DAMN CATS!!!

This morning I discovered all of the sucker leaves gone from my shortest bushy plant, and all of the sucker leaves stripped from one side of another plant. :wtf: Now, where i had a plant, I have this stick with secondary small but active growth on the sides and a couple of leaves at the top at the top - sorta resembling a 6 inch palm tree, and a mildly damaged but surely stunted bigger sister. Well.... That and four cats looking around with that , "Huh? Whad'daya talking about? Is it treat time yet?" smug look.

Now I'm not allowed to kill, maim nor injure the cats in any manner. My wife made that quite clear to me when I suggested beating the known offender with a rubber soled shoe in the middle grow room. Personally, I think an offense such as this rates the death penalty, but my wife disagrees and has vetoed that; as well as several other suitable suggestions I made - one of which was throwing all of the damn cats outside.

I initially kept the cats out of the dirt in the pots by installing window screen 'tops' on each pot with a hole cut in it for the plant to come through. That in itself I considered to be an absolute brainstorm. I did not stop to think about these dam cats literally eating the plants! While I'm sure these 2 are going to require a little more vegetative time, I'm also rather sure I'm not the only person who has encountered cat problems.

My wife's idea as to a remedy for this particular issue involves chicken wire, which I personally think is going to be bulky and impractical inside the house.

What 'cat problems' have you encountered and what suggestions do you have that I should use to be be proactive in the prevention of more 'cat problems'?



[align=center]Anything written here is purely hypothetical as I cannot morally condone doing anything illegal and my presence here should not be construed as an interest in nor my condolences of breaking any laws. Any terminology such as “I”, “me”, “mine”, “her”, “her’s”, or “ours” are used simply for the support of role playing.
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Legalize marijuana!
Some of us still can't have it!
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I've had problems with cats from day 1

You have get inside their head

it's tricky

Ya know, I just find it hard to believe that no one else has had a problem with their significant others DAMN CATS! eating the leaves, using the pot as a litter box or some other such evil action.I'd really rather be proactive and prevent (more) problems than to wake up to a another surprise some morning.

Ideas, suggestions, or even random thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks for your input DP.... But the best way I see to "get into their heads" would involve splitting them open with a hatchet... and my wife vetoed that.

Go to the pet store and buy a little spray bottle of "Apple Bitters". It is a dog repellent but will also work for cats. Test it out on one leaf to see if it's safe.

If you can catch the cats in the act, a spray of water can be very effective and harmless to the cats. Eventually they will come to associate the plants with getting sprayed. It takes time.

you can buy cat repellant... my grandma uses it to keep them off her lawn lol, always thought it very strange, maybe shes got a secret garden somehwere :rasta:

I seen cat repellant in granular form, but was concerned with what effects it might have on the plants.

Anyone actually tried it? What were the results?

My wife wants me to use chicken wire - personally, I'd prefer a hammer.

Go to wal mart buy half gallons of ammonia, take the lid off and place the containers around your plants. The cats won't come around anymore.

Put your plants in an enclosed grow area.. :asskick:
-Where are they, that wandering cats can just walk up on em?

BTW cats are free roaming pets, if you harm one you can be prosecuted for cruelty to animals. Just an FYI. If you think those cats are annoying try living next door to a black lab that barks 24/7 when the owners are gone and barks about 18/6 when they are home.

I built a polyethylene rooms in the back. One for flowering and one for vegetating - indoors. It's just free hanging to the floor and the damn cats have discovered they can nose under the polyethylene and get in. And there's 4 cats. Apparently, they're not as "dumb" as my wife would like to think they are. One finds a way in and first thing I know, all 4 of them have found their way in and out.

Only one cat is destructive, and I know which one it is, but my wife is a "cat person" and would have ME thrown out before her cats would go.

I initially put window screen over the pots to keep them out and cut holes over the sprouts - no litter boxes in my grow room!! But then one of then, just the other night ate all the sucker leaves off of one plant, and all of them off of one side of another. I was ready to kill, but I didn't figure my wife would buy it if one of them committed cat-o-side, by hanging.

I now have 1 plant overdue to go to the flowering room about 20 inches tall - topped three times - nice and bushy. One damaged, about 18 inches tall with some missing sucker leaves topped twice. One SEVERELY stunted about plant 7 inches tall - topped once- with no sucker leaves left at all and a fresh sprout replacing a plant that I apparently killed by over watering and/or PH issues. All but the sprout are showing nice secondary growth.

