Cats. Gophers. Sweet Peas

Over the years, GreenPrints magazine has published many stories about cats and gardens. One of my faves is "Cats. Gophers. Sweet Peas: A Problem Of Boundaries" by Terilynn Mitchell. It is a "story about what happens when cats and gophers get mixed up in the garden." You can read it here.

ChunkyMonkey by Amina Illustration

I'm so in awe of talented artists who can depict cats and gardens in all their glory.  
Amina is an illustrator who truly knows both of these topics and the Instagram Reel linked below shows her process in creating a commissioned piece of two internet-famous cats -- @kingchunky_spymonkey and @chunkytheclotho. I think my favorite part of the video is seeing her own orange cat watching her paint from a nearby windowsill full of plants.

In her bio, she says, "I am inspired by plants and nature as a whole, and try to inject it into my life and my art as much as I can ! My strengths lie in traditional art, portraiture, narrative illustration, and spoiling my cat."

BTW, postcards and prints of "ChunkyMonkey" are available from just $6! 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Amina Akhmadeeva (@amina.illustration)

Bad to the Bone

@olgaomelianska

♬ Hard rock that fits the battle scene and competition(1441265) - PLACT

This fiesty orange cat on a jade plant was shared on TikTok by Olga Omelianska. Commenters are going nuts pointing out the cuteness of the cat and the strength of this jade plant to put up with this abuse! My jade plants fall apart at the slightest touch, this one is a champion! They also point out that the flowerpot itself must be somehow affixed to the window shelf as it would normally have all come tumbling down at the first cat leap onto the plant.

Top Garden Cats of 2024

Looking back at the last year, we had many wonderful garden cat photos and stories to share. I love scrolling back and seeing all those fantastic felines. Please keep on sending them in! 

Here are the top 5 posts of 2024 ranked by the highest number of page views (in countdown order):

5. Waldorf the Hard Worker

https://catsingardens.blogspot.com/2024/06/waldorf-hard-worker.html
Heather Andrews of The Thoughtful Gardener sent in some fun pics of another "hard-working" garden cat -- Waldorf, the official cat greeter at Stoney Creek Valley Farm

4. A Garden Cat's Holiday Wish List: Gifts for Outdoor-loving Cats and Kittens

https://catsingardens.blogspot.com/2024/11/a-garden-cats-holiday-wish-list-gifts.html
Coming in fourth, is another favorite past post updated for this year with new links and garden cat gift ideas.

3. Peek-a-Boo

https://catsingardens.blogspot.com/2024/12/peek-boo.html
Kathy Stevens shared this photo of her shy kitty, Spicy P, looking out from under the Japanese Hakone grass in her garden.

2. Poinsettia are NOT Poisonous to Pets

https://catsingardens.blogspot.com/2024/12/poinsettia-are-not-poisonous-to-pets.html

This is an updated post that is a perennial favorite as there are so many myths and misinformation about this holiday plant.

1. A Visit to Walters Gardens Pt. 1 - Tabby

https://catsingardens.blogspot.com/2024/09/a-visit-to-walters-gardens-pt-1-tabby.html
I posted photos of a super-friendly tabby cat I met while visiting Walters Gardens, a wholesale plant nursery, in Zeeland, MI.

Do you agree with the popular vote? What were your favorites this year?

Peek-a-Boo

 

Kathy Stevens of Silver Spring, MD, shared this photo of Spicy P. She writes, "Spicy P joined us in March 2024 after my 15 -year-old tortoise shell cat, Camille, crossed the rainbow bridge. Spicy P is about 3 years old. The folks at the Montgomery County shelter aren’t exactly sure. She was part of a group of 30 cats taken from a hoarding situation. She was very shy at the shelter and took a while to get used to us. It turns out she’s pretty social, probably partly because she is used to being around other cats. And people are just big cats, right? 

   "She doesn’t go outside very often and only with supervision. She doesn’t go far and isn’t really comfortable being outside. That Japanese Hakone grass (pictured above) is fairly close to the house and she likes eating it and hiding in it. I liked her wary, but excited, look"

  Kathy previously shared this picture of a container cat.

Poinsettia are NOT Poisonous to Pets

(An update of our popular story from last year.)

Have you hesitated to bring poinsettias into your home lest you be causing injury to your feline companions? Well, it turns out that all the hype about poinsettias being a problem for our pets is overblown and inaccurate. Our friends at the National Garden Bureau recently shared the following post straightening out that misconception: 

Poinsettia are NOT Poisonous

It is a common belief that poinsettia plants are poisonous. But the fact is, they’re NOT. An Ohio State University study, conducted in 1971, debunked this myth. Researchers found the plant is not toxic, even in high doses. The POISINDEX® Information Service, the primary resource used by most poison control centers, states that a 50-pound child would have to eat more than 500 poinsettia bracts to surpass experimental doses. Based on the rodent tests, accepted by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the commission denied a 1975 petition filed by a New York citizen demanding that poinsettia plants carry caution labels that indicate they are poisonous. 

So how did the myth that poinsettias are poisonous get started? 

"The myth may have arisen from an unsubstantiated report in 1919 of a small child who died after chewing on a poinsettia leaf. Or perhaps it is due to the fact that many members of the poinsettia’s botanical family, Euphorbia, have highly toxic latex sap. Poinsettia sap is innocuous enough that only people with a latex allergy are likely to have a reaction if they get it on their skin."

Poinsettias are NOT poisonous to Dogs and Cats

Most veterinary medicine websites state that poinsettias can be mildly toxic to dogs and cats. Washington State University says “Poinsettias have received bad publicity in the past. They do contain a milky sap that can irritate the mouth, but symptoms are usually mild if they develop.”

Meanwhile, there are other holiday plant favorites that are FAR more worrisome for pets. They include amaryllis, holly, lilies, and mistletoe. They can cause kidney failure and other fatal interactions.

For more about poinsettia selection and care, go to: https://ngb.org/tips-for-making-your-poinsettia-shine/

A Garden Cat's Holiday Wish List: Gifts for Outdoor-loving Cats and Kittens

Here is an updated Garden Cat's Holiday Wish List: Gifts for Outdoor-loving Cats.

Disclosure: Clicking on these links and then ordering anything from Amazon may put a few pennies in the Cats in Gardens blog bank account. This will not cost you any extra on your purchases. Thank you for anything you can direct our way.

Stumped for what to get your outdoor-loving cat for a holiday or birthday gift or just because you feel like spoiling them a bit?

Here are 5 suggestions that are sure to make your garden kitty purr-purr-purr.

1. The catio will make your kitty the envy of the neighborhood and keep him safe and the birds too!

2. If your kitty loves to chew on every houseplant you have, grow her this alternative -- a safe pot of fresh cat grass all her own to munch on.

3. This safety collar is a great way to ensure your garden kitty doesn't get into danger and has jingly bell so that any prey can hear them coming.

4. This heating pad is the purr-fect thing for that barn cat or any kitty who prefers to sleep in an unheated space.

5. This sling pet carrier is all the rage now and is worth a try if you have a sociable feline who might like to go on errands to the garden center with you.

Finally, one bonus gift suggestion, for you -- if you have lost one of your garden kitties, this cat-angel is a wonderful way to remember them. I have one placed near the spot that my late Chantilly loved to sun herself by my water garden.

If YOU are a gardener or know one, here is a list of great gift ideas for them (and yourself!): 
https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2024/11/holiday-gifts-for-gardeners-top.html

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