Given proper care (including protection from animals) they'll grow right back. Do you have deer there? This seems much more likely than cats. Deer do come into buildings on occasion, probably do not see any difference between rooms with walls and forest vegetation. Same as birds trying to fly through windows, as though they saw these as gaps between trees and shrubs etc.

If you somehow still have a way to be certain it was the cats then I would talk to a vet about possible pesticide exposure (also they are likely to know how often, if ever cats chew roses). Mini roses coming from a production greenhouse are probably quite likely to have had chemicals used on them at frequent intervals.

Pebbles in bottoms of pots don't improve drainage, in fact instead they tend to cause otherwise draining water to back up into the potting soil after encountering them. It is the same problem of marked changes in soil texture within a small area adversely affecting movement of water through that area as when planting hole back-fill is amended during the installation of plants in the ground.

Embo, are you suggesting that deer came into her home in order to eat the roses?

Cats that are raised as indoor only pets will often devour indoor vegetation.

My concerns for skrimply relate to the use of the 3 in 1. Why was this product used? And in regards to the fertilizer application, I'd be very conservative.

A munched plant will regrow, often becoming fuller (more branched) and prettier than before. It does not need pesticides and fertilizers in order to do that.

Thank you both for taking time to reply. I am absolutely certain that deer are not to blame. The neighborhood that I live in is quite expansive and there isn't much nearby in the way of suitable habitat for them. I have only seen two in the six years that I have lived here, and those two were several miles away near a wildlife management area. The window the roses are in faces the backyard, which is completely fenced in and the window has a screen that the deer would have to remove or destroy in order to gain access to the plants. I did worry about the cat getting poisoned, my vet was closed last night but I did take her to the vet this morning and she is fine. I used the Bayer 3 in 1 because it was what I had on hand at the time, but going forward I'm not going to use it. I'm not going to do anything about the pebbles until I re-pot them or unless they stop thriving. Thank you both for your input, I feel better knowing that they'll bounce back.

they are plants .. not children ... they do NOT need to be fed so often ... and they were probably hyper fert'd for sale anyway ... personally ... i would not fert them again .. until maybe 6 weeks after they are planted in mother earth ...

there are a couple rose forums.. if you wish to find the mavens ....

they will be fine.. if you dont kill them with too much love .. when you take them outdoors.. you will need to harden them off to direct sun ...

we toyed with these many many years ago ... like many disposable holiday houseplants ... they may or may not thrive outdoors ... often.. plants are chosen for one trait .. say extreme profusion of bloom ... but they might not have a good root trait for outdoor life ...

so .. go for it.. and perhaps you will succeed ... but if you dont.. blame the seller/grower .. lol ...

btw ... in my MI ... we cut them back further than that ever fall .. and the next spring.. they regrow.. its how roses do it ...

if you plan on coming back often... ALWAYS add your location ... it usually helps ...

good luck

ken

BTW: ... since roses can be considered a shrub ... perhaps you can use the primer at the link.. when you plant them ...

https://sites.google.com/site/tnarboretum/Home/planting-a-tree-or-shrub

you cost me money .. lol ..

they had the striped red and white version for 2.75 at the grocery store .... i couldnt walk by .. lol ...

mine looks like rooted cuttings.. almost in a sponge ..... i highly doubt i could get it to survive outside.. unless i bare rooted it... in the proper season ... and really coddled the thing ... definitely not the middle of summer ...

regardless.. i will enjoy the heck out of it ...

ken

Thanks for taking time to respond, Ken. Your phrase about loving my plants to death made me giggle. I used to groom dogs, and that's the phrase we would use when referring to morbidly obese pets lol! It makes total sense to apply it to plants too. I appreciate you letting me know that I had latched onto incorrect information. I had planned to fertilize the roses every two weeks because that was what several websites said that they needed when I was searching for care instructions. It didn't quite make sense to me, but I wasn't sure if the minis needed extra attention since they are in pots for the time being. I have a full sized rose in the garden that is doing exceptionally well with minimal time investment on my part. I water it, prune it, deadhead when I remember, and put new mulch down every year but that's the extent of its care unless I see it's having an issue. I live in southeastern Louisiana, so blackspot and powdery mildew are common issues for some gardeners down here. These little ones will go into large containers when it's time for them to move outdoors. I am originally from Georgia, and am planning to move back home this fall to be able to spend more time with my dad. He's in the early stages of liver failure and has RA, so he'll probably be needing some help managing his home before too long. I am planning to take my little roses and some gardenias I've grown from cuttings with me to plant at my new house. Thank you for the link to the "shrubbery" (sorry, total Monty Python fan here lol) instructions. Summer down here is no joke, the sun can and will bake plants to a crisp in no time if I'm not careful.

As for your new addition: I'm sorry for not being sorry lol! I was cruising through minis on the Heirloom Roses site and was in awe over the many different colors they have to offer. I saw striped ones like the one you picked up and they do look quite glorious! I signed up to be notified when Cafe Ole becomes available again, I thought it was such a beautiful color and am excited about the prospect of it being somewhat fragrant. There were others that I added to my wish list as well, I'm a sucker for the apricot, orange, and coral colored varieties. Innocence and Violet Mist really grabbed my attention as well. I'm glad to hear you'll enjoy your new plant, when I got mine they were also discounted. I got them a couple of days after Valentine's Day from Wal-Mart for around $2.75 as well. Chris had asked me if he could treat me for the occasion and I had told him no, but when I saw the roses I changed my tune lol! Their roots were also not very long, but that may have been because 2-3 plants were crammed into each 3 inch pot. Only time will tell how well they develop, but in the meantime they're bringing me a lot of joy! Thanks again for your time and knowledge!