Lilly, the Pest

[sandra]

I know I'm posting in the right section, "Orchid Pests and Diseases." The culprit: Lilly, my cat....a definite PEST.

We've been having very high winds here in Fla. the last few days and my little oncidium kept getting knocked over. I took it and put it on my patio table where it would remain safe until the winds died down. So, along comes Lilly to remind me that nothing is safe in her domain where my orchids are concerned and goes at it. The moral of the story is now I've got about 5 chewed leaves.

Anything I should do other than leave it alone?

P.S. Anybody want a cat?

[Vivienne]

oh sandra, I feel for you. No room for any more cats, already have 3. Thankfully mine haven't developed a fetish for orchids!! Well, let me take that back, they did do a bit of nibbling on my miltonia. I just trimmed the leaves and it's fine. It is no longer accessible to the cats.

[E-Jag]

Sandra, your oncidium will probably survive if it has a healthy root system. A little worm tea would be good, if you have it. There is no hope for the cat, however. Shoot it, and with the money you save on cat food and vet bills, buy more orchids.

E-Jag

[pikevi]

sandra: would applying some neem oil to the leaves help?

I know it is bitter and I doubt that any cat would like the taste of it, let alone the smell.

And it is harmless to Lilly too. The worst that can happen if she ingests a lot (which is improbable) is a bit of a loose motion (loose stool).

[sandra]

E-Jag, the truth is, I'd take Lilly over the orchids in a heartbeat. , but I like your suggestion about the worm tea and that was exacty what I did. Fingers crossed now.....

Pikevi, I've never used or have seen neem oil. Can I spray it on the leaves? All of my orchids are typically kept high up on shelves but, I've got a couple of plants within her reach she likes to check out and snack on. Can I use this neem oil on other plants? I'll have to scope the forum here and see what I can find out about this stuff.

Vivienne - 3 here too!

[kmarch]

I have 3-4 Paphs that have kitty-fang marks in them. If your plant is otherwise healthy it will be fine. It will just look a little rough for a while.

Purrrrrrrrr.

[pikevi]

sandra: I only use neem oil on all plants. For Phals, I use cotoon wool to apply.

Occasionally I use safer's soap , as per subggestion from this forum.

For the others I just 'fine spray' an emulsion of neem/water. So far it seems to work.

It is soooooo bitter!!!!

[ I will resort to synthetic chemicals only as a last resort. It will not be my first line of defense ]

[flowerchild]

Sandra, maybe get Lily some of her own plants to chew on such as cat grass, then get a little sprayer and everytime she touches your orchids give her a little mist of water to train her, when she goes to her cat grass praise her beyond belief eventually she will get the idea that orchids are off limits and that the cat grass is good. It is just a little cat behavior modification thats all!! Good luck

[sandra]

flowerchild, I laughed after reading your response. It is a very smart and wise suggestion but I'm dealing with a genius here. I thought I was all the wiser for it too and tried this some time ago. Problem is, Lilly outsmarts me every time. She's an angel while she's in eyesight of me. She waits for me to leave, I swear! The couple of times I caught her in the act, I wet balistic. She looked at me like, "what's your problem" and just walked away.

It's times like this that I have to keep reminding myself of just how much I love her.

P.S. I'm going to get some more cat grass today and give it another go!

[sandra]

My little culprit, Lilly

[fred]

Lilly has got I love orchids all over her

what does the tag say sandra

go away mum i want to eat more orchids

[sandra]

LOL Fred. It takes one to know one you duffer. I think you're right though.

I'm going to change that tag to "free to a good home"........not really.

[fred]

what is free to a good home the kitty or the orchids

[fred]

you can have this one to if you like.

[flowerchild]

Originally Posted by fred

you can have this one to if you like.

Fred can you ship that one to Canada?

[fred]

I could only one big problem the BOSS

[Vivienne]

LOL - maybe I'll snap some pics of my 'other children'. sandra and fred - they are beautiful.

[fred]

ohhh thats nice of you to say that.

