Triage and resuscitation of the delicate plants, starring Wookie

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When I got up a few mornings ago, I went outside and was surprised to hear some frantic cat cries. I looked up to my upstairs bathroom window and saw a hysterical kitten on the windowsill. I keep some of my more delicate plants in there and a cat on the windowsill is never a good sign: I keep that door closed, which means that he sneaked in and was there all night...
Went upstairs, retrieved his very upset self from the ledge and surveyed the mess:

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The casualties were my Larryleachia, Hoodia and lapidaria, some of the most expensive and difficult to grow plants that I own.

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Sand and broken pots, kitten vomit, turds and urine for good measure...
Like every pet lover, I just told myself that at least he didn't jump off the windowsill and break himself as well.

The first thing to do is NOT repot them: if there's any damage to roots, it will cause rotting. Some people use fungicide but I just air-dry the roots, my climate isn't humid right now. I also washed the hoodia roots because they seemed to have been bathed in urine and left the plants in a cool place, out of the sun. After a few days, they seemed to continue growing so I repotted them. You can see the light green at the growth tips.

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Left: Larryleachia, centre: Hoodia, Right: Lapidaria

Larryleachia and hoodia grow in very poor, well-draining soil in very arid climates and lapidaria in the desert so the potting mix should be mainly quartzite and sand. Now that they are back in pots, they still don't get watered, in case I did more microdamage to the roots when I potted them. I'll give it a week or so before I water them because Larryleachia and Hoodia are both members of the Stapeliad family and rot very easily. Today was the first time that I watered the plants I got about 2 weeks ago

Luckily, the culprit was fine and now is not so keen to run into the bathroom every time the door is opened anymore. He's suddenly had a growth spurt and he is as big as Peanut. Here they are wrestling in the vegetable garden. The big pot is there to try and protect the beans from them

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It's time to relieve the little guy of his nuts, he's decided that trying to hump Peanut when he's sleeping is his latest most fun activity

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25 comments
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It's not what it looks like, Hooman!

:D

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Good nothing happened to the plants.

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Yes that photo is compromising 😁 I'm also glad the plants seem ok

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The first thing to do is NOT repot them: if there's any damage to roots, it will cause rotting.

Every day is a perfect day to learn something new. I didn't know this. Thanks :)

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I'm glad to help 😁

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The cats were glad too 😅

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If I didn't love them I would want to strangle them

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Was afraid he would get some cactus thorns in him.

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There are days when I think that might be a good lesson....

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i love the cat fun activity. so cute.
thanks for sharing with us.

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(Edited)

They are cute even though they cause so much trouble

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I sympathize with you that you had to work hard to transplant your favorite plants.
Hope this little bully doesn't bring you any new worries.

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It would be better but we must just wait for them to get older and wiser

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Let me make sure I'm reading this all correctly.

Cat bumps plants off window sill..

Cat gets his nuts chopped off..

Moral of the story.. Do not f*ck with her plants :D

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hahahaha. No, these things are purely coincidental

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That had to be a big bummer.
The first thing I would have done would have been to get them back in the dirt, but being the succulent pro that you are, you knew exactly what needed to be done. As delicate as these types of plants are, they also seem very resilient.

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They are very tough, if you treat them right

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Thankfully the plants were salvageable and hopefully won't come to any harm. Too bad we couldn't have them reflect on things like this, comically of course. You knocked over the plants and now you are going to lose your balls! hahaha. Get in his last humps little buddy!

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It's not punishment, just coincidence haha

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I didn't know that about roots! I have one poor aloe that has been bumped out of its pot several times and I just shove it right back in. No wonder it doesn't seem to be doing well.

Poor Wookie. I'm sure that was a distressing night for you all.

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We seem to have gotten over it 😁

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I’m glad everything turned out ok with the cat and your plants. Kittens can be mischievous but so cute we always forgive them. 😻

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Yes, when you are sweet you have leeway

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