Pest identification
What's eating my cat's jaws?
Mealybugs
Signs: White cottony clusters wedged between the tightly packed leaf pairs; sticky honeydew at the base of the plant.
Control: Remove carefully with an alcohol-dipped cotton swab between leaf pairs; treat the whole plant with diluted neem oil every 7 days for 3 weeks.
Root mealybugs
Signs: White waxy coating on roots; plant looks dull and shriveled even after watering correctly.
Control: Remove from pot, clean off all soil, rinse roots, and drench in diluted insecticidal soap; repot in fresh well-draining gritty mix.
Spider mites
Signs: Fine pale stippling on leaf surfaces; tiny webs between leaf pairs in low-humidity conditions.
Control: Wipe leaf surfaces gently with a damp cloth; spray insecticidal soap or neem oil and increase airflow around the plant.
Keep cat's jaws pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Cat's Jaws pests — FAQ
What is eating my cat's jaws?
Cat's Jaws (Faucaria felina) is a small mesemb succulent occasionally troubled by mealybugs sheltering between its toothed, tooth-edged leaves. Root mealybugs are a hidden risk in wet conditions. Spider mites can appear in dry indoor air. The interlocking leaf pairs make thorough inspection tricky — check the base of each leaf pair carefully.
How do I get rid of mealybugs on cat's jaws?
White cottony clusters wedged between the tightly packed leaf pairs; sticky honeydew at the base of the plant. Remove carefully with an alcohol-dipped cotton swab between leaf pairs; treat the whole plant with diluted neem oil every 7 days for 3 weeks.
How do I get rid of root mealybugs on cat's jaws?
White waxy coating on roots; plant looks dull and shriveled even after watering correctly. Remove from pot, clean off all soil, rinse roots, and drench in diluted insecticidal soap; repot in fresh well-draining gritty mix.
How do I get rid of spider mites on cat's jaws?
Fine pale stippling on leaf surfaces; tiny webs between leaf pairs in low-humidity conditions. Wipe leaf surfaces gently with a damp cloth; spray insecticidal soap or neem oil and increase airflow around the plant.