Conference misery::feline_v1

    I've had this happen a couple of times.  There is no solution
    short of changing the soil entirely, or trying to flush out
    the urine.  By this I mean, have water run through the soil
    and out the bottom for several minutes.  Unfortunately, you
    have to do this outside and it's too cold to do it now.
    
    Happy Replanting!
    Donna

    ALso,  to prevent this I now put gravel or pine cones on
    top of the soil.  So far, this has worked.
    
    Donna

    My suggestion would be to put the plant in the bath tub, (if you have
    one of the european hand held shower heads all the better) and let
    the water run through the plant for quite a while, or is it possible
    to put the plant in the kitchen sink and use that sprayer? If none of
    this is possible you will have to repot. (Not the answer you wanted
    to hear.)
    
    When we introduced new cats to our household we immediately put foil
    over the top of the pot, starting on each side and left the middle
    open so mold wouln't form. Moth ball work great to keep cats out of
    plants, off furnitue or any place else but I am allergic to them.
    
    The pine cones sound great but they (even though dry) are very acid
    for plants.
    
    Hope something works for you.
    
    Barbara

    Although if the cat urine has already entered the tree's root system,
    the tree may be a gonner. This happened to us.  good luck
    
    

    What about that "bitter apple" stuff?  I think that it's supposed
    to be orgamic not chemical.  You could check with a plant store
    (ie. The Plantery in Cambridge if it's still there) or florist to
    see if they have any other suggestions.
    
    

    mothballs are poisonous to cats, so it is better not to use them.
    

    Well, it sounds as though I will either risne it thoroughly this
    Spring, repot the tree entirely, or find some Bitter Apple.
    
    I did try Spanish Moss.  That was a flop--the cat loved it in there.
    I also tried foil, but the cat stomped it down, and the soil started
    molding.
    
    The tree is not losing as many leaves as before, and even has some
    new growth this week.  I made a tent around the base of the tree
    with paper plates (not very attractive!), and that has kept the
    cat out so far.  Perhaps I can scare up some chicken-wire to make
    a cone around the base of the tree.  That should keep him OUT!
    
    Bitter Apple sources; anyone?

   I've used baking soda in the rinse water when cleaning up a carpet
    "accident".  It helps the smell and the lady who takes care of the
    plants at our site feels it wouldn't do any harm to your tree.
    
    She also mentioned that as you flush the soil you are leaching out
    nutrients from the soil.  After the odor disappears, give the
    tree a little plant fertilizer.

    When Nebula was a kitten, she decided that one of the living room
    trees (a big ficus about 7 feet tall) was much easier to use than the
    downstairs catbox (especially before she and JFCL had worked out their
    relationship: big kitty was not letting little kitty have access to the
    basement).  I got some chicken wire and covered the top of the soil
    with it so she couldn't dig, and she stopped using it.  Since the pot
    is inside a basket which is a bit taller than the pot, you can't see
    the chicken wire, and it is still there, although I think Neb is much
    too big to try to use the tree now (she is now ten years old - still
    acts like a kitten, though!).  I also "escorted" her downstairs after
    feeding the kitties for a few days, until her bigger companion got the
    idea that the household was to have two cats!  The tree recovered, and
    the odor was gone pretty quickly.