A Cat in the Carex

Brie Arthur, a well-known garden writer and speaker, shared this photo of Miss Ava Grace and wrote, "Carex is a wonderful shade tolerant, ornamental grass that is ideal for every landscape. The attractive and colorful low-maintenance clumps are evergreen and provide endless entertainment for kitties!"

Brie previously shared a photo of her beloved Kubby with us here.

You can find her on Instagram at both @brietheplantlady and @briethecatlady -- the latter of which of course is a great place to see more cats in gardens photos. Here are a couple more that she shared.

"Rice is for kittens!!!" writes Brie. " ‘Black Madras’ rice is a fabulous plant to grow in a pot with no holes! Even more important, it serves as a cat playground."

"You know autumn is upon us when the kitten spends her day playing with bees in a mum patch!" wrote Brie.

Diamonds are Furr-ever

 

These are photos by Leif Kurth and were posted on Flickr. He has some terrific images and most of the cat ones appear to have been taken in Diamond Lake, Minnesota. 

If you like these, check out many more of his cat photos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/152376767@N03/tags/cat/

Cats on Leashes

This article in Woman's World magazine asks, "Is it okay to take your cat out for a walk?" 

Well, if you have been following this blog or any of my social media, you know that I have one leash-trained kitty. His name is Santino and he loves his walkies. Below is a TikTok video of a typical excursion we take around the corner. He is pictured above lounging on a neighbor's retaining wall -- enjoying the warmth of the sun on a brisk autumn afternoon.

I am often stopped by others to take his photo or to talk about how I trained him. I cannot claim the credit. He basically trained himself. Your cat is either okay with a halter and leash or he is not. You can try to start them young and get them used to it, but even then, a cat's temperament will determine how successful you are. Santino's brother, Versace, will not even tolerate the halter being placed near him -- much less over his head and he is content to stay inside and watch the garden from inside.

Walking a cat is not like doing so with a dog. I am not waiting for Santino to "use the bathroom." Instead, we are taking a leisurely stroll to explore a bit of his surroundings. It is a much slower pace and there are frequent stops to look under shrubs and tease squirrels. I also have to keep an eagle eye out for dogs that may be coming our way. While some dogs are cool about it, many are not -- so I usually end the walk as soon  as I spot a canine and carry Santino quickly back home. Santino also dislikes big trucks and buses barreling by, so I try to pick times of day when construction and rush-hour traffic is at a minimum.

Is your cat leash-trained? If so, share your tips and tricks in the comments section below.

@wdcgardener

Santino is leash trained. ##minivlog ##littlethings ##cat ##catleash

♬ original sound - Kathy Jentz

Cheddar the Oyster Gardening Cat

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Well, here is a different kind of gardening -- oyster gardening! Thanks to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation for sharing this video of Cheddar and the kitty's Norfolk, VA, oyster garden.

Ollie's Garden View

These cat photos come courtesy of Wendy Brister, Marketing Director at Cavano's Perennials. They were included in an online talk given by her employer, Taylor Pilker, Co-Owner, Cavano's Perennials, on the future of the horticultural industry post-COVID hosted recently by the Perennial Plant Association. Pilker's presentation focused on capturing and maintaining the interest of those new to (or returning to) gardening. 

Here is the text from that inspiring talk:

 Like a garden for a cat!

Yes, a feline.

 Before anyone begins to lecture me about the dangers of Felis catis outdoors and its viciousness as a hunter.

 This tiger was Ollie and he needed a garden to watch from his interior perch of the window. 

Ollie desired a pleasant view of flowers, butterflies, and perhaps a bird. 

All the things every cat dreams of; 

Ollie and his owners got that feline paradise. 

Now Ollie’s humans have started a collection of carnivorous and house plants. 

That is what we need addiction! Devotion! And the desire for plants! Passion!