We raised over 300 last year and in the end, the easiest method to keep everything clean and natural was to cover the planters with pop-up laundry hampers. We would leave about 20 cats per plant and secure a hamper to the base of the planter with clothespins. This year, the ones we're bringing in we're keeping in butterfly keeper pop-ups with startup planters of their host plant. I planted all of the seeds from last year's pods and now I can place 4 1-quart planters per cage on a melamine plate to make it easier to clean up. The cats don't wander around too much, just go from planter to planter, so the OE is non-existent. Still, I find last year's method easier and less stressful on the cats, too. The absolute most difficult way we ever did it, was our first year, when we tried to keep them in plastic containers, with fresh leaves and napkins for the frass. It was an incredible amount of work and the OE was much more abundant in tight quarters. I think next year, I'm going back to covering planters. Definitely been the most effective for us!

Two points. Torture is a relative term. Is it torture when a lion catches an antelope and begins eating it before the antelope is completely dead? Is it torture for the antelope to be chased by the lion? Is there really any difference between the terrified antelope and a cow being forced up a killing chute and killed quickly with a blow to the head? Humanoids have eaten plants and animals since before we were Homo sapiens. We killed animals however we could. Forcing herds over a cliff and leaving most of the animals to rot, since there were too many to eat before the rest began to decay. Most people in the US are appalled by the thought of eating dog or horse meat. Because we have enough wealth to keep those animals as pets, making them more special to us. I can't visualize eating monkey meat and I would never open a clam/oyster and eat the insides. I have tried roasted opossum(once was enough---greasy, nasty tasting) and like rattlesnake. I've butchered chickens, hogs, and cows, processed them, cooked them, and enjoyed eating them. What people eat is what they grow up eating. Point two. Everything dies. Some things die quickly, some die slowly. Ever see a cow or deer with wasting disease? Or a starved horse or a dog? Pitiful sights. Makes me mad. People have the ability to choose what they want to eat. Those same people have no right to force me to abide by their beliefs---like PETA(I like my version of P(eople)E(ating)T(asty)A(nimals). You want to eat chocolate covered spiders? Have at. Don't be surprised if I say "No Thanks".

What a thread- oldie, but goodie. My take is a bit of a compromise: All of our friends understand my 9 year old sweet Beagle Max. He was abandoned by breeders when he was 6 weeks old, due to their loss of lease on a property. We adopted him, brought him home and did our best. But this way-too-young-to-be-away-from-his pack was needy. We gave him all the love he needed. He's very smart and observant, and so simply started emulating his pack. That includes hugging when people enter our home, since this is the behavior he's always seen. He hugs, too. That's really all he asks, from a visitor. A hug, and maybe a sweet kiss- no tongue, he just puts his face on your neck. Funny doggie! It can get a bit "rambunctious" as people enter. But our friends get it, hug him like he's our furry two year old, and then Max calms down. Not everybody loves it, and we know the friends where we just need to remove him for a bit, until he gets less excited for company. Now, if children enter? Another story. He's not allowed to do that. He LOVES kids, but I can't have Max bowling toddlers over. So we keep that in check, and wait to see if the child is interested. Then we introduce them, let the child pet him (silkiest hair, ears you've ever felt), and he's gentle. Max is, like most hounds, also driven by his nose and stomach. He's not allowed around guests as they eat- he knows where to sit. If he get's invasive, then he has to go to his "room". He hates that, since he's social and just wants to be around people, so it's rare that he won't comply. Now- when a stranger comes to the door? We let them have the "full effect". Aggressive barks- and loud- until and unless we signal that it's safe. And we put his 'good dog leash" on, if this is (for example) a repair person, there to do a job. But if you're not invited? You're not invited, and he sounds like the Gates of Hell are opening, until he's told "ok". A compromise that works for us and our friends. My sweet pup, in his first month at my house. He just wanted to be ok. Grew up to be fairly mellow Still thinks he's a person.

I was up at my local convience store chatting with the cashier (one of my neighbors) about the Miniture Chihuahua that she just got, and we went on to talking about my Shi Tzu, the guy that was standing there waiting for his C.C slip to print, told us that he just got a Shih Tzu puppy from petland, said he paid 1,200 (!!!!) dollars for this dog, said it has already had 2 seizures, and he was suppose to get lifetime vet visits, now they told him it is 6 well check visits, liars! I felt so bad for him. I told him to get on the internet if he could stomache it and look up all the negativity on petland. I told him the Shih Tzu puppy can be bought from any where from 300 to 500 dollars in our area. I can't believe those people are getting people to buy their puppies at those prices! He said they asked him if he would like to get a loan to buy the dog, he said it was as if they was trying to push the loan issue with him. Fuddruckers is in the same shopping mall as PetLand, now I do love my hamburgers, but I won't even eat there just because they are next door to that place. I am getting worked up just thinking about it, he showed me a pic of his puppy (a guy that carries a pic of his dog in his wallet!) and he looked like such a sweetheart (the dog not the guy:) what a shame.