Cats in Kids' Gardens

Top 2. Sep 17, 2003 12:45 PM

» Carol Wallace - Too Cute! :)

I always plant a special area for my cats, with catmint, catnip and valerian. They love that and so don't use the rest of the garden as a litterbox, and they do make a good pest patrol - lots of mice and voles.

-- posted by Carol Wallace

Top 3. Sep 17, 2003 2:31 PM

» Tery01 - Too Cute!:)

In response to message posted by CarolWallace:

That is a cool idea! smile What is valerian? Good to see you Carol smile

-- posted by Tery01

Top 4. Sep 17, 2003 9:53 PM

» biogardener - Valerian

Valerian root in the strongest of all herbal relaxants. Unfortunately, it is not hardy in Manitoba. It has a much stronger smell than catnip, and people either love it or hate it. I grew up with it and love it. People who do not get to taste the tea or the extract until they are grown up, usually hate it.

Careful with all relaxants, herbal or otherwise. Only use it in emergencies, because it loses its effectiveness with repeated use. I explain that in the article, "Catnip, not just for Cats."

The first time I brewed valerian root tea with a cat in the house, she just rolled all over the floor and got very happy and agreeable, much more so than with catnip. And that cat was not known ever to be agreeable. She especially did not like me, because I was living in the room which had belonged to the daughter of the people. So she considered me as an intruder.

BTW, cats do not use my garden as a toilet, even though I have made a sand hill for that purpose. They go and poop on my neighbor's open porch, just to show her that their disdain.

-- posted by biogardener

Top 5. Sep 25, 2003 11:31 AM

» mastiffs2005 - My Charlie

My kitty Charlie is a wonderful gardener! He follows me everywhere to keep me company, and he eats lots of grasshoppers and other critters, too! When I go to pick something, though, he swats me LOL I think he thinks it is HIS garden instead of mine smile

Great article, Traute!
Love & Hugs,
Dar

-- posted by mastiffs2005

Top 6. Sep 25, 2003 8:01 PM

» biogardener - Charlie is a smart cat.

Your Charlie is a smart cat. Of course, it is his garden, but he is kind enough to let you do his work for him. Dustytoo agrees with that.

-- posted by biogardener

Top 7. Sep 26, 2003 9:07 AM

» mastiffs2005 - Re: Charlie is a smart cat.

In response to message posted by biogardener:

OH, he sure outsmarted me! smile That must be why he rests under the pumpkin leaves while I do all the weeding! I'm going to have to keep an eye on him! smile

Love & Hugs,
Dar

-- posted by mastiffs2005

Top 8. Dec 28, 2003 7:20 PM

» Rocksy - I love my Cats...

...and couldn't live without them either. I wish I knew how to post a picture in here. I have 3 totally different looking and personalities here.

Two of them think they are part dog as they follow me like a puppy and constantly keep me company whenever I am out in the yard. They love to sleep in the front flower bed in the summer under the shrubs and I get such a kick out of how they dart out when I water not knowing they are there. lol

I agree...they do NOT use my place as a toilet either smile

One of them (the snottiest girl cat) won't leave my side when I am ill. It's so funny as she's very snotty...won't be touched, but if I am sick or upset she won't leave my side. One instance in particular when I was going through a very stressful time, I woke up to her curled up in my neck between my chin and my shoulder. I was ecstatic.........have to be a cat lover for that one! lol

-- posted by Rocksy

Top 9. Dec 28, 2003 8:24 PM

» biogardener - photos

Rocksy, if you have photos of your cats and can scan them, you can send them to me as attachments and I can post them.

Dustytoo lay right on top of me when I had the flu and that was just the day after we adopted him. I get the feeling that my cats like me being sick because that way they can sleep with me all day.

-- posted by biogardener