The PH issues have been resolved. I only water now when the 3 way tester I have says the soil is DRY, and I water with a cow manure tea. The soil is /was slightly basic (7.4) but the manure tea is pretty acidic (5.6) so it's balancing pretty well between the two.

Considering this is my first attempt at playing Mr.Green Jeans, and my innate ability to kill a rock garden, I'm kinda of proud of what I've accomplished so far. And ALL of my growing advice has come from Cannibals.com, except for having watched the DVD "I Grow Chronic" from which I bastardized his grow room construction.

I'm using a 400w MH for vegetating and I'll be using CFL for flowering. (HSP doesn't fit the budget right now). A friend's mother passed away that had a nursery and he gave me a 4' roll of Mylar with about 200 feet left on it (nice!).



[align=center]Anything written here is purely hypothetical as I cannot morally condone doing anything illegal and my presence here should not be construed as an interest in nor my condolences of breaking any laws. Any terminology such as “I”, “me”, “mine”, “her”, “her’s”, or “ours” are used simply for the support of role playing.
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[align=center]
Legalize marijuana!
Some of us still can't have it!
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Here are some pics of the grow, and the damage...


[align=center]Anything written here is purely hypothetical as I cannot morally condone doing anything illegal and my presence here should not be construed as an interest in nor my condolences of breaking any laws. Any terminology such as “I”, “me”, “mine”, “her”, “her’s”, or “ours” are used simply for the support of role playing.
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[align=center]
Legalize marijuana!
Some of us still can't have it!
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Now if I could just figure out how to put thumbnails in the of the images, I'd figure I've accomplished something.

[align=center]Anything written here is purely hypothetical as I cannot morally condone doing anything illegal and my presence here should not be construed as an interest in nor my condolences of breaking any laws. Any terminology such as “I”, “me”, “mine”, “her”, “her’s”, or “ours” are used simply for the support of role playing.
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[align=center]
Legalize marijuana!
Some of us still can't have it!
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Like I said buy a few half gallon containers of ammonia and place them around your garden, the cat's won't come around anymore. I had a smilar problem and the ammonia scared them off.

I think the smell of ammonia would keep me out of grow area too! How long does the smell last? PR

I think the smell of ammonia would keep me out of grow area too! How long does the smell last? PR>>>

I never noticed the smell, mine were totally outside. The jugs can be placed outside the greenhouse as well they just have to be spaced from each other.

I can see where the ammonia would keep 'bout EVERYTHING away. Unfortunately, my grow room is 3 feet by 4 feet and in the room next to my bedroom.

It would probably keep ME away from my bedroom too.




[align=center]Anything written here is purely hypothetical as I cannot morally condone doing anything illegal and my presence here should not be construed as an interest in nor my condoning breaking any laws. Any terminology such as “I”, “me”, “mine”, “her”, “her’s”, or “ours” are used simply for the support of role playing.
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[align=center]
Legalize marijuana!
Some of us still can't have it!
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If your grow area is 3X4 feet: Put a cage with a door around it. It can't be too hard to fence them out. I personally think the hatchet would be easier. Plant life vs. animal==you lose every time! Perhaps if the cats had more to play with of their own in the house? I had a grow outside, years ago. My puppies ate them at 12 inches tall. Guess all animals like to eat these plants. so, don't get a dog! pr

Yea, that's what my wife is suggesting - using chicken wire. But first: chicken wire comes in 50' rolls... WAY too much for my tiny job. Second: I'm less of a carpenter than I am a farmer. I am ABSOLUTELY UNSAFE with power tools (Did you know a drill with a 1/4 inch bit will penetrate jeans AND flesh? -- I know this as a fact from personal experience. Don't ask).

I like the hatchet suggestion myself. But a quick spray with adhesive and a good sprinkle with cat repellent will probably do the trick.

Apple bitters: Will the plant not absorb that?




[align=center]Anything written here is purely hypothetical as I cannot morally condone doing anything illegal and my presence here should not be construed as an interest in nor my condoning breaking any laws. Any terminology such as “I”, “me”, “mine”, “her”, “her’s”, or “ours” are used simply for the support of role playing.
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[align=center] Legalize marijuana!
Some of us still can't have it!
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PUT THE AMMONIA AROUND THE OUTSIDE PERIMETER OF WHERE THEY ARE COMING IN. IT'S THAT SIMPLE YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THEM IN YOUR GARDEN OR INSIDE FOR THAT MATTER. PEOPLE PUT AMMONIA JUGS ON THE CORNER OF THEIR YARDS AND IT KEEPS CRITTERS OFF THE LAWN.