I wont tell my BOSS that though she will kick me out at night insted lol

[Vivienne]

Here are my darlings.

Baby Fate (was named Vivian when adopted thus the name change)


Max (the heavy weight)


Rocky (the big momma's boy aka my shadow)

[fred]

awwww they are so cute.

thanks for sharing the babys i mean pics with us

[brookn]

Awww they are all so cute. We have four (I wish I had a camera) M kitty aka Mufasa aka Fat Boy, Miss Kitty aka Mama Kitty aka Mamacita, Odin, and Yoda puppy (he actually thinks he is a dog).

Sandra, I tried the kitty grass, they just thought that it gave them permission to eat all the plants! I trained them when they were babies that when I hissed at them they better run. Works, they leave the plants in the house alone orchids included, but if it is outside they consider it fair game. I also have been giving them food with greens in it, seems to help. Kitties have a mind of their own don't they?

[flowerchild]

Originally Posted by fred

I could only one big problem the BOSS

I wouldn't want you to get in trouble with the "BOSS", she might not like me if I ever get to Tasmania!!!!

[sandra]

Fred, Vivienne,

Tooooooooooo cute, all your kids! I think we're somehow related Fred. Our kids are, so we must be, no? Vivienne, I love your new avatar. And Bill, if you read this, please put your other avatar back (you in/out of the plane!) That thing is frightful you now have up!

Since we're now bragging on our treasures, feast your eyes. I carry photos of mine in my wallet!!!!

Bunny in her summer haircut
[/IMG]

Boo-Boo in his summer haircut
[/IMG]

For Memorial Day, tomorrow. Let us never forget....

[fred]

sandra what happened to poor Boo-Boo,s face ?

did you get the licence number ?

just jokeing

he is a nice kittie

now i know where my long lost sister is

[Vivienne]

LOL - I'm with you Sandra... change the avatar Bill. I'll have nightmares!

Sandra, Bunny and BooBoo are precious as is Lilly! My Max must be the black sheep in the bunch. Good thing he's enormous (21lbs) and won't care. LOL

[sandra]

Originally Posted by fred

sandra what happened to poor Boo-Boo,s face ? did you get the licence number ?

Fred, I want to get a little mad but I'm too busy laughing. I'm to blame for this one. I'm constantly kissing that little guy's face, that's why he's all mushy.

Vivienne, combined, Bunny and Boo-Boo weigh half of what Max weighs, 6 lbs., each. I came 'this' close yesterday to adopting an 8 wk. old little black kitty that looked like Max! Someday...

Brook, borrow a camera and take some photos of your kitties to show! Hurry!

So, the moral of this story is, Lilly wins out and I just have to prey that next time, I'll get her before she gets my orchids.

[pikevi]

I am not sure which ones are the prettiest: avatars, orchid photos or the cats/kitten photos?!!

You are all such a lucky bunch!

[GiovannaD]

Wow...you actually trim the cat's fur for the summer? I should have thought of that. I have an all-white Turkish Angora who sheds like a tree...If I collect his hair from the floor everyday I will be knitting a sweater every month!
BTW my Turk also chews on longish leaves (prefers spikes), so I added a droplet of superthrive in the water bottle and planted some grass in a pot for him, and... problem solved!

[fred]

hehehe thanks for the pics Turk is a sweety

just look at his face ' who me ' no it was the mouse lol

[fred]

sandra

Quote=]Fred, I want to get a little mad but I'm too busy laughing. I'm to blame for this one. I'm constantly kissing that little guy's face, that's why he's all mushy.

Its good we can all have a joke and a laugh Boo-Boo is a nice kitty though.

[chefatplay]

Sorry, no kitties in my house anymore. We have two dogs. Anyone who read the squirrel thread has met my Scooby. Tennesse, my coon hound is always too busy sleeping to bother anything!

I read with interest about the neem oil. I have a Vanda in bud outside and a hornet is there everyday drinking the clear liquid coming from around the bud. Has anyone tried neem oil to repel these nasty critters?

