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Cacti & Succulents

Keeping Cats out of Aloe Vera

13 years ago

Hello again,

I just recently brought my Aloe Vera plant home from work, because it was getting no light at work and we have a nice southern window for it at home :-). So far it has been doing very well, (even sent out a new pup) but we have cats at home which will not leave it alone. I tried putting some chicken wire screen around it which worked for a while, but the cats ended up knocking the plant and screen to the floor to get at the plant.

Does anyone out there know of any effective ways to repel cats from house plants? Can I spray the aloe with lemon juice to repel them or will that harm the plant? What about cayenne pepper? Also, I read on google that Coleus Canina is a plant which repels cats, could I plant it in the pot with the aloe vera?

Thanks in advance

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Comments (4)

norma_2006
13 years ago
I don't understand what harm a cat can do to a plant, other than rub their cheeks up against it or head so it can scratch them selves. I have a cat and plants in my home, my little darling doesn't not harm the plants. Play with the cat more and scratch her/him. My baby does knock down pictures, the clock, costers, water bottle, licks any thing with glue on it, scotch tape, any thing I have on a table which she thinks don't belong she takes off. Remove the plant, put it in a room and close the door. Bring it out when you have company. Use a spray bottle to train the cat that it is an icky-icky. It takes time and patience. Mine is young and we are both learning. They are always interested in any thing new, something that wasn't there before, she is marking her/his territory. Cats are naturally curious. Norma
User
13 years ago
Cats are curious and will immediately gravitate toward new items brought into the house. I would buy a plant for your cat--maybe alfalfa or catnip, or just plant some grass seed in a small pot. Let kitty express its botanical interests. I've noticed that my cat loves the rustling sound that's made when she picks around the dead leaves on an otherwise healthy Aloe vera. I rarely move my plants around to accommodate my cats though.

Here is a link that might be useful:
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I would do both. I would grow Aloe vera outside in the ground in the garden. Aloes love to grow in the ground much better than in pots. It does pup furiously and you are in Zone 9. If you do get a light freeze, it will come back from the roots easily. I have some coming back from a freeze down toi 15F. True, 2 years later, LOL. I would use the store bought stuff till you have a good sized bunch going. It will proliferate, and if you are using it every day, you will need a nice bank of it. I give it a bit of shade because the Texas sun is merciless. I would keep both on hand until you get a feel for the right sized bank going where one can harvest and not over harvest according to your uses. You might research because some of the other aloes are also medicinal and good for skin and other stuff too. I spent 3 weeks on an intensive care ward on the windward side of Oahu in the 70's. I had third degree burns. My eye lid was split and my cheek was hamburger. I had 3rd degree burns down my arms , body and legs. They were not hugely bad 3 degree burns except for those on my face. I am a red head. I had people smuggle in aloe vera since I could not really figure out what they were doing to treat my burns. I was the first real burn patient in this little hospital in years. I kept the aloe coming and they were amazed at my progress. An intern said that red haired people usually scar less from burns because of our lack of pigment. I swear it was because of the aloe. When I am burned, it is the first thing I grab for.
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I see in the last picture link that bag of cactus soil. Did you amend this soil when you potted your Aloes? It doesn't look like you added much perlite or gravel to the mix, but maybe you did. This soil can compact and dry out. Once it is dry, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to get it hydrated again. Water will run around the hard dry soil, but not through it. So then your plant is not getting the water you are giving it. I have had plants appear to have nice moist soil, but the soil around the roots was compacted and dry - meaning my plant was very thirsty. The leaves on your aloes look thin, making me think your plant is not getting the water. The recent rain may have soaked through any dried soil. Let's hope so! The color doesn't concern me as much as the thin leaves. These 2 plants had pretty much the same growing conditions. The one on the right did receive more of the evening sun. That one stayed brownish, but both had the plump leaves one expects to see.
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Sorry to disagree, but no, one shouldn't necessarily cut back on watering these Aloes in Winter (or maybe just cut it back a bit). Many Aloes can grow all winter long & since they bloom in Feb. I definitely wouldn't cut back watering in winter -- unless you're keeping them, pretty cool. In NYC, next to cold window over warm radiator, my Aloes stay in growth all winter.
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hawks1282
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks for all the advice :-)

Unfortunately, our cats are very persistent and I can't be around all the time with the water bottle to keep them away. They tend to chew on the leaves and knock the plant over. What I'm really looking for is something that will discourage them from going near this particular plant, even when no-one is home. There are other plants in the house that are safer and better for them to play with.

Thanks again
User
13 years ago
Some folks suggest placing pieces of lemon peel on top of the mix, the cast don't like the smell.

Or place some balls of rolled up tin foil on top of the mix, they don't like to walk on it.

I believe pet shops carry a spray called Bitter Apple, used for the same purpose.

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