All of the leaves that the cats chewed on, without completely destroying (sucker leaves) are turning yellow at the damaged edges and look like they're dieing. Just those "chewed, but not eaten" sucker leaves... I presume this is normal as they're pretty damaged.

Should I go ahead and remove them, or do you think they're still storing (some) light energy while they die and that I should just let them fall off naturally?

Damn cats.... I wonder if I forged suicide notes for them and hung them all.... I wonder if I could convince her that it was self inflicted cat-o-cide. For some reason, I have my doubts.....

And PurpDad... I really appreciate learning that ammonia will protect an area, and I will certainly use that in the future for outside grows, but these damn cats are my wife's "pets" and they live strictly inside. Were it not for all of the ventilation I provide to try to keep the plants cooled down, I'd certainly use ammonia. But unfortunately A> the fans would suck the fumes right off and B>they'd be blowing it right in the direction of my bedroom.

BTW.. For all of you that have responded. THANKS!! I really appreciate your input. (even your sarcasm, Dutch Pimp... I needed a laugh wen I saw the damage)




[align=center]Anything written here is purely hypothetical as I cannot morally condone doing anything illegal and my presence here should not be construed as an interest in nor my condoning breaking any laws. Any terminology such as “I”, “me”, “mine”, “her”, “her’s”, or “ours” are used simply for the support of role playing.
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[align=center] Legalize marijuana!
Some of us still can't have it!
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My apologies, I didn't realize they were your cats and were inside. Try spraying vinegar around the pots and keep a spray bottle of it diluted with water to shoot the cats with, very cheap and should be effective.

Yep... Already have loaded spray bottles. But I use Listerine. They HATE it. A VERY effective "cat remover".






[align=center]Anything written here is purely hypothetical as I cannot morally condone doing anything illegal and my presence here should not be construed as an interest in nor my condoning breaking any laws. Any terminology such as “I”, “me”, “mine”, “her”, “hers”, or “ours” are used simply for the support of role playing.
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[align=center] Legalize marijuana!
Some of us still can't have it!
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Ahhhh, listerine, yes it will leave a better smell then vinegar! That will learn em! Don't get it on the plants though.

My cats got to my clones a few times when they were still in the cloner, I blame myself for leaving the door open! Once they flower the cats will leave them alone, they don't like the smell of the buds.

I've heard lemon oil works too?

I would like to thank all of you that have responded to my plea for help. I've finally convinced my wife to give me the entire back room, and allow me to "cat proof" it. (Duhhh... "Close the damn door!") OK, so it cuts their access to 15% of the house and she's had to move their litter box to another room.... THEY'RE FRIGGIN' CATS! They'll find the new litter box location, just like they find everything else we don't want them messing with.

I've just flipped the lights from 18/6 to 12/12. The sprout will just have to deal with it. It'll either make it , or it won't. I've decided to force these plants to bud and harvest this miniscule crop. There are several reasons for this. Mainly because I've made every rookie mistake I could possibly make, and it's time to start over with a new crop and see if I can't correct the errors of my ways.

I started with the wrong soil mixture, I've over watered, I've under fed, I overlooked PH factors and I've let the cats have too much freedom. I believe now I've allowed the plants to start becoming root bound - at least THAT I CAN fix... About the only thing I got RIGHT was starting with 6 mil black poly and growing with lots of Mylar under MH lighting - But now I find that MH wasn't the best choice of light due to heat, and energy inefficiency. But what'cha wanna bet I do better on the next time around? The biggest thing I have learned with this first crop is just how little I actually knew and how much more I need to learn. And I still need to learn a LOT! I may be in my late 50's (yea yea yea, I remember "Lids" and "Cans" from back in the day) but I learned a long time ago that the day that passes without my learning something is a completely wasted day. And I am not opposed to learning from people younger than me. It's all about experience, not age. I wish a lot of people my age would apply that theory to other things, such as laws, politics, taxes... Oh well.

My intention is to now allow my pitiful little crop to flower. Harvest what's there and pretty much start over, with a 10 pot crop. I'm still not going to invest in high dollar seeds for the next crop as I realize I'm still in the learning stages and see no reason to drop $40-160 on something I'm still very likely to kill. Maybe by crop 4 or 5 I'll look toward those more seriously. Jeez... 10 high end seeds today cost more than a QP did back in the day - and it was half seeds that we threw away!

