Death of a Kentia

[rubyz]

Virtually all palm lovers know how indestructable h. forsteriana is, suffering all sorts of neglect and untoward conditions. I happen to love this very common palm, and have specimens growing on my patio, in my inner courtyard and in my guest room.

    So imagine my total horror when I peeked into the guest room yesterday morning and discovered that one of the two lovely Kentias there had suddenly died. Kaput. Morte. On its way to the Great Palm Garden in the sky.

    Upon examining the palm, I could detect no apparent damage to the fronds or trunk, nor could I find any evidence of pest invasion.  Noticing that its collegue was still healthy and thriving, I was truly puzzled.

    It was only when I started digging up the soil to inspect the roots that I fully understood what had befallen the poor palm, for a very pungent acidic odor whacked me in my nostrils. It was clear that at least one of my cats had been using the pot as her personal potty.

So today, after work, I unsentimentally disposed of the deceased, the soiled soil and the gravel topping; I would even have thrown out the pot had it not been so beautiful and expensive. (I gave it a thorough cleaning.) Having obtained permission from my Significant Other to go over budget for the month, I raced to a nursery in a neighboring Arab village which had just stocked up on all sorts of young palms. I decided to go for one of the little dypsis decaryis, which looked particularly attractive. But, what the heck - I was already there, and the young cocos nuciferas were also too pretty to ignore, so I purchased one, repotted it and placed it outside my main entrance.

    The Triangle looks really great beside the remaining Kentia. Now I just need a way to prevent my felines from using it as a loo.

    Any suggestions?

[mike453]

(rubyz @ Apr. 10 2007,19:54)

QUOTE

It was clear that at least one of my cats had been using the pot as her personal potty.

So today, after work, I unsentimentally disposed of the deceased

Sorry to hear about your cat, sometimes you just have to do what you must! :laugh:

             Regards, Mike

[Gileno Machado]

Reuven:

I feel sorry for your Howea.

I love my two only juvenile Kentias. They came all the way from São Paulo because they were not available here some 2 years ago. I've had similar problems myself with animals "enjoying" one of my kentias...In my case I left one of mine overpoted outside at the beach house for a week in summer, at a shady position and recommended lots of water. Well, during our dry summer the frogs usually look for such humid spots to rest and a few weeks later I realized that my poor palm was actually suffering from being frog grandma's favourite home and toilet...

Now I had to remove the old soil and repot it. This operation was necessary also because the palm was leaning badly to a side and so I helped to straighten it up when replanting. It has just opened a marvelous new leaf in retribute, and Frograndma was exiled 5 blocks away from the happy forsterianas...

[chris.oz]

No doubt Kentia are rugged but dont like excessive urea to be sure.

They can also develop a nasty crown droop from which they either spontaneously recover or die.  As this usually happens to very valuable trunking specimens growing in the garden,  it can be an even more  serious disappointment.

[Davidl]

In your climate maybe they are indestructible but in south fl they die with what seems is no reason at all ( I wish I could blame it on a cat). Howea forsteriana is to Florida as a Coconut is to California = only the few will survive.

[Scott]

They seem like they can be pretty touchy, which is why I've been reluctant to spend the extra for them, when I could get another kind for less $$$$ that has a better chance of living in my climate.

[rubyz]

Thanks, guys, for your replies.

Here the cocos and Howea are inexpensive and very rugged - but, as indicated - not cat proof!

I am still in need of suggestions concerning how to keep the cats away from the palm!

[mike453]

Hello Reuven,

Aside from chemical means, what I have done is to wrap aluminum foil around the rim of the pot. It is not very attractive , but the rustling noise it makes when the cats put their paws on it seems to discourage them. I have also placed large flat stones on the surface of the soil to keep them from digging, this works pretty well.

                   Good luck, Mike

[rubyz]

(mike453 @ Apr. 11 2007,08:36)

QUOTE

Hello Reuven,

Aside from chemical means, what I have done is to wrap aluminum foil around the rim of the pot. It is not very attractive , but the rustling noise it makes when the cats put their paws on it seems to discourage them. I have also placed large flat stones on the surface of the soil to keep them from digging, this works pretty well.