[Vivienne]

GiovannaD - what a cutie. I see your Turk enjoys a nice sun bath too.

[m3phist023]

GiovannaD,
My cat looks just like yours, except she has blue eyes (hence, her name, Sky). I think she's a "mutt," though, as her sister has markings like a Siamese, but with the semi-long hair.

[sandra]

I can't get over how this has turned into a love fest for our cats! Meanwhile, my poor oncidium was snacked on and I'll just hope the remedy for this is time.....and a sling-shot?

P.S. What a cutie pie m3phist023.

[Sharyn]

I like BillC's new avatar. Looks like a voodoo cat! You have to admit, it's better than the 400 yr old pregnant grandmother!

[BillC]

Sharyn, I had to remove the lady wolf because Vivienne nearly had kittens when it popped up on the screen and since I don't like giving offence to you ladies I did the decent thing. I might just have one or two more avs designed to make you smile so be, like good girl scouts, prepared.

Bill.

[sandra]

Bill, Like Vivienne, I almost had a litter also. I'm so glad your cute avatar is back. That's the way I like to see you!

[fred]

Quote] I almost had a litter also

Boo-Boo

[Vivienne]

LOL fred - you are a meanie! (BooBoo)

sandra - we ladies need to stick together!

Bill - thank you so much. you are the consummate gentleman.

[sandra]

ROFLMAO. He thinks I'm his mommy. Shhhh, don't tell him!

Originally Posted by fred

Quote] I almost had a litter also

Boo-Boo

[fred]

he is mommys boy

so is our kittie ( Fluffy)

[Sharyn]

Gee Bill. I actually liked the horror avatar. Well, I guess to each his own. So reminds me of someone I once knew.

[m3phist023]

It's OK, BillC, I think spiders are alright.
In fact, if I find one in the house, I kindly collect it and put it outside where it will be happier.

[BillC]

OK m3ph, this one is just for you, also a female of the species. Bill

[Vivienne]

my eyes are closed, I'm not looking, I'm not looking.

Thank you for only doing a thumbnail. Makes it a smaller spidey and that I can deal with ... still have the heebeegeebees and goosebumps.

[fred]

Boo-Boo to the rescue

is that a wolf spider Bill ?

[m3phist023]

Awww! She's sweet!
Just curoius- how big do wolf spiders get? Most of the spiders I have around here are no bigger that a bottle cap......
On topic, Sky knocked over my Oda. Nettie Valentine 'True Love' yesterday. Apparently it was very well established and did not come out of the pot-just lost a little bark. That's what I get for blocking Sky's access to her windosill. (I pay the mortgage, but it's her windowsill)

[BillC]

Fred and M3ph, this is not a wolf, I only had the wolf on for a day. This is a Goliath Tararatula Bird-Eating Spider....Theraphosa blondi. From the north-west coastal rainforests of South America. One of these has been measured with a leg span of just over 11 inches, that is about the size of a dinner plate. They make nice pets!!!

Vivienne, if click on the thumbnail you can see her in all her glory.

Bill

[fred]

I recon with a pet like that Bill I could get the misses to get me as many orchids i wanted.

i will have to think about that.

ok i am done where can i get one.

just shows you bill i dont know a thing about spiders

[Vivienne]

No thanks Bill - I'll pass. Yes they are fascinating creatures, but it's probably my biggest phobia.

[GiovannaD]

Fred, Vivienne, M3phist023:
My turk is somewhat satisfied with your compliments. He is so vain...I can't find a photo where he isn't posing...
BTW even half breed angoras look very very similar, and usually inherit the "Armani-model" attitude. These elegant kitties choose carefully which of your things are more special to you so they can destroy them and get your attention. Recent damages: a martini glass.

[m3phist023]

All Sky wants to do is play. Maybe as she gets older, she will refine her technique and pick her targets. For now it's, "whatever is on the table needs to be on the floor."

