Cat pee in potted plant

[hennypenny9]

So I re-potted an indoor plant the other day, and my cat decided the new dirt was a litter box! The plant is a Mauna Loa, (Peace Lily). The places that got "hit" are black, and it's all wilted. Is there any hope to save it? It's fairly established and I don't want it to die.

I moved the plant to a bedroom and shut the door, so he won't get to it again.

 

[patandchickens]

I would not hold my breath for it to survive (at least not gracefully), but you could try the following: knock the plant out of its pot, sluice all the soil gently out from around the roots (tease them apart if necessary -- if it's really potbound, you are sunk) and hose it off gently but thoroughly or give it a real good dunking in a washtub of water; then replant in new potting soil, making sure to spread the roots out and work the soil in around the roots. Then trim off all damaged leaves at the base, and cross your fingers.

Good luck,

Pat

 

[bid]

Bad kitty!

If you haven't already, I would probably take it outside and flush it with water good to try and wash it out. You may try removing some of the potting soil at the top first if you are so inclined. If outside isn't an option put it in the sink and get that water flowing out the drain holes. Good luck and I hope you can save it.

 

[wifezilla]

What pat said. That has worked for me many times in the past.

 

[hennypenny9]

Thanks everyone! It wasn't root bound since I had just re-potted it. It's soaking in a tub of water, right now. I had to get away from it because the smell was making me gag. It's like the water intensified the smell!

Whenever my cat misbehaves, he does it at night so that it's really hard to correct the habit. I had to put packing tape on the top of anything I didn't want him on. (boy did that work well!)

Okay, back to the smell.

Edit: The plant is now back in the silly pot I took it out of yesterday. *sigh*

 

[Rosalind]

Factoid you may find interesting:

Lemon verbena plants actually really like cat pee, and will flower if regularly "fertilized". Geraniums hate it. Hibiscus can tolerate it if you water thoroughly while holding your nose.

Yeah, found that out the hard way...