Re: OT: cat-proofing your iris beds

>Dennis K wrote:
>>I have 3 stray kittens which I've adopted.....
>No, sorry Dennis, it is they who have adopted you.

This is true!  :)

>>About a week ago they picked up the annoying habit of wrestling in >my
>flower beds.  They've destroyed several iris fans......
>I have heard that soaking a rag in ammonia and placing it in your garden
>will deter cats. I think the strong smell will put them off.
> I haven't tried it, I prefer leaping around waving my arms and yelling
>a lot. Mostly they ignore me, but then it's really their garden.
>Another thing to try is lots of those little bamboo skewers with sharp
>ends, standing up around your plants.
>I use stones to stop my cats from digging up newly planted rzs.
>BTW 7 months is about the right age to have your kittens desexed,
>otherwise next season you might have more of the same problem.
>regards, Jan Clark
>

You have given me lots of wonderful ideas!  I will try them out and see
which works best.

I should mention that these are strays, and therefor not pettable...yet.
I can get as close as 5 or 10 feet before they get nervous.  But I'm
working on them.  If I run outside and jump and wave my arms around, they
bolt like lightning, but I don't think it does much for getting them to
trust me, either.  :(

Thanks again!
Dennis Kramb; dkramb@tso.cin.ix.net
Cincinnati, Ohio USA; USDA Zone 6; AIS Region 6
Member of AIS, ASI, HIPS, RIS, SIGNA, & Miami Valley Iris Society
Primary Interests: Hybridizing Arilbreds, Raising Native Ohio Species Irises
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