Cats & Succulents

[oldcat61]

I'd like to bring some of the winter-growing succulents in from the GH to enjoy over the coming dull months. I tried this last year with some aloes, haworthias & gasterias but after a few days I noticed teeth marks. Only one of my cats is interested but it happens to be Merlin who weighs around 25 pounds( not fat ) & thus has some serious chompers. Picture Frau Klein but bigger. I was thinking of mixing up a hot pepper spray but worried it could hurt the "bloom" that some of the plants have. Any one have any experience with bad tasting sprays? Sue

[HairyHarry]

The only solution for me was teaching my cats not to eat them. But I know not all cats can be taught something they don't want to be taught. For example, my beaucarnea recurvata still gets the occasional nibble.

In the past I had some irresistable palms. I put pine cones on top of the soil to prevent digging. Added some dried orange peel to prevent any eating, the citrus smell kills their appetite, apparantly. It worked to some extent, but wasn't full proof. Giving the cats cat grass was a bad idea, it taught them plants are indeed for eating.

I don't know if a hot pepper spray will work, but don't think it would hurt the plant either.

[Saxicola]

I would try to set them up in a place where the cats can't get up to them. I find that if there is literally no place for them to jump up on the table (or whatever) they are growing on the cats will ignore them.

[oldcat61]

The only place I have for them is the living room bow window, which the cats also consider their sun spot. The full sun double windows in the office are reserved for the melos that come into the warm for the winter. That why I was thinking a pepper spray. Guess I'll make some up & try on an extra aloe. Sue

[HairyHarry]

I find that if there is literally no place for them to jump up on the table (or whatever) they are growing on the cats will ignore them.

I second that. Plants that wouldn't cope with a cat-nibble go on my crowded table. Only works for small plants though, my bigger Aloe's are way too big. (or maybe my table is too small)

To be honest, if you love cats and plants, you probably have to live with it. It helps me to think that their are lots of animals in the Karoo munching away. So there is nothing unnatural about it. And most succulents are much too bitter to be eaten beyond fixing. Or consider it pruning.