[Vivienne]

Giovanna - great pic of Turk. Is he an orchid addict as well, or just in training?

m3phist - LOL. The kitten, Fate, is like that. Rocky (he's 13) and Max (over weight) could care what is on the table. They're more concerned with the floor and laying on it.

[GiovannaD]

Fat kitties are the perfect teddy for a winter nap on a couch! My turk used to be an orchid chewer but the leaves turned a bit sour for his taste (with a touch of superthrive).

[BillC]

Sandra, I saw this and thought of you. Bill

[sandra]

Bill, I wish! If I had taken a photo like this of my cat, it would have been of chewed flower pedals hanging from her mouth!

It's such a pretty picture though.....it's such a fantasy!!!!

I thank you Bill and my cat doesn't!!!!

And don't forget........we'll still always have the Star Ferry.

[PhalPal]

I have SIX indoor cats (don't ask) and they are ANGELS! No fang marks anywhere, just on occassion my two twin kittens will scheme together to scoop a piece of coco husk from a pot and use it like a hockey puck on the kitchen floor. No harm, No foul! It really is very funny. Don't get me started posting pictures of my furr-people....you may not get me to stop.
I do use a coir/dynarock mix, could that have some magic repellent powers that I am not aware of? It is sort of odd that not ONE of these cats nibble my orchids, but some of them love boston ferns??

Sandra - you might try moth balls just under the soil, or sprinkle black pepper on top of the soil. (maybe the leaves as well to start) Appeal to their sensitive little noses; cats won't eat something if they don't like the smell. Moth balls worked great for me with neighbor cats using my roses for a litter box, and nobody got hurt. (cheaper then pepper for a large area, too)

I'm with all you cat lovers above: I LOVE my orchids, but ADORE my pets!
Hey, wanna see some pictures of my dogs??? (be very careful when answering this question)
Fred's precious new puppy makes me want one!!

[sandra]

PhalPal, I think I may have solved the problem. I added very high shelving to my patio. Lilly wouldn't dare..... I don't think........
Come to think of it, I just might add for extra measure, some pepper as you've suggested.

OK, BRING ON THE PHOTOS. ALL OF THEM! I want to see your babies!

Originally Posted by PhalPal

I'm with all you cat lovers above: I LOVE my orchids, but ADORE my pets!
Hey, wanna see some pictures of my dogs??? (be very careful when answering this question)
Fred's precious new puppy makes me want one!!

[fred]

I also think that would be nice seeing our other pets as well.

I think what we do best here is share so why not.

[PhalPal]

Sandra- keep in mind that putting a prize on a high shelf just might encourage Lilly to go to new heights! I speak from experience, having put a fake plant in a little niche in a wall 16 feet from the floor. The last leap was about 6 feet straight up from the top of a china cabinet, landing on a six inch wide area. I heard him crying and it took me half an hour to find the little bugger! Who thought to look up?? In his defense, it was something new and he felt it surely required checking out. He was never a 'jumper' before the offending fake plant, so be careful Lilly won't get hurt.
Come to think of it....I had NEVER owned a fake plant before, maybe he just found it offensive!

[Vivienne]

PhalPhal - that is SO funny! I can just see your poor kitty stuck up on the ledge. Mine have always managed to get themselves into one thing or another. Once upon a time my boys had pet hermit crabs. Here's where we found Rocky one morning.

[turkeytaker]

Originally Posted by Vivienne

Once upon a time my boys had pet hermit crabs. Here's where we found Rocky one morning.

I've been lurking, but that is just too funny. Here are some pictures of my kiddies:

Elliette, my baby girl, is the doggie at the top of the stairs.

Wiki, aka Inanimate Cat, is the fluffy Maine Coone. She moves about four times a day. You can pick her up by the scruff of the neck, shake her about (gently, of course), and plop her down across the room, and she might blink a few times before going back to sleep.

My 'stepbrother' is the handsome guy with my guinea pig. It's my dad's cat who I babysit when he's out of the country.

