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Monday, November 19, 2012

Cat kills tolumnia spike

It happened again.  This time it took less that a minute.  Barely seconds after I put the Tolumnia Pink Panther into the water bucket for watering, the cat bit off the tip of the spike.  Only the lowest side spike branch remains.  It will regrow, but it will take longer time, and I don't know if I'll get as big of a flowering now that the bulk of the original buds are destroyed.

How can I stop this from happening again?  I try to be vigilant, to keep the cat away while I'm watering, but this time my back was turned for barely a few seconds.  He went straight for the flower spike.  I am at a loss.

4 comments:

  1. I feel your pain, over the years my poodle has crunched three pairs of designer sunnies, my favourite artist quote book, leather gloves and probably more items I have I've had to block out of my memory! I have recently given up my malnourished orchid collection as I couldn't look after them, i am fascinated with your orchid family. Flora x

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  2. Sorry for your loss. I sympathize as I too have a plant crunching cat who seems to enjoy biting into leaves and stems of various plant species including orchids. Your cat seems to have taken out your tolumnia spike in a more prey driven play. These spikes do look like cat toys even to me. My suggestion would be to place the watering bucket on a stool or an up turned 5 gal. bucket that doesn't allow the cat to get next to it although this won't prevent flying leaps of attack. Discourage him further from hanging out near the orchids by squirting him with water, in time he may just avoid the area.

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    1. Thank you--that's actually really insightful. I'll find a way to prop up the watering jug in a way that he can't sit and bite at the contents. Regardless of what I do or don't end up doing as far as further protecting the orchids on their shelves, this is a great idea for making them safer while they're getting watered. Thanks!

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  3. Hello mmate great blog post

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