Hi Mary, Did the cat chew on them or knock them over? If she chewed on them she needs some grass of her own or some indoor cat formula cat food in her diet.It has greens in it formulated for cats who don't go outside,I mix it in my cats food.It is a dry cat food in a bag I think by purina. If she knocked them over see if you can sit the pot in something heavier. Just a few thoughts don't know if they will work or not. Linda in Nj

Hi Linda, She chewed the bloom stalk off the orchid. I think she just played kind of rough with the violets. Two knocked over & one pulled right out of the pot. I don't have them organized at all yet. Thanks for the advice. Mary

If you like plants and have a cat then either keep the plants in a room that you can keep the cat OUT of or chose between one or the other. I like cats but I like plants more so I don't have a cat.

Mary,
Just wanted to send some warm thoughts as you figure out how to meet this challenge.

Dora

I don't know how many orchids and violets you have, but you could get some of the big clear storage containers that big box stores are selling right now for people to put their Christmas decorations into. They are tall enough for plants. Light could get inside, but not the cat!

Or you could try the Blender Defender method shown on the link below. (Just kidding - your sister's cat would have you thrown out in a hurry!)

Donna

Here is a link that might be useful: Blender Defender

Hi Mary, I'm thinking that the cat has never had any plants around before,is this true? Maybe he/she is just being interested because they are new to her. I have a cat and I keep all my plants in heavy containers that she can not knock over and she doesn't. You could cover them with a vase/jar or something. Not sure how many you have but covering them and sitting them in something heavier might do the trick. They should like the cover for added humidity once in awhile during the day or night. My cat has never chewed on my violets,not that I saw anyway and maybe if she did she didn't like the taste because I never saw damage. But she sure does like the taste of the orchids! She has chewed the leaves many times! Hope this idea helps a bit. Luckily violets are very forgiving and they should recouperate just fine. My heart goes out to you in this difficult time, Linda in NJ

Oh My Goodness Donna that blender defender is hysterical! Can you come pick me up off the floor? LOL Linda in NJ

Hi Mary,
I think I would try to put a pot of catnip around the plants to see if the cat will attack that instead of the AV's and orchids.
Fred in NJ

Personally, I'd use that blender method. Be sure and take a video of it.....

Barbara

Hi Mary!
I wondered why I hadn't heard back from you in email. I now see it's because of some life changes for you. I hope things settle down for you soon and you can shoot me an email. Did your email addy change with the move to your sister's?
I have a pesky leaf stealing kitty so sorry can't help ya on the kitty situation.,,,Debbie

Thanks for all the input.

Also, Thanks for the kind thoughts. Life changes are never easy, but often for the best. Life goes on and I will figure it out. It helps to have people who care and I am blessed with many relatives and friends.

Donna, my sis & bro-in-law have some plants, but not violets and definitely nothing like the # that I brought in. I do have several of the clear plastic containers and that is what we used to move the plants that were not in baggies, so most are still in them. The plants in baggies are still mostly in cardboard boxes. I plan to work on them some more today.

BTW-I LOVE the blender defense. I have not had a chance to show it to my sister but will. Also, as I am typing, the cat is loving up to me, wanting attention. My sister says she usually does not warm up to new people this quick. Hopefully she has decided I can stay along with my plants.

Debbie, I will email you I promise!

Any other ideas are welcome. She has not bothered any of my plants since I posted the initial plea for help, so I am hoping it was her way of letting me know who is in charge and that it won't be on ongoing problem. Hope springs eternal. LOL

Thanks everyone!
Mary

Hello everyone. I have not contributed for a while, but had to jump in here.

TAPE........Scotch tape round the perimeter of your plants. With most cats it only takes once. Cats do not like tape.

I've been blessed with a cat that's 10 months old now and has never bothered my violets. my lowest shelf is only 5 inches off the floor. I do have tape around it, but she has never bothered them. She does watch me for hours as I groom and re pot. She did knock one plant off at first, but it was in the only place where she can sit and look out the window. So that was my fault. There shouldn't have been a plant there.

