Plants my cat *loves:* * Dracaena marginata. Maybe because it looks like pet grass? Got it because I thought it might be tall enough to be out of her reach, but she'll stand on the planter and nibble on it! * Peace lilies. She'll nibble on whole leaves! She's eaten so much of it in the 6 months or so that I've had it, it's now smaller than when I bought it :( Plants she hasn't touched yet: * Pachira Aquatica (I've had it for a few weeks/month now). I got a taller version (waist/stomach height), but some of its leaves are still low enough that she can reach, especially with her planter-standing method. However, so far I haven't seen any nibbles! Fingers crossed that she doesn't grow accustomed to its scent or something of the sort and becomes more curious! * Snake plant. I didn't realize this plant was toxic for cats, but thankfully it's always been housed in areas she can't frequent -- in a hard-to-reach spot of a kitchen counter/island (I had it surrounded by cookbooks and my coffee maker) or its current spot at the top of a bookshelf. They don't require loads of light, so it's easier to position these plants somewhere you can enjoy, but your cat can't. * Succulents. I've kept a couple in window sills year-round and she hasn't touched them. Although I don't recommend keeping succulents indoors unless you have super bright Southern sunlight or grow lights. I had an Echeveria Green Goddess that is etiolated slightly from my mostly Southern, slightly Eastern window. I think I'll stick with sedums/Graptopetalum Paraguayense (which I think still look attractive with their sliiiiight legginess) for indoors year-round.

They go from chrysalid to butterfly very quickly, like a week or so, Heather. Could you bring it in now, while it's still eating? You can make a container for the edelweiss by punching a hole in a plastic leftovers container that you've filled with water - make the hole just big enough to accommodate the branch. Keep offering your cat new food if it wants to continue to eat, although it looks like it's ready to pupate. Do you have some type of container that you could cover with bridal veil material (for circulation) to put the cat/chrysalid and leftovers container in? You can secure the bridal veil material with clothes pins or a rubber band or whatever works. If you put the cat and leftovers container in a glass container (like an aquarium) or any other similarly slick container, then you'll need to put some sticks or other things for the butterfly to hang upside down on while it "hangs out" - they have to do this for several hours, so that their body fluids can move from their abdomens to their wings, and their wings can harden enough for them to fly. They can't get a grip on slick containers, especially glass. You could keep this container outside in a protected area, like on a porch, to keep ants from making a trail to the chrysalis - ants love chrysalids! Or, you could keep it inside in a warm room. Once the butterfly has emerged and its wings hardened, you can release it - you and your children will love it! MissSherry

Thanks Sherry, When I checked on the cats this evening, I saw them going from the leaf on the red plant to a leaf from a yellow one that was touching their leaf. It was so cool to watch, but I didn't have my camera out, and did not have the energy to go get it, plus, it was starting to get dark out. I didn't know how I was going to move them anyway, but then I just took a leaf off that some were on that didn't touch another plant and bravely put them on a leaf of the biggest strongest looking sunflower plant. I really hated doing that to my plant, but I will trust you that they won't kill it. :o) Thanks for the ids, too. I am putting book marks in the pages of my book with the butterflies I've seen in the yard. DH and I took more pics today, including a moth I've not seen before. My book, Ultimate Guide to Backyard Bugs, Garden Insects of North America, by Whitney Cranshaw has one that looks real close, and I think it is the Hummingbird clearwing. It doesn't look like the hummingbird moths I've seen. It's pretty cool. In fact, I thought it was a butterfly at first. Sue

Hi, msbee. Yes, the mesh has certainly been a permanent solution for me. The square openings in the mesh are approx. 1/2" in width and the cat's claws get hung up in it, which annoys the heck outta them. They can't dig in it and that's the point...keeping them from digging and then pooping. They're fastidious critters and if they can't dig a hole and then cover up their business, they normally will find another place to go. If you do put mulch over it, don't put too much because that will defeat the purpose..the cats will find a deep mulch just as satisfying to dig in as dirt and they'll poop in your mulch. I barely cover mine with a dusting of pine bark fines, which hides the black colored mesh quite well. The thing is, the cats need enough space to turn around in, dig in, squat in...etc. I have found it is sufficient to only use the mesh in open areas between my plants that are large enough for the cats to comfortably use as potty area...they won't usually get too close to your plants to do their business because the plants brush them and poke them while they're at it, and they don't seem to like that. So try it in the larger open areas of your garden first. This post has become a novella, so I'll stop blabbing now. It's only that I tried unsuccessfully for so long to keep cat poop out of my garden, and I'm thrilled to share something that DOES work. Does anyone want me to post photos? RENEE