                   Good luck, Mike

Mike, while I'm not too crazy about the idea with the aluminum foil (I think it ruins the effect of the palm), I think your idea with the stones is brilliant. Thanks!

[paulgila]

are the palms at ground level?maybe try putting them up higher.i know cats can climb but maybe less easy access will discouarge them a bit...

[Breadfruit Bill]

I place masking tape laid flat, sticky side up, on things I don't want my cat to get on...  After the cat learns that the tape is there (by jumping on it and getting it stuck to it's fur) it will lose interest in trying to be where it's not supposed to be and you can stop using the tape, since it isn't the most attractive...  Masking tape is useful for many things ... like rearranging a sisters face!

The other thing you can do to teach felines to stay off of certain items is to use a simple garden sprayer or a small water gun and shoot them when they are in your palm...  The animal will think the tree is peeing on them!  The drawback is that you have to be there and catch the mischeivious cat in the palm pot regularly before it will learn...

maybe a combination of both treatments, tape and water, will yield the best results for your naughty palm killing kitty!!

[Davidl]

Maybe a electric fence ?  Reallty all I can think of is maybe some type of porous material that cats would not be comfortable sitting on over the soil.

[Kris]

Dear Rubyz  

Don't worry,i have here cat terminators.and they are certified

by KRIS himself.ask what,who are they....

yes you folks have guessed it right_they are my Boxer pets..

they hate cats.if these guys are let loose good heavens you will see any cat or feild rat,rabbits all ripped appart and blood

stains on thier bodies and ground.and mind you they are good

boyz they don't eat.just finish the job and place it neatly arranged in front of the main entrence,for thier masters to

appriciate thier work.

i have never seen such goory body of those beautiful

neighbours cat ! so if you need them just tell me i will be

very happy to air drop these guys at the place of their

work.i will be very happy to do so.i want siamese cats..

but mind you they love human beings a lot.that is the only

reason that they are spared without getting iron chair(i think texas & new mexico) follow this form of execution..

to touffies.

Kris.

[RRONNIE]

Hi Ruven - Shalom

You should have known (like Siddhartha) - the answer - the salvation - is at home...

I'm surprised you havn't noticed on your visit at my Palmaronnie... ???

As a palms grower, in pots, when no place in ground - as an adoptee by an average of two stray cats at any given time - as a pets lover and knowledgeable person, who knows what's what  - as a citizen of the Holy Land ... hmmmm :cool:

Cats need to dig first- only then they pee (into the pothole) - and then they cover back - and finally lick and clean!!!

Well if first stage is avoided/prevented/blocked/eliminated/impossible in one site - they will kook elsewhere, where it is possible to do it (first stage and the whole "Balagan" process) !

It's a plasic net - about 1 sentimeter matrix - esthetic - and you can have it (here in IL) in black/white/brown/green - maybe more colors.

BTW - The cats just love to lie there - sunbathing - but, no pee  

 

here are a few pictures...

How about that ?!

Ronnie

[RRONNIE]

and...

[RRONNIE]

and...

[RRONNIE]

O well, one more...

[Kris]

Dear Ronnie  

Great work_Ap ka kam ka Jawab Nahi  

i thought the mesh was made of stainless steel.so stiff and

rigid it looks ! those kind of materials are not found in india.

is it german manufactured or its native stuff ? i meant the

beautiful mesh seen in your stills.

thanks for that idea,

Love,

Kris  

[RRONNIE]

(krisachar @ Apr. 11 2007,18:41)

QUOTE

Great work_Ap ka kam ka Jawab Nahi  

Dear Kris,

Hindu is like Chinise to me - very dificult

If i managed right, then the translation is something like "God (or water god) may be of the Jewish people (nation)" ??? or "god's personificating is through the Jawab Nahi" or "Jawab are the answer of god"

Heeelppp meeee!

