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I have two beloved fixed male cats. My husband is throwing a fit that they keep pooping in large plant pots.
He wants me to get rid of the cats. Personally, I'd just as soon get rid of him and keep the cats. But that means I'd need a new place to live.
Any cheap rentals in Haw'n acres, Ainaloa or Leilani that accepts outdoor cats? Or housesitting situations? I work at home on the Internet, so I have an income, just not a large income.
Or advice on how to deal with my cats before they get shot or something?
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Might want to trying screening the top of the plant pots with hardware cloth or chicken wire type - even the plastic kind- can be held with straps or tape if the screen is not enough deterrent (unless moving is easier/better solution)
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I'll try it if he'll let me. He probably won't though, just wants the cats gone.
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That happened to me once. I got rid of the husband and kept the animals. It was one of my better decisions in the long run. Good luck. I wish I could help.
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Ah, memories. I knew when my husband got home cuz the cat hid behind the couch. Hope your hubby isn't cruel to the cats! I vote you two get some marriage counseling. This is deeper than him not liking your cats.
He who hoots with owls at night cannot soar with the eagles in the morning.
He who hoots with owls at night cannot soar with the eagles in the morning.
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Sprinkle either blood meal (Should be able to pick up at Home Depot or Garden Exchange) or cayenne pepper flakes on the soil of the plant. That will keep the cats out.
If you would rather live with your cats than you husband then obviously there is an underlying issue so I would do the above to keep the cats alive and peace in the home as a quick fix and then find a new place to live. Not that you asked about the second part but just figured I would throw in my two cents.
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I can't provide you with any marital aid but one way to keep the cats out of the planter is to go to a building supply store and get some of those wooden tack strips they use for laying carpet and put them in the pots tack side up. You can hide them with a very thin layer of soil for aesthetic purposes if you want.
If this is inside, there is usually a reason they aren't using the cat box and seeking out the planters. Either they don't like the litter, it's too dirty, or they have a urinary tract infection and have associated the pain of trying to go with the litter box.
I've heard the pepper flake recommendation before but don't know anybody for whom it has actually worked anywhere it rains. Citrus peels are reported to work as a repellent in damp areas.
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I use twigs (uluhe fern stems) stuck upright in planting beds to keep the cats out. My cats like to roll around in a freshly planted bed, as well as pooping.
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Good Idea Lee!
Molly and I call them "pokey sticks" for the same reason you thought they'd be of use it seems : )
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Discipline your cats (spray bottle, water) and keep them from doing what your husband doesn't like. No one would like cats pooping in their potted plants. I didn't like it when my neighbor cat chose to poop under my fruit trees. I wouldn't leave anyone over such a complaint. I would try to address it unless, that is, I wished to communicate something through my pet in a passive/aggressive way. It's more pono not to involve pets or children and to just tell him what is on your mind. When my ex-partner suggested I shouldn't seek further medical care for my dog when she was sick and said "There comes a time", I left him and took the dog (she is still with me). But there were other factors involved in that decision. : )
