Cats love Agave?
You already knew that I have cats right? They don't venture outdoors after we adopt them, but that doesn't mean that I haven't learned some things about cats and plants. One thing I learned when Kumo wasn't yet ours...
...is that cats really love bamboo. Not just rubbing against it, but eating it too. I love how cut bamboo looks in vases indoors, but that look doesn't last long because the branches immediately turn into a cat salad bar.
...would be shared by the cats too?
They love them!
Or at least they love the spiky-sharp, potentially deadly leaf tips.
They've been chewing on them!
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| Took a comp right into a leaf edge too! |
Maybe they're just trying to protect me from the dangers...
...of the super-sharp tips.
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| Still sharp but no longer stiff, so much less dangerous |
I doubt it.
I'm not overly upset by this, as those oldest leaves will get damaged over time anyway, even without help from the cats...
...but I'll have to remember that the Agaves will have to stay in the cat-free basement next winter.
Incidentally, they enjoy the Aloes too but as toys: they occasionally break a rubbery leaf tip off and bat it around the house, chasing and pouncing. Sigh.
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Silly kitties! Maybe they need some grass to munch on?
Naughty kitties! Have to say this is the first time I've heard of them taking a liking towards agave leaves. Perhaps it's only a temporary thing?
I didn't even see the smaller Agave (not shown in this post) until just now: they ate almost an entire pup off that one! Grrrr.
My cats like to munch on the philodendron I overwinter inside. This year it got so bad I smeared Siracha all over the leaves. Now they're leaving it alone.
My kitty is obsessed with grasses. I gave him his own Nassella and he scratched and smothered it to death. Maybe an agave would give him a challenge!
Andrew has this idea that Lila needs a kitty friend. My list of why that doesn't need to happen is lengthy. You've just added another, very serious, reason.
I am stunned, I had no idea...You learn something new every day.
Mark/Gaz: I think it is temporary: they'll stop as soon as the entire plant is chewed. ;)
Kathy: I stay away from repellants (indoors or out) that contain pepper, as I'm afraid of what would happen if it got into the animal's eyes.
Loree: adding a second cat is usually not a problem. Number 3 is where things can go crazy. I don't have 1 dog 1 cat experience to share, but I will say that some cats have no interest in the plants at all. The problem is you can't tell until they've moved in.
I'm not a cat person/expert, but from what friends tell us, there's little (maybe nothing) cats won't try to eat, at least once.
Funny cat! I would be glad if our cat would eat it...:)
We have a really big bamboo in our garden but the cat ignores it, he prefers some kind of cat grass. When I bought it the first time for the garden (!), I had no idea that the cat is really mad about that grass. So when I buy it know, it's only for the cat...:)
Both Aloe and Agave are toxic to cats.