Next time - with translation please.

As to your question regarding the plastic mesh - i will check it's origin and will let you know.

If it is Israeli/local made - would you like me to assist you and arrange purchase/shipment etc ? - it comes in a cylinder/roll - i will let you know the dimensions - I'll be glad to help.

Le'hishtamea ,

Ronnie

[rubyz]

Thanks to all of you for your ingenius suggestions.

Paul, if I elevated the palm high enough to be out of the cats' reach, I'd have to move to the Himalayas.

Bill, the masking tape is too unesthetic, and the water gun - fun as it may be - would demand an "armed" guard near the palm 24 hours!

Dave, an electric fence? I'd sooner use the Chinese Water Torture on my wife!

Kris, bringing in dogs to keep away my cats would be like nailing my refrigerator door shut to keep me from overeating.

Ronnie, I really like your solution with the netting - but I think Mike's idea with the stones would work just as well while being slighly more esthetic. So, I'll let you all know how the stones work out.

BTW, I've also seen a relatively attractive kitty litter box in a local pet shop, and, although it could not be considered an elegant piece of furniture, it could supplement the stones as "back up insurance."

[mike453]

Hi Reuven,

I have several cats, not that I ever wanted one. I prefer dogs but my old neighbors decided to move away, and leave their pregnant cat along with one open can of cat food on their porch. Things worked out so I have some now. There is kind of an interesting story about how they became "my cats" Anyhow, the stones in the pots work good, as long as they don't have a big enough area to work their evil little paws they won't bother. I used the aluminum foil method untill I got tired of looking at them, then my girlfriend suggested the stones and I never had a problem since.

If you ever need any more cats, I will be glad to send you some. I can even throw in some palms to sweeten up the deal

                           Regards, Mike

[wendisplantation]

Hi Rubyz-

I had the exact same thing happen to a large pot that I had 2 small clumps of Ptycosperma macarthurii that I had purchased for my boyfriend....of course, the only palm species that he asked for . One of them dies immediately, and after transplanting in the same manner as you did, washing everything, new soil and all, I'm still not sure if the other one will survive.

GGGRRRRR!!!!!!

I feel your pain and anger. While the temp was still cold I put a mothball in a small plastic cup and placed it on the top of the soil  LOLOL neither cat would go anywhere near that thing. Now it is outside, for it is warm enough, but i think I will try the mesh when winter comes back-great idea... I have tried the water bottle and the tape, only prob is, my kids have put tape on the floor too many times and the cats now think that means playtime!!!

Good Luck , sorry about the Kentia, but glad you got 2 new babies!!

[rubyz]

(mike453 @ Apr. 12 2007,04:19)

QUOTE

If you ever need any more cats, I will be glad to send you some. I can even throw in some palms to sweeten up the deal

                           

Mike, if I ever get to Cal., I'll be sure to look you up!

[rubyz]

(wendisplantation @ Apr. 12 2007,04:30)

QUOTE

Good Luck , sorry about the Kentia, but glad you got 2 new babies!!

Actually, Wendi, there are 5. In addition to the two new palms, one of my cats has just given birth to 3 healthy kittens, all born on a very comfortable chair in my living room, located next to one of my c. elegans! :laugh:

[mike453]

(rubyz @ Apr. 12 2007,15:28)

QUOTE

(mike453 @ Apr. 12 2007,04:19)

QUOTE

If you ever need any more cats, I will be glad to send you some. I can even throw in some palms to sweeten up the deal

                           

Mike, if I ever get to Cal., I'll be sure to look you up!

Reuven,  I will be happy to drive the 5000 km to Cal. if you will take some cats. They are trained to let possums eat their food so that they won"t eat your palms.

                 Mike

[rubyz]

(mike453 @ Apr. 13 2007,02:30)

QUOTE

Reuven,  I will be happy to drive the 5000 km to Cal. if you will take some cats. They are trained to let possums eat their food so that they won"t eat your palms.

             

Oops. Sorry about that!