[Search for users] [Overall Top Noters] [List of all Conferences] [Download this site]

Conference misery::feline

Title:Meower Power - Where Differing Opinions are Respected
Notice:purrrrr...
Moderator:JULIET::CORDES_JA
Created:Wed Nov 13 1991
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1079
Total number of notes:28858

423.0. "T.K. burnt his paws on the woodstove!" by CALS::HEALEY (DTN 297-2426) Thu Oct 22 1992 09:08

	Hi folks,

	T.K. had a little accident last night.... he jumped onto a 
	hot wood stove and burnt his little paw pads.  Luckily, the 
	wood stove was not burning full force but he has second and/or
	third degree burns on two paws, the worst being the front paw.  
        I was sitting in the room reading when it happened and know 
	that he was only on there for a split second

	I'm taking him to the vet this evening to get antibiotics and
	also an anti-inflamatory to make his feet feel better.

	I feel so awful that this happened and what I'm asking here is
	if anybody has had any similar experiences and what measures
	to take to teach him that wood stoves are HOT!  I grew up 
	with cats and woodstoves all my life and never had this happen
	so I just figured they were smart enough not to try something
	like that.  I can't believe he hopped up there.  I'm so afraid
	he might try it again!

	Thanks,

	Karen
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
423.1MAGEE::MERRITTKitty CityThu Oct 22 1992 09:239
    Karen...if he is a smart kitty...he probably learned his lesson
    and will not jump up there again...not even in the summer when
    it is not on!!
    
    Aren't there some type of covers that you can buy to place over
    them...you would think people who had kids would also have this
    same worry!!
    
    Sandy
423.2JUPITR::KAGNOMom to the Wrecking CrewThu Oct 22 1992 09:4910
    This happened to my Aunt's cat, only she was not in the room an his
    injuries were life threatening.  His paw pads actually got stuck to the
    hot stove and he managed to rip himself free and jump off.  OUCH!
    
    Anyway, I am not sure what precautionary measures she took after
    that; however, I agree with Sandy that he probably won't do it again
    because he'll associate the wood stove with pain.
    
    -Roberta
    
423.3That must smart!!ERLANG::FALLONKaren Fallon "Moonsta Cattery"Thu Oct 22 1992 10:014
    be very careful and listen to your vet.  Paw pads are a different type
    of skin and may need extra care to heal.  I'd hedge my bet and say that
    will never happen again!!!  Good luck.
    Karen
423.4OXNARD::KOLLINGKaren/Sweetie/Holly/Little Bit Ca.Thu Oct 22 1992 13:073
    You might ask the vet about doing something different with the litter
    box while his pads are healing, like using newspaper shreds of some such.
    
423.5not sure a lesson was learned!CALS::HEALEYDTN 297-2426Fri Oct 23 1992 10:4127
	Well, T.K. was a little more burnt than I thought.  The
	vet pierced a few more blisters on his hind feet, gave him
	a shot of long acting cortisone (anti inflamatory) and
	gave me Panalog topical to apply 2-3 times/day.  I hate
	rubbing that cream into his poor little paws!  He licks
	it off right afterwards so I'm not sure what good it is
	doing.

	I'm still afraid it might happen again.  I was holding
	T.K. last night and made like I was going to put him on the
	cold woodstove and he was reaching for it his paws out like he
	had no problem with it!  Not even a struggle!  Perhaps he
	knew it was cold but cats are not like people who will test
	the temperature of something before they touch!  I was thinking
	that, the next time the stove is hot, I should make like
	I'm going to put him on it, get his paws real close so that
	he can really feel the heat.  I'm sure he'll struggle then!
	If he does I'll know I'm getting through to him.  If I try
	it a few more times it might sink in.  Thing is, if I attempt
	to discipline him by scolding when he approaches, he'll be
	even more inclined to hop on.  He is a kind of contrary 
	animal!  

	Anybody else have any ideas?

	Karen
423.6MAGEE::MERRITTKitty CityFri Oct 23 1992 11:1116
    Karen...
    
        my guess is your little test of holding him and placing
        him on the stove won't work because he has total faith
        in Mommy....knowing she would not do that to him!!!!
    
        If he is persistant....maybe you should figure out some
        type of cover for the wood stove with a screened front/top
        so the heat can get through.  I know my Dad made some "wood"
        things to go over our radiaters...and kitties use to love
        to sleep on top of them.  It was still warm...but not hot!!
    