I found the torrent link that someone put up of "Every Book You Want To Read" which included several videos as well, and started reading and watching last night. While these plants flower, I'll be getting together some MG soil, Pearlite, construction sand, and the other "magic ingredients" to have my pots filled properly AND I think I'll try my hand cloning IF (please please) one of these plants are girls. What I'm seeing and reading doesn't make cloning seem too difficult - done properly. If I screw that up, I have plenty of bag seeds to fall back on. I'm also sure that crop two will be much better than this first crop.

At least through this first crop I've learned about things about nukes, ventilation requirements, feeding scheduling, PH, drainage, proper watering, light levels, etc, AND I've made gradual purchases of hardware like a soil PH meter (and a totally useless piece of trash in a "pen style" PH meter for water). That 'pen meter's already in the trash and the local pool supply store has a much better and simpler one for about $12. I also think I'm going to pick up some (read that - a bunch of) CFL's or T5s and put this 400w MH lamp on Craig's list to unload it.

NOW... (of course) I have another question if anyone has read this far through what seems to becoming a dissertation rather than a post. Will I actually be accomplishing anything by putting a red filter over this MH light to get the warmer light spectrum I'd prefer for flowering??? I figure a layer of red cellophane could make a cheap filter. (Or is that more like masturbation - feels good but doesn't accomplish anything)

I've also sent out a couple of "friend" requests, to which I "hope" to receive replies soon. I have questions I think would be better addressed privately, as simply asking them would provide more private information about myself than I'd prefer to publicly release - living in a state that is still too ass-backward to recognize the medicinal benefits of marijuana. We have plenty of mooonshiners operating here in Georgia, but 'that damn mary-wanner' is still considered the evil hippie weed that provides a a direct route to hell and cultivation is still a felony here in the heart of the bible belt. Imagine that. I guess they just can't get their brain wrapped around the fact that I WAS a 'hippie' and I don't guess I never changed my ways even through the years that I was refereed to as "executive management'" and addressed as 'Mr.' by line employees.

But in closing, once again, please accept my thanks for the guidance provided here as well as in the other thread I started. All of everyone's advice is appreciate more than you recognize. If you did receive a 'friend request" from me, I'd appreciate a reply - even if it's to tell me to fuck off.




[align=center]Anything written here is purely hypothetical as I cannot morally condone doing anything illegal and my presence here should not be construed as an interest in nor my endorsing anyone breaking any laws. Any terminology used here such as â??Iâ?�, â??meâ?�, â??mineâ?�, â??herâ?�, â??hersâ?�, or â??oursâ?� are simply being used for the purposes of role playing in a purely hypothetical scenerio.
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[align=center] Legalize marijuana!
Some of us still not allowed access to it as medicine!
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I'm glad you got the cat (problem) fixed....:thumbsup:

I would keep the MH light as is...and not mess with it. Flat white paint would help with your heat problem.
Mylar reflects light & heat. 80-85 degrees is a good range.

A 400 MH light can grow & flower very good weed. I rarely use my HPS bulbs anymore.

A good standard older strain of cannabis is what you want/need....IMO.

I was under the (mis)impression that plants flowered better with a warm/red light spectrum and that overall MH was about the worst choice with its' cold/blue spectrum - when compared to HPS, CFL or T5's...

In your opinion, if I stick with only MH:
A:> Would a red filter actually accomplish anything toward the color of the light spectrum, and
B:> Do you think this 400wMH produce enough light for an 18^sf (3x6) growing area? (I have a small expansion planned for the next crop.)

LED's are real pretty but WAY out of my budget as I'm only growing for personal use.

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BTW.... None of our cats are broken. They've all been fixed.
No kittens are allowed here. 4 cats are 4 too many.

A. Don't use a filter on any light, any time...:stoned:

B. Metal Halide bulbs come in different Kelvin temperatures. 3000k, 4000k, 5000k, 6500k, 7200k.
3000k-4000k (warm white) works well for flowering. 6500k-7200k (cool white) works well for vegging. Just swap bulbs...:)

HPS bulbs are mostly 2000k-2400k. They have more lumens; which can help with some sativa strains.

A 400 MH bulb can handle 3-5 flowering female plants, very well.

Glad to hear you got the cat problem fixed. You had me worried! I am not sure cats won't eat the bud-hence: Catnip! Good luck! pr

Anyone want to take a look at this and sex it for me? You KNOW what I'm HOPING to hear, but Murphy has been know to do his best reeking havoc on me n the past. I don't want to get too excited yet...

[attachment=o278667]

damn it. I still can't simply insert a thumbnail.