Stay warm

Thom

When I got the kitten - the breeder told me she cannot have any plants - the cats destroy it. Since I have oodles of plants - the kitten was given a free run with the idea - he cannot destroy them all. The only issues were - I removed everything from a windowsill, everything gets knocked down from it, if the plant is on the table for display - he will possibly try to play if something is dangling - like orchid flower stalk and the last but not least - everything gets its share of a fine cat hair - plants, furniture, pants, guests... We resigned ourselves to the idea that even the fanciest outfit could be only improved by cat's hair.

My older cat loved to chew on the fresh grass - so in winter I was buying wheat seeds and growing the pot with greens. For whatever reason she preferred it to store bought greens and didn't care about any catnip and never took a bite off my violets.

Irina

Thanks Thom & Irina, I will keep all these posts in mind in case she decides to attack the violets again. I was working on them yesterday and she hung around with me, very well behaved. I have a ponytail plant and she likes to bat at it...I don't mind that at all. I think it was just an adjustment to a change in "HER" household. I think the cat likes me and tho I have never had a cat, my sister keeps saying I will get one when things settle down and I get my own place..... we'll see.

Thanks everybody! Mary

When I was growing wheatgrass for juicing our cat would sit and beg for a chunk of it and if she had a chance would lay in the flat of it and graze on it - so maybe that would help prevent her from eating your violets. It's a cheap thing to try and is good for her too. Just soak a tablespoon or two overnight, spread on top of soil in a pot, cover for a couple days then let it grow. Hope it helps although cats seem to have their own agenda.
Ken

Hey Mary,
You never told us what your sister thought of the Blender Defender when you showed her!
Hope all is going well with your plants and your new home.
My best wishes to you, Linda in NJ

Mary, are your clear, plastic containers perfectly clear or a little foggy/smokey? Have been looking for the perfectly clear but haven't found yet. I have been using the plastic containers to keep my cat from walking on the plants and am wondering if they are cutting out too much sunshine.
Sherry

Sherry: My plastic containers are pretty clear. I got them at WalMart recently, made by Sterilite, and they were not expensive. They come in different sizes and the container has blue handles that snap the lid on... you could use the lid as an extra tray with tiny sides.

Ken, I will definitely keep the wheatgrass in mind if problems start up again. Sophie is being a good kitty (knock on wood).

Linda, My sister thought the Blender Defender was hysterical. It cracks me up every time I watch. I am finally getting the plants settled in. It's amazing how a dozen (or more) plants can sit in their own zip closed bag inside a cardboard box with practically no light at all for 3 weeks and come out looking like it was just a minor setback. Life is very peaceful here and things are going well. Thanks for asking.

Everybody pray for warmth & sunshine pleeeezzzzz!!!!!!!
Mary

Hi Mary,
Glad to hear your pretty much settled in at your sisters and the plants are adjusting well!
I may need that Blender Defender for my Siamese kitty Gidget! I will video if it comes to it. She is the rooting leaf stealingest cat alive. The other day she grabbed a small plantlet and off she ran and I never did find the plant. I even got the flashlight out and was looking under the bed. I didn't smell her breath for chlorophyll though. My guess is she would of flunked. I love her all but on watering day. hahaha.
I shot ya a email Mary! Hope to hear from you soon!,,,Debbie

i've had cats that drug violets away to torture them to death, but this cat is so dumb he just knoked it over, try either a squirt bottle for the cat, or upturn a milk crate over the plants

Or..........................................
As my son says, "Cats are only good for one thing, ......................................................... ................................................................................................................................ ............................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................ ............................................................................................................................... .................................chow mein."

Bad Fred.....bad Fred.

Dora

I know this is a REALLY old thread, but Thom...if you're still around, can you elaborate on the tape defense? I'm desperate. My cat finds all plants tasty. I've tried growing cat grass. He eats it before it's even mature then goes back to my houseplants. He's on indoor cat formula. I'm at my wit's end. Most of my plants (including my AV) are at work with me now. I'd love to be able to keep some at home!

Hello kim b
I just string the tape around the perimeter, twirl it a little, and try to leave it loose so it will adhear to cat. Find what works for you. I really don't have that much practical experience with this because my cats are so good with my plants.
Best of luck.
Thom

Thanks Thom! I wish my cat behaved like yours!

Can't I save myself some time and tape and just tie the little bugger up with the tape out of reach of the plants?