        Good luck...and I hope T.K.'s paws will be better soon.
    
        Sandy
             
423.7OXNARD::KOLLINGKaren/Sweetie/Holly/Little Bit Ca.Fri Oct 23 1992 12:094
    I don't think I'd try putting him near it;  he might get the
    idea that you want him to jump on it.  There must be some sort of guard
    for stoves....
    
423.8FRAZZL::PDALEYFri Oct 23 1992 13:2619
    
    
    I would not assume that he wouldn't try it again - even smart cats can do
    some dumb things. One of my cats would walk right into a 
    fireplace - behind the screen - especially if there were a roaring 
    fire. I got to the point where I hated to build a fire in the fireplace 
    because I knew she's be right there. It was as if she were drawn to it-
    mesmerized. 
    
    Now I have a cat who will jump onto the electric stove's
    coils so what I do each time I finish with the burners  is place
    a pan of water on the hot coil until the coil cools. He burned his
    little paw once- not seriously thankfully - but he still goes back
    for more.
    
    I hope your kitty heals quickly and that he learns quicker than
    mine( did - actually mine never did learn.)
         Pat
    
423.9Smart cats, foolish choices?UNYEM::ETELMANSThelma & Louise for PresidentFri Oct 23 1992 13:388
    Luckily, my cats don't jump on hot things, butI do remember a vet once
    telling us that cats don't learn the way people do.  The cat we had at
    the time often came home scratched and pecked and bruised.  The vet
    said that he didn't associate activities with pain.
    
    Don't know how much truth there is to this...
    
    Sarah
423.10Try CitrusSWAM1::DEFRANCO_JEFri Oct 23 1992 19:308
    Maybe you can put something near the stove that would give off a scent
    that he doesn't like.  My cats hate citrus (lemoms and grapefruits are
    the worst!).  Maybe even a kettle on the stove with cut up lemons in
    some water.  Should give off a strong enough odor to keep kitty away
    and shouldn't be too bad for the humans in the house to live with.
    
    Jeanne
    
423.11shock?GIAMEM::FARLEYMon Oct 26 1992 16:3122
    I know my cat didn't learn, but it was a different accident.  He was
    sitting in one of my windows (the old kind with ropes) and the window
    just let go and came down on him.  I heard a bang, turned around and he
    was gone under the bed.  Well, the short of it was that he broke his
    hind foot (toe really - got a cast and all), but when he came out from 
    under the bed he was in shock, meowing and rolling on the floor, so he 
    really didn't know what happened.
    
    He still goes in my windows (I'm in a different apt. now) but he has no 
    clue that a window slamming down on him is what caused his pain.  What he 
    DOES associate with pain are very loud noises.  Apparently, he knows that 
    "something loud" caused him to hurt, but he doesn't know that it was the 
    window.  So your cat may or may not know exactly what it was that
    caused him pain, just that he jumped on "something" and he hurt his
    feet.
    
    This doesn't offer any solution - sorry 8*}  but that may be the
    mentality.
    
    hope he's better soon!
    
    kf
423.12BREAK::DDOUGLASWed Oct 28 1992 13:336
    
    
    I've been very lucky, cause Domino did this once jumped on the hot
    woodstove and off within seconds, but he's never done it since and he
    does lay on it in the summer cause it's cool....It was a very scarey
    thing.
423.13There is a screenMODEL::CROSSWed Oct 28 1992 13:579
    
    Hi, just saw this note, but at home I have a catalog that sells a
    screen (three sided) that you can put around your woodstove to keep
    children and pets away from it.  It is higher than the stove, and made
    of mesh, and so they would have to jump REALLY high to get over it.
    If you are interested, I will find the catalog and get the info for
    you.
    
    Nancy
423.14CALS::HEALEYDTN 297-2426Tue Nov 03 1992 12:4518
    Hi folks,

    Sunday, we finally lit the woodstove again.... we've been afraid to since
    the incident, especially when T.K. showed no fear of the cold woodstove.

    Just to test him, when the woodstove got pretty hot, I grabbed him
    (very tight) and held his paws near it (as if I were going to put him
    on).  I ended up with a very upset kitty in my hands and even got
    a scratch for my efforts but he definately knows the difference between
    hot and cold!  I think I can rest easier now.

    BTW, his feet have healed up just fine.  You'd never know about his
    little accident now!

    Karen