[chefatplay]

Vivienne, that picture is too good. Turrkeytaker, I love your family, too. I will post my boys a little later. Have to go to work now, grrrrrrr.....

[sandra]

Vivienne, that pic is hysterical! PRICELESS! Were any crabs missing that morning?

turkeytaker, your family is gorgeous. I think I'm in love with Elliette. What a sweet looking girl.

[Vivienne]

LOL - no crabs were harmed in the invasion. But Rocky sure wanted to get the bleep out of that cage.

turkeytaker - love your baby girl, Elliette and your 'stepbrother'. How is that guinea pig still alive?

[turkeytaker]

Originally Posted by Vivienne

LOL - no crabs were harmed in the invasion. But Rocky sure wanted to get the bleep out of that cage.

turkeytaker - love your baby girl, Elliette and your 'stepbrother'. How is that guinea pig still alive?

He must have been pinched and been kinda freaked out by the way they were crawling on him!

The cat harasses the pig, but he likes her a live and moving too much to kill her. She also weighs about five pounds and will attack when extremely angry. I think that helps her cause, a little.

Thanks, sandra, she's a lovely girl. She's very fiesty and a huge brat, though.

[kel80]

Wow, a bunch of animal lovers!
Sandra, my Stitch did the same thing. I also trimmed the leaves back and they look okay for now. So far, so good. I'm going to try the oil and see what happens.

While I'm at it, I'll post my babies too! Vivienne, I am convinced Rocky and Maui are brothers.

Here is my Maddie:

And Stitch and Maui (Maui is just a babe here)

And one more of Stitch (I'm pregnant and had to find something to do with these baby clothes until she arrives!)

[Vivienne]

awww - more darlings!! That is too funny with the baby clothes.

[pikevi]

wow, so many beautiful pets.

kel80: I think you should keep those clothes just for 'stitch' and NOT use them on the 'new arrival'

I mean well

[sandra]

ooooh, pretty kitties you've got there kel and congratulations to you! When is your little girl due to arrive?

Healthy, happy, easy delivery to you.

P.S. pikevi's got a good point there. That outfit is rather fitting on kitty!

[fred]

awwww what cute kitties

my wife dresses me up like that shhhhh

I took Angee to a pet store this morning and i let her pick out a toy.

we came home and that was it play time.














BTW that is a real bird

[kel80]

Hehe, I think he ignored me for a few days after I made a fool out of him. Personally, I think they'll look better on him then the baby, but I don't think he would agree

Sandra, I'm due on Labor Day (how fitting!). It's going to be a lonnnng summer.

Fred, your pup is adorable! So is your bird!

Animals are so cool.

[PhalPal]

Sandra - You asked for it! I have not had time to post all my baby pictures, been a busy weekend, but I will! And you'll be sorry for encouraging me...

Vivienne -I LOVE hermit crabs; I think they have so much personality and are terribly under-rated. Your cat in the cage is hilarious! Cats get in to so much mischief you just have to laugh at them. Sort of Jack Russell like in their adventure seeking behaviors. I have a kitty that will rival your avatar's beautiful face - multiple pictures coming soon! Right now - Ducks in the Stanley Cup has taken some time away. Off to a game right now. They are not at home but we are going to watch them on the big screen at their home arena. Sorry Canada!!

Fred- Your new baby is still precious; they ARE worth their weight in gold, aren't they?

Kel80 - Congrats on the new baby. I was once a labor and delivery nurse and I really miss it sometimes. Just sooo amazing EVERY time!

All Of You - ARRGG! HOW in the world do all of you keep up with everything going on in the forum??! I just can't stay up on things!

[fred]

Quote=PhalPal]All Of You - ARRGG! HOW in the world do all of you keep up with everything going on in the forum??! I just can't stay up on things!

its not easy keeping up with all the posts some of us have more time to spend on the forum.

PahlPal my new little puppy Angee is like gold to me.
I treat her like Royalty at the moment as it is sunday i am haveing a lie in with my laptop on my wife snooring and little Angee asleep next to me as well.

its never a dull moment in this house