Kidding, of course. He's my baby. There are just some days I have to remind him that he's lucky he's so darn cute! ;)

Kim -

if your cat wants his grass - may be you just get some wheat seeds (for whatever reason they can be called wheat berries in Whole Foods) - and grow the whole tray for him. Or 2. My late cat was chewing on wheat grass all the time. The younger guys could care less, they want to go outside and chew on blue grama... So we are herding cats to keep them from jumping out of the yard.

As far as I know cats really dislike the smell of orange peel and it was even advised to peel an orange - and rub the areas cats "mark". If you take fresh peel and bend it - it kinda sprays the peel "juice". I would try it on your plants so they will smell unappealing. (Coyote urine - or whatever they use to scare the rabbits away - which is sold in Ace Hardware - can be tested too, but I would try on 1 plant with really low concentration first - you do not want to smell it yourself).
I.

Orange peel! I'll try that!

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll give the wheat grass a try, but anything I plant for him seems to only temporarily distract him from his prey. I bought all natural bitter spray last night and tested it on a plant I just picked up. Well, he took a few bites and got sick all over the house. I'm hoping he starts to catch on that plants=sick...but he's not the brightest cat in the world.

But we love our cats dearly and they give us comfort, low our blood pressure and entertain us.
Mine got into attic yesterday - he jumps on the top of the car, then on the rafters, then into the vent that goes from the garage to attic. It is full of nails so it works one way. Then we put the step ladder and open the attic trap door... my son got him by the tail - and cat was screaming bloody murder.

This morning Columnea schiediana and Nematanthus pots were upside down and some branches broken, some dirt out. cat had runs so his pants are dirty. To clean himself he got into my son's bed and wiped his but against the linens. He still stinks, bed stinks and my son is left to wash the cat and his bedding.

This cat has way too much brains.

Irina

Don't expect the cat to figure out that anything makes it sick. I think that is your problem anyway. They don't have to clean it up.

Maybe someone has had luck changing one but not me. This one doesn't bother plants (unless they are in her way or a couple that looked like toys, palm? spider plant?) but I've never stopped anything else. We've had mousetraps, citrus sprays, who knows what else. The violets in my big windows are on shelves on stilts now.

Good luck.

Diana in PA

Oh no, Irina! Yours sounds like even more trouble than mine! LOL!

I think you're right, Diana. Why should he care that he made a mess? I'm hoping the discomfort is enough to deter him, but he's really not that bright.

Oh well, I'll keep trying all of the tricks until I find one that works.

I have read that some cats have been discouraged by certain things so I shouldn't say you have no hope. I seem to have a very oblivious cat, except that she doesn't like this dog.

However, I really do think that they will never make the connection between eating something and throwing up :). I'll spare you the details (although now I think it's usually just a fur issue).

Diana in PA

Mine upchucks when he eats more than his stomach can take. No big deal. My son washed him yesterday - then my Mom dried his long fur with a hair dryer. It is getting cold here, we have 19F nights already.

I.

Mine does the same thing, Irina. I try to explain to him that the food bowl isn't going anywehre, but he doesn't get it. At least it's a pretty easy to clean mess. I wouldn't be able t get with 10 feet of either of mine with a hair dryer!

I love my cats and my AVs and I have finally found a gadget that allows them to live peacefully in the same house! Its called a Catscram. It is a motion detector like the blender defense but instead of turning on a blender, it emits an ultrasonic frequency which the cats hate. It works like a charm!

What exactly does this Catscram work for?

My husband is away and he's been keeping the cat off the sofa by put the extra pillows and 1 other pillow on it. He was barely gone when there's the cat nicely perched on the sofa.

That night, I went in the bathroom and I think she thought I was getting ready for bed. She was in our bedroom (a total no-no). She went out fast. I had those poofy plastic packing things and put them on the sofa and covered them with a newspaper.

Next I see her perched on the back of the sofa looking at me defiantly. Okay, there's a throw there and it can be washed. I gave in. (He's actually allergic to the thing.)

So about this Catscram...?

Diana in PA

the catscram emmits a noise that we can't hear, but cats hate. I have mine set so that the eyebeam goes across the opening to my office (I'm a massage tharapist)where I have my plants. The cats know that if they enter it will hurt their ears, so thay stay out!