Please don't hate me Laura, but cayenne pepper sprinkled on the top has worked for friends, do not tell your mother this I couldn't bear "peanut" having nasty paws(even for a minute) Did I mention I'M in love with "Peanut? M

It's the peat moss that's probably causing the problem. Most potting soils are composed mostly of peat moss, and once it dries out, it becomes very hard to wet again. This could indicate that you're not watering your plants enough though. =) Personally, I use President's Choice potting soil from Superstore. It's cheap and surprisingly good. And all potting soil will become hard over time. Houseplants should generally be repotted every year or two into fresh 'soil' so that this doesn't happen. However, you could eschew potting 'soils' all together. Why not try sphagnum moss or shredded cedar bark mulch? Sphag gets crusty when it dries out, but is very easily re-wetted. Shredded cedar mulch is cheap, provides a nice open mix that many tropicals love (if you keep up with the watering; it does dry out faster), and you wouldn't need to repot as often because the bark takes a long time to break down. You also wouldn't get mushrooms growing in your pots.

As for cats, pepper should not be used, as they might get it in their eyes, and this would cause such intense irritation and pain that they may scratch their own eyes in trying to get the pepper out. You can try orange peels, though some people's cats actually like them. Cinnamon sticks might work, or a top-dressing of sharp gravel (as long as it doesn't resemble kitty little too closely!).

Laura - I have just about given up on commercial mixes - I almost always mix my own these days. The only big problem that remains is finding the right ingredients.

Sahoyaref is right - it does sound like peat moss is your problem - it is one tough son of a b**** to rewet if it dries out completely. But there are several other options - the only real problem is what is available locally!

Partially composted pine bark is an excellent base for a soil(less) mix - but it's almost impossible for me to find :-( . Cedar mulch is pretty good too, but I've never seen it fine enough for my needs. Coir is a nice peat substitute that is becomming easier to find - I usually see it sold in bricks that need to be broken up and moistened, but I do find it kind of pricey. A very fine orchid mix would be a good base too, but it's also likely to be expensive.

I mix whatever I'm using as a base with about 1/3 - 1/2 perlite and vermicluite (depending on how wet the plant likes to be), but vermiculite breaks down pretty fast... You can also use *coarse* sand, or chicken grit if you can find it (it's probably cheaper than perlite). This drains fast and doesn't hold a lot of water, so you'll need to water more often than if you were using a peat based soil, but it's better for the plant to drain really well and get watered more often.

If you're stuck using peat moss as a base, then I'd advise not letting it go completely dry. If the soil does dry out completely, then you can soak the plant in a kitchen sink full of barely warm water, to which a small amount of dish soap has been added, but I'd put the pot into the shower for a good rinsing the next day. And change as much of the soil as possible as soon as possible.

My cat that died last year was really bad for getting into pots and using them as a cat pan. The best solution was to find something to cover the soil with that was too much trouble to dig in. For me it was those large pieces of bark mulch in my outside plants and those decorative glass stones that they sell by the bagfull at the dollar store for the indoor plants. Sometimes just adding a layer of sphagmum moss is enough - it no longer looks nice and inviting (but sphagnum moss can encourage fungus gnats...). Or you could find something that the cat's afraid of and put it in the pot (cats are always afraid of something wierd!).

As a temporary measure you can just tape a plastic bag or some cardboard over the surface to keep the kitty from getting even more in the habit.

BP

Laura, I had success covering big pots with aluminum foil, cat did not want to touch foil.

Thank you all for the suggestions .. I like the idea of mixing my own soil. I do have alot of coir left from this years outdoor pots .. I added it with my "water" plants and they have all thrived.

I have tried the aluminum foil .. they decided it was fun to run on
Sphagmum moss .. well that ended up from one end of the room to another.

I think I will try the decorative rocks .. maybe some chicken wire over the top ..

Mora .. I would never be upset by a suggestion .. after all it is only a suggestion. Peanut is still a little itty bitty .. she is smaller that the four week old kittens I have and she is now at least 8 weeks old :o)

Laura