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Your article is very informative and well-written and the part about cats checking out house-plants to eat is proved by my kitty, Mowgli, who has gone so far as to try the green, new growth on my prickly-pear cactus and my spider plant becoming just a bit of fringe. But, I made a very interesting discovery this summer when I brough in some Florence Fennel bulbs in from the garden. A small piece of the greens accidentally fell on the floor and; when I turned around, Mowgli was devouring it with great eagerness until the 3" piece of fern-like frond was gone. Knowing that Fennel has been used since man had medical knowledge and, incidentally--since man first adored cats, as a healing and soothing herb for digestion or to keep away any stomach issues; it would make perfect sense that Mowgli would devour it. Since humans consume the plant in its entirety, perhaps felinus domesticus (aka the common domestic cat) have learned by discovery and by instinct, that this unusual-tasting green is a friend. As long as I keep some fennel fronds in a small glass of water, she will quite happily nibble it until it meets the end of all things. So, does my hypothesis sound reasonable, Doctor? If so, it's a heck of alot cheaper to buy a bulbe or two of fennel every several weeks, than to go about cultivating oats...talk about "sowing your wild oats...sheesh! [Big smile!]
Oh, as an addendum, Mowgli has never vomited, hiccuped, burped, gotten Montezuma's Revenge or had any adverse reactions to eating the Fennel. Personally, I'm glad her interest in this seems to be saving everything from my orchid to my cacti collection without making her ill at all!
Hah! I should probably try some cat grass or fennel fronds at our house.. perhaps it would reduce spider plant predation. I was relieved to read that spider plants were non-toxic, as Eliot kitty likes to nibble the tips from the leaves. The only trick is not to use any sort of systemic treatment or toxic spray if the spider plant gets mites or scale.
Eliot did recently chomp a leaf from a passion flower vine... I watched him closely that evening, as I was unable to find any information on whether or not it might be dangerous to him.
Crazy cats. When Max gets to go outdoors (supervised), he will eat and later vomit grass. I knew though, that he was truly my "son" when he began to nibble the garlic tops.
I dont provide my indoor only cats with grass but I have to be careful that any indoor plant ( or the perennials that I buy in the spring and store in the porch) that has grass like leaves or in fact any ornamental grass plant is out of their reach. They will chomp on it and bring it up too on occasion.
My indoor cat loves to eat rose petals. She will jump high and overturn and pretty much ruin a vase of roses. When in season, I'll pick a rose and let her have the petals. She'll eat about five and then be done. She only likes them fresh. I think the reason we are cat lovers is they are so unexplainable.
It's refreshing to read an article that explains things but isn't afraid to admit the unknown. Thanks.
My cats ate the dried blue statice in bouquets I brought home from the grocery store. They always seemed okay afterward. They'd leave everything else alone, except that statice!
