby and I built.

Have fun finding the new kitten. I just love cats. They each develop the funniest personalities.

I think I will supervise, and if I'm not around the hubby is a sucker for animals. (even though he doesn't like to admit it) Lol. I love you kitty in your avatar picture. :biggrin: I used to own a Turkish Van, but sadly I had to leave him in California.

aw thanks - that's Jack, whom I adopted last fall ... he's a love :)
sorry you couldn't bring your cat with you ...
also taste deterrants, like bitter apple, can be applied to the plants I believe ?

Look for a product called "Bitter Apple" at your pet stores. Keeps my cats well away from any plant within their reach.

If I do have plants that are near where they like to perch, I make sure they are in heavy pots. Plants that are in bloom get moved out of their reach.

Btw- I'd be happy to talk to you about kitty nutrition and behavior.

Would that be safe for the orchids?

And he is quite a looker. Lol.

Oh wow. Thank you for the heads up. Although I want one, I don't want it to eat my plants... :shock:

Bitter Apple, and cayenne pepper sprays, are all safe for orchids.

Lol. Sounds good. I have had a kitty before, and I loved him so much. :D

So do you think shelves would work better? And are they more attracted to bloomed plants?

But you could PM me and tell me bout care and what not, and if you have a good way to keep the odor away. I know that was the only bad thing I ever encountered.

Honestly, I've never had a problem if I provide cat grass, and spray with deterrants.
Oftentimes, if one insists on pestering a certain plant (which is rare if I spray with icky spray), I'll put the catgrass next to it, and kitty chews on the proper plant.

Thanks Izzie!

Shelves if you make sure that the cat knows that it is absolutely not acceptable for it to climb on them. Some cats are counter cats, some cats are floor cats. It's the luck of the draw. You have to get at them young if they get into the habit.
In my experience, they bother shelves much less than tables.

I only protect plants with blooms to keep them from getting knocked off. I have several plants on a small table near a window that the cat also frequents, but never bothers. But I isolate blooms to keep them protected from the tail. And the occasional flying rumpus.

aww thanks, yes he is quite a looker, very sweet too :)

I haven't had any odor issues - I know that had been a concern of mine before I had a cat, but seems cat litter these days works great! lol and litter pans get scooped daily, and odor hasn't been an issue for me ...

Has your dog been around cats? I know that Siberians, malamutes, and other Arctic breeds can have an extremely high prey drive ...

My first shelving unit was a baker's rack and the window only shed light on the top three shelves--so the bottom shelf was for the cats to stretch out. Now I have two more taller shelving units, but the bottoms of these are built of wire rods--I cover them with towels and then put the cats' round cat beds on top of the towels. My three cats love to sit on these shelves, curled up in their beds, and just watch the world go by. They know (thanks to a big, yellow, squirt gun) that the top shelves are taboo and we seem to have reached a good understanding. They never bother the orchids. The best method for me is to give the boys and girl their own shelves.This has worked well for me and I've got some gorgeous pictures (still experimenting with posting, though!). Give it a shot--it should work really well with a new kitten. But buy a squirt gun, too.:lol:

My husky in my picture passed, but the Mal I have has been really good around other animals, ferrets, cats, other dogs, so the kitten would be fine, and they would never be alone together. It's not a for sure thing, there is this one kitten that I'm set on, but the owner said that someone was asking about it, but if it falls through I can have her.

Lol. That sounds like a really good idea, WhiteRabit mentioned a windowsill perch that I was thinking of getting also, and a tall condo. Not sure yet though. It's all up to if the kitten is available or not. :pray:

cool! I figure you know your dogs, but figured better safe than sorry to mention it :)

well if not this kitty - there are always plenty that need homes, kittens and adults, at shelters :)
My Jack I adopted from the shelter, my previous cat Taz, was a stray my friend rescued ...

I do this as well-a few of the bottom shelves in my house have fleece liners. ;)

I'm a big shelter fan. I was the head of the "cat cuddler team" at the Humane Society back near my college. So rewarding.

The window perches are awesome, and pretty cheap nowadays. Easy to install. I have one that is over a heat vent under a window- a favorite of my elderly tabby (RIP).

aww that's great Izzie! I, too, am a big fan of adopting from shelters and rescues ...
and of adopting adult animals too ...

I got a window perch for my previous cat, who wasn't much interested for some reason - tho I do have a few large floor to almost ceiling windows, so he still had windows to look out of - but Jack loves the window perch - and it wasn't expensive and was very easy to install - I did it myself in just a few minutes I think - still there several years later ...

I always always always adopt adult animals. I've seen way too many shut down and fade away at shelters while the "cuter" youngsters get to go.
(sorry...a little opinionated/jaded)

:D They'll only like it if it's their idea, right?

hehe - When I adopted my dog, Cahala, I was looking for an adult, cos I was working full time, and that seemed a better way to go than a baby - well, that worked out soooo well, and she was such a fabulous dog! (She was estimated to be 2-3 at the time I adopted her)

Both my cats were adults when I got them, Taz - a young adult - about 2, Jack is more mature, about 9 ... but he doesn't know it ;) - and Jack was one not doing well at the shelter, lost weight, stayed curled up in his hooded bed ... but he is such a joy and a happy kitty now!
And me, at the time I got Taz, hadn't ever had a cat before - didn't have to worry about how to 'litter-box train' - Taz already knew about that ;) And Jack - the same :)

lol yeah cats are like that ...

Good good good for you, Sonya. Shelter people love adopters like you!
As soon as I get my own place, I'll be starting a foster program with my local shelter. They let some workers and volunteers take home animals that are very shut down and withdrawn and help them learn to be cats/dogs again, so that they are more adoptable.

In kitten's defense though...some of my favorite times were to go into our "kitten room" where we keep all the bitties that are just young enough to adopt. Lay on the floor, spread a fleece blanket over yourself, and within minutes you're covered in warm vibrating kitty bodies.


Well, actually, that would happen in the feline friends room with all the oldbies too. But much more readily with the kittens.

awww I bet!

Fact- kittens are soluble in warm, fuzzy blankets.

While I'm hijacking...
Here's me and one of my old minions (Kato)-
http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s...tenRoom039.jpg

And proof of kitty solubleness-
http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs009...._5905681_n.jpg
The grey I'm talking to...was named Angus.

aww shucks lol

well I had seen Jack's pic on their website, and wanted to go see him in person - when we got into the quiet room - he hid at first, but only took maybe a couple minutes before he came out and brushed against me - after getting acquainted for a bit the shelter employee asked if I would like to hold him, so she picked him up and handed him to me - and he HUGGED me! So, I ask, how do you NOT adopt the cat who has just hugged you ??? lol He's been doing great - eats VERY well here lol - loves to cuddle, likes playing with toys, loves his cat tower - he seems very happy now :)

That's great you hopefully will be fostering - since losing my beloved Cahala, I have been thinking about that too ...

and seems we have hijacked this thread lol oops :blushing:

awww ...

I was looking, and the ones that I would like, they won't adopt out to people who have dogs. It's really sad because there was this cute chunky kitty that looked like the cat in Princess Diaries, and my husband loved it too... Even more sad that it's been sitting at the shelter for over 6 months!

I'm so sorry about you kitty. :(

It always stinks losing a loved one...

No, that's fine. I was trying to adopt from shelters, but I have never been to a place like Kansas where they are more interested in making money than helping the animals...