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Conference misery::feline_v1

Title:Meower Power is Valuing Differences
Notice:FELINE_V1 is moving 1/11/94 5pm PST to MISERY
Moderator:MISERY::VANZUYLEN_RO
Created:Sun Feb 09 1986
Last Modified:Tue Jan 11 1994
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:5089
Total number of notes:60366

1865.0. "*I AM GOING TO *KILL* BLACK THUNDER" by AIMHI::OFFEN () Wed Oct 12 1988 21:43

    I think Black Thunder made *BRAT OF THE YEAR* this morning.
    She tried to burn down the house!!!!
    
    The little *sweetpea* (I also have *other* names for her) isn't
    totally kitty-box trained yet (frustrating for me) and decided
    to try behind the TV for the first time.  I have (had) an
    electrical extension (heavy duty) with the TV, 2 cable boxes,
    and VCR plugged in there.  
    
    Lynda caught Thunder in mid-stream and scolded her at 6:45 A.M.
    At 7:00 A.M. Lynda happened to be walking past the family room
    and started screaming OH NO!!!! OH NO!!!! MAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!
    Needless to say, I came running and FROZE at the sight of heavy
    black smoke coming from behind the TV (which I just had repaired)
    I couldn't even think what to do.  I was afraid to touch the wires
    for fear of electrocution.  The circuit breakers cut off then and
    I could get near the area.  Behind the TV, the electrical outlet
    was on fire.  I unplugged everything from the extension and through
    the extension into the middle of the room.  There was a big hole
    where it had been laying.  One of the cable boxes had a melted
    plug.
    
    After everything was settled down I turned the circuits back on.
    Within 5 minutes, I had a fire going again!!  I got that one
    out in short time and threw the extension into the middle of the
    driveway.  I stayed home for a few hours to see if everything was
    alright and it seemed to be.
    
    I am now at work wondering if I have a home left and WHAT I can
    do to break her of this habit.  I am going to start putting her
    into the bathroom when no-one is home and at night while we are
    sleeping until I am sure she uses the box ALL the time instead of
    80% of the time.  I really hate to do this to her because she is
    SUCH A LOVE but I also don't want to see my house burn down either.
    
    Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can do to break her other
    than a room-full of kitty litter graduating down to a box??
    
    Sandi (Lightning, DejaVu & Thunder(alias BRAT)'s mom)
    
    Can anyone top this for *BRAT OF THE YEAR*????
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name		DateLines
1865.1WEFXEM::COTEIt was a dark and stormy night...Wed Oct 12 1988 23:434
    She's only doing what I wish *I* had the nerve to do everytime
    "Wheel Of Fortune" is on...
    
    Edd
1865.2AIMHI::OFFENThu Oct 13 1988 11:504
    Thanks, Edd.  I needed that....
    
    Sandi
1865.3Huh????MYVAX::LUBYDTN 287-3204Thu Oct 13 1988 11:538
    
    	I don't get what happened??  I reread the note twice, looking
    for where she had chewed the cord!  But from what I could figure
    out, she hadn't touched the cord.  
    
    	How did the fire start??  
    
    	Karen
1865.4MORE INFO PLEASE!USMFG::SMONTANARIThu Oct 13 1988 13:2814
    RE. 3
    
    My question also!  I guess I don't understand how a cat can actually
    start a fire just by going behind the TV unless as .3 said by chewing
    on them.  Are you sure it's not your electrical wiring behind the
    wall?  Please tell us more because my new kittie goes behind the
    TV.  I scold him but I know he does it when I'm not home!!!
        
    Sorry I couldn't help the situation but I too am curious how to
    handle that situation.
1865.5My guessSQUEKE::WARDI leave Trouble behindThu Oct 13 1988 13:389
    Since she said Thunder is not fully litterbox trained, I would assume
    (yes, I know that's dangerous) that she meant he urinated on something
    behind the TV, probaby the extension cord, causing a short which
    would cause a fire.  
    
    Just my guess,
    
    Bernice
    Mother_of_Trouble
1865.6...Just a thought...BRUTWO::SOBEKThu Oct 13 1988 14:0214
    Our living room is ..well, let's say "quaint". (I had to decided
    between a new living room and a horse barn six years ago when Bob
    and I were married. ...three barns and five horses later the living 
    room is still "on the list"!) The only outlet in the living room is 
    built into the floor under the sofa! So, in the meantime, I use
    extension cords. To help prevent the worry about wiring and extensions,
    etc., I use those heavy duty extensions with several outlets and a
    built in circuit breaker. That way if something should ever short out 
    the breaker trips before a larger problem develops. Perhaps something
    like that would be of help until Thunder is fully trained.  
    
    Linda
1865.7VAXWRK::SKALTSISDebThu Oct 13 1988 16:156
    A cat spraying into a live outlet CAN cause sparks and even fire.
    There was an article about this in the past year in one of the cat
    magazines. Basicly, the woman wound up haveing the outlets disabled.
    
    Deb
1865.8CIRCUS::KOLLINGKaren, Sweetie, & Holly; in Calif.Thu Oct 13 1988 18:297
    This isn't quite the same problem -- my guys chew.  I have found
    that Tabasco sauce, reapplied occasionally, fixes this.  Contrary
    to what one would believe, Tabasco dries invisibly and non-stickily.
     Some day some one will figure out a solution to the thousand-wire
    messes behind tv/vcrs etc and computer terminals and make himself
    a fortune.
1865.9AIMHI::OFFENFri Oct 14 1988 12:0916
    Yes, Bernice, Mother of Trouble, you hit it on the head.  She
    definitely did urinate right on the heavy duty extension outlet
    (which apparantly does not have a breaker) which caused the fire.
    
    BRAT!!! BRAT!!!! BRAT!!!!
    
    There no longer is an extension cable behind the TV area.  Next
    time, I'm going to nail it to the wall somehow so this won't happen
    again.  It was scary!!!!  I'm just glad it happened when we were
    home (AND AWAKE).  Mobile homes have a tendency to burn down VERY
    FAST.  I would hate to come home to no Lightning, no DejaVu & no
    Thunder (BRAT that she is).
    
    Sandi
1865.10Plastic babyproof plugsTOPDOC::TRACHMANE.T.'s ZhivagoCats....DTN: 264-8298Fri Oct 14 1988 12:4312
    re: 7
    
    Deb, I think that we probably all should use those plastic plugs
    
    that folks use to baby--proof outlets - I just gave some to a
    friend at a baby shower.  Then you could still use the outlet
    when you needed to.
    
    Yurii got a smack this morning for chewing cord - I really have
    some super-chewers - every cord in the house has teeth marks!
    
    E.T.
1865.11*YYYYEEEEEAAAAAAHHHHHHHH*AIMHI::OFFENWed Oct 26 1988 17:0317
    I know I shouldn't be typing this because it will jinx me but I
    just wanted to let you people know how Thunder is doing.
    
    Since the day of the fire, she has been using the cat box.  both
    of them.    I am *so proud* of her.  She has only had one mistake
    but that was partially my fault.  I hadn't gotten to the kitty-box
    on time.  
    
    Maybe the fire scared her as much as it did me.
    
    We're on the road to a *Fantastic Kitty*.  Maybe she isn't such
    a *brat* after all.
    
    Sandi (Lightning, DejaVu & Thunder's mom)