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Starting to hate cats....

meinchoh

meinchoh

Cats chewed up a few leaves on two of my plants. Should I remove the leaves or will they regenerate? The plants are 7 Pot Jonah and Red Scotch Bonnet.
 
Heh, I know what you mean. My cats did the same to a Bhut Jolokia. The leaves that were chewed did end up falling off. But it's actually a good thing. New nodes will grow from where the old leaf fell off and you're plants will become quite bushy.
 
I just snipped off two leaves that were half leaves. The other few are shredded a bit. Overall, the plant is not in danger of dying - I just hate to see it get set back any. They are just now showing little buds at the very tops, so that makes me really want to skin those cats!!
 
One of my cats is very nosey and is all up in my business every time I'm doing something with my plants, but fortunately she never messes with them. The other cat has no interest in plants whatsoever. I've had cats in the past that were awful though, constantly chewing on plants and knocking them over. Cats also love to pee and poop in large overwintered plants though. It's hard to keep them out of my citrus trees in the winter.
 
Don't they have some kind of spray that repels them like you put on furniture. Maybe look at the ingredients and make something to put down.
 
I picked up something at Lowes or HD called Critter Ridder, and that worked with the groundhog, squirrels, etc. that are in my neighborhood. Of course, the groundhog just HAD to try one of my peppers once.... never did again tho!

Note that Critter Ridder is mostly capsaicin mixed with black pepper - it's pretty pungent, which you need to keep in mind if the plants are indoors. You live pretty close to me, so I imagine they likely are still at least mostly inside.
 
Thanks Geeme! I've seen that but never thought I would have to use it, since my plants are staying in containers. I now classify cats as "rodents". I'll give it a shot.
 
Just keep in mind - the cats are not the problem, it's your perspective..... all will be fine..... LOL
 
You might consider just mixing up some ground red pepper with some water and misting the leaves. After the cat got a taste of that, they would probably leave it alone. I know my wife once dropped a tiny shred of jalapeno on the floor while making me a sandwich... I guess my cat just assumed it was a piece of savory turkey, and gobbled it up without even looking at it... she actually started foaming at the mouth a little, and meowing nonstop. We gave her some milk, and she was fine, but now she carefully inspects any food scrap that falls before eating it. :)
 
westin said:
You might consider just mixing up some ground red pepper with some water and misting the leaves. After the cat got a taste of that, they would probably leave it alone. I know my wife once dropped a tiny shred of jalapeno on the floor while making me a sandwich... I guess my cat just assumed it was a piece of savory turkey, and gobbled it up without even looking at it... she actually started foaming at the mouth a little, and meowing nonstop. We gave her some milk, and she was fine, but now she carefully inspects any food scrap that falls before eating it. :)
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See that? A cat will do ANYTHING for milk!!!...I may mix something up and spray it on the leaves. I have insecticidal soap for a small gnat issue, but I don't want to risk poisoning the varmints.
 
On second thought lets look at from a different angle, why not plant something alot more appealing to them then your peppers way on the other side of the yard, a big old bush of Catnip :}
 
My cat likes to chew on the leaves of my plants too. In fact, I had to barricade them with a children's fence while they are awaiting transplant. Damn cat.
 
Want to borrow my Tasha? She just looooooves cats. ;)

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JayT said:
My cat likes to chew on the leaves of my plants too.
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Just the peppers? I have Digitalis growing and if a cat ate that then, via con Dios gato! :shocked:
 
JayT said:
My cat likes to chew on the leaves of my plants too. In fact, I had to barricade them with a children's fence while they are awaiting transplant. Damn cat.
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+1 A barrier certainly helps. You can see in my grow log how I had to put up chicken wire across the front of my grow box to keep my cats from destroying my plants.
 
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