[align=center]Anything written here is purely hypothetical as I cannot morally condone doing anything illegal and my presence here should not be construed as an interest in nor my endorsing anyone breaking any laws. Any terminology used here such as â??Iâ?�, â??meâ?�, â??mineâ?�, â??herâ?�, â??hersâ?�, or â??oursâ?� are simply being used for the purposes of role playing in a purely hypothetical scenario.
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[align=center] Legalize marijuana!
Some of us still not allowed access to it as medicine!
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Just a note about animals and weed. I read a study that has confirmed the human body as well as most if not all mammals have THC receptors built into the brain, lymphatic and nervouse systems as well as in other parts of the body! Yeah, we were MADE to accept the chemicals in the marijuanna plant, go figure!
Anyway, I had problems with the deer eating my plants when I tried and outdoor grow out in the country once, My plants got a few feet tall but as soon as the deer discovered them they were reduced to nubs, one was even uprooted. I did not know what the problem was until I read that report, so Humans aren't the only ones looking for a buzz, the other mammals crave, no, REQUIRE it as well! Some interesting things are being discovered about pot now that some REAL research is happening, yea yahhhh!
Glad the cat problem is solved, keep em growing!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GrowingInGeorgia

Anyone want to take a look at this and sex it for me? You KNOW what I'm HOPING to hear, but Murphy has been know to do his best reeking havoc on me n the past. I don't want to get too excited yet...

[attachment=o278667]

damn it. I still can't simply insert a thumbnail.

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1. Too early to tell from that pic. Males usually show first; 2nd or third week of flowering.

2. The site has the IMG code turned off...:wtf:...if I post a pic that has been posted before it will show up.
Something new doesn't. Go figure?



............female :D............./..........male :(..............

Yea, DP, I've seen those two pictures. What concerns me the most is the male shows the growth in the joint and the female shows the growth on the stem. I have a feeling I'm looking at a male plant, I was just hoping I was wrong....

And you're 100% correct... it's really too early to tell... Just not to to early to hope. In fact, I have "hope" for the next crop already. I read in another thread a way to supposedly increase the female percentages. I'll definitely going to implement those tips into the next crop as well.

I'll give it a few more days then it may very well become cat food. But of course, when I OFFER it to them, they'll take one sniff and walk away indignantly...

Damn cats! And Damn Bag Seeds!

Oh well, at least this next time around, you can bet I'll do things better than I did this first time. Please don't confuse that statement with any possibility that I'll be doing it RIGHT... just better.

[align=center]I'm mechanically inclined. I can screw up ANYTHING!

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[align=center]Anything written here is purely hypothetical as I cannot morally condone doing anything illegal and my presence here should not be construed as an interest in nor my endorsing anyone breaking any laws. Any terminology used here such as â??Iâ?�, â??meâ?�, â??mineâ?�, â??herâ?�, â??hersâ?�, or â??oursâ?� are simply being used for the purposes of role playing in a purely hypothetical scenario.
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[align=center] Legalize marijuana!
Some of us still not allowed access to it as medicine!
[/align]

Well.. Let's see...

The things I've done wrong.... :wtf:
1: Wrong number of plants planned
2: Wrong soil mixture
3: Wrong pots
4: Wrong seeds (bag seeds)
5: Wrong feeding formula
6: Wrong watering schedule
7: Lights too far away & too blue
8: Root bound? (probably!)
WRONG SEX!!!
Imagine that.......

Things I did RIGHT! :thumbsup:
Joined Cannabis.com then actually READ the FAQ
LISTENED to advice from more experienced growers
READ external e-books (and learned)
WATCHED external videos (and learned)
Very little

Now, for the next crop::rastasmoke:
SOG approach
Correct the soil mixture, starting with MG/pearlite/sand/peat mix
6 pack starter pots / transplant to 6 inch square pots
Increase ventilation (a LOT!)
Decrease watering schedule
Increase Feeding Schedule
GROW FEMALES!!! :D

[align=center]HOWEVER, My wife still has those DAMN CATS!! Shit.....
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Damn! I dropped the clip!

Where'd that roach go????

I found the roach!.....:jointsmile:

I finally figured it out!

[attachment=o278771]

:wtf: Well, I finally got signature abilities but I still can't insert a thumbnail... Sigh...

I think it might be cheaper to nail up some sort of door and put that sand box in the bathroom or the cat outside. Cats are wandering creatures and it is their nature to be OUTSIDE to be a real cat! To deprive it of all that fresh air and "Catting around?" How sad. You need to talk to the owner! pr