slb@drutx.UUCP (Sue Brezden) (11/01/85)
> We have six indoor cats, and have had cats for a number of years. >I have tried various solutions to the problem, but to no avail. At this time >we have NO indoor plants (leaf eating was more of a problem with our furry >little friends). Cats need some vegetation to eat--even though they are carnivores. They have to have a few vitamins and they use it as a laxative and hairball remover. This is one place where cats who get to go outdoors have it all over ones who stay inside. (The disadvantages of letting a cat out are many, of course.) Ours never eat indoor plants except occasionally in the winter if there has been snow on the ground for awhile--they just chow down on the lawn. Our cats, though, eat DRIED BOUQUETS! Why, I have no idea. But I can't keep baby's breath or anything similar around. It can't be the vitamin content--maybe they just like the crunch. At any rate, I have heard that a possible solution for defoliating cats is to plant a pot of grass for your cats and allow them to graze on it. Then use your squirt gun or whatever to discourage them from munching on the ferns and spider plants. You can plant a bit of catnip in with the grass to make it even more attractive. I've also heard that you really should provide them with greens if they don't go outside. -- Sue Brezden ihnp4!drutx!slb ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I march to the beat of a different drummer, whose identity, location, and musical ability are as yet unknown. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~