Stop spraying until she grows out of it and talk to your vet! Since kittens normally do not eat rose petal, I would be concerned there is something in the fungicide that is attracting her. Yes, cats are idiosyncratic and you may just happen to have a cat that like rose petals. The rose forum is not the place you should asking this question. You can also read the labels and look the ingredients up on the web to find the reommendations for use around pets and other creatures. I don't know on your specific fungicides--I'm a no spray garden because I don't want to put crtters at risk.

Good advice!

Jeri

I have 2 grown cats and spray Bayer Advanced fungicide. On the day that I spray, I lock both of my girls up in the house and they are not allowed outside until the spray is completely dry on the plants. I don't take any chances with their safety.

When my Tabby was a baby kitten, she chewed on everything she could get her mouth on. She shredded napkin rings, curtains, shoes, etc. It was just a kitten-stage and she outgrew it after a year or so but I had to really watch her. She still has the predisposition to chew on plants also, but not to the extent of eating my roses.

So it is up to you to keep her safe because the chemicals are not good for her and I would definitely stop spraying or keep her inside the house and out of the garden. Your kitty's health should come first before the rose's.

And please take your kitty to the vet for a check-up since you said she's acting sleepy.
-terry...cat mama to one 18-year old & 7-year old rescued kitties

Yes! I agree with everyone. Keep your kitten away from the roses! Try some sprouted wheat grass or pet grass from the pet supply. Kittens do need lots of sleep, your vet can tell you what's normal. The kitten programs that some vets offer are great. Your kitty sees the vet lots for one low cost and you can get help with all your questions. Senior plans for cats have been great in my experience as well.

You could switch your fungicide to a natural or organic one until she outgrows her chewing stage (teething probably). I've found that baking soda in water with a bit of vegetable oil works fine for a maintenance spray and that certainly won't hurt your kitten. I would suggest milk/water but that would probably be right up the kittens alley!!! :o)

Gilli

Hi; I'd like to add my two cents worth....we have a 3 year old rescue kitty. I believe there was a bit of pot inhalation in his first year, so that might account for his plant predilections, but he is an insatiable rose eater. He prefers the blossoms, but if I break those off, he's happy enough with the leaves. I overwintered a couple minis indoors, and had to keep them wrapped in bird netting to keep him from defoliating them. So, this might be a baby phase with your kitten, and he might be teething, but there's no guarantee he'll outgrow it! Our cat is very social, and likes to be with us when we garden; we spend a lot of time with the roses, so this may be part of what attracts him. Of course, he'll eat any florist flowers we bring into the house, too...SIGH.

So, I guess you'll either have to not spray, or spray with cat friendly things, or put something down in your rose beds that the cat finds aversive (moth balls, maybe? I know there are smells that horrify our cat, but can't think what they are. Probably if we hung bacon from the roses, he'd stay away. SUCH a strange cat).

You can also try some behavior mod with the hose when the kitten approaches the plants. That would have been a permanent fix with my old cat, but I think Mike has just learned that he's not to eat the roses when mommy is around. No, who am I kidding, he hasn't learned that. ;)

Hope that helps;
Lara

The solution is to keep the kitten away from the roses. Spread a carpet of pine cones around the roses. Cats won't walk on them. Worked to keep cats from pooping along the foundation of my house and in my planter barrels.

Barbara

Sorry to ask the question here, but I am a regular poster and thought you all would have the best information. I love my roses and their pretty green perfect leaves but not at the sacrifice of my kitten's health. I will try to find an organic spray (actually had thought about going organic for my health as well). Thanks for your advice.

Good advice above. I can only add that I hope you'll consider keeping your kitten indoors. If you start them young they won't miss being outside and they'll be safe from cars, animals, plants, and other threats.

My (completely indoor) cats love roses. They'll stick their noses in the blooms in a vase, rub against them, nibble, etc. so kitten might outgrow it and might not! There are icky-smelling sprays sold to repel cats and dogs in the garden, you could spray those around the roses and you could make up a spray with cayenne pepper or something to *try* to discourage the kitten from thinking roses are good to eat.