The danger of candles

I love candles. I burn them almost every evening. Tonight I placed a candle on the coffee table. It's a rather large one that my housecleaner gave me for Christmas. It's in a glass container about 8" high.

As I was sitting on the couch watching TV, Max decided to jump on the coffee table so I moved the candle to the other end. I was petting him and watching TV at the same time when I smelled something awful. While I didn't notice, Max turned around and his tail brushed over the flame of the candle and got singed. It was only a couple of hairs that turned black and Max didn't even notice.

I immediately picked him up and checked his tail and all is well but I fear what would have happened if I was in another room or something. Of course, I blew the candle out right away.

Maybe I should rename him Singe??????

I'm glad that you were there too and that Max is fine. I have a few candles but I never use them because I know that my girls would probably knock them over or get burned. Cats and candles just don't mix in my opinion. I'd only use mine if my power was out and I didn't have a flashlight.

Maybe you should buy some of these. They sure would be safer.:)

Yikes! So glad you were there!

There used to be three places I could safely burn candles, the mantle, stovetop or on top of our tall entertainment center. I only have two places now because Dixie's developed the habit of "burner buns"...sitting on the stovetop! :rolleyes:

I had a lit candle up there and she was walking across the stove to get to me and her tail wafted across the candle making the flame flicker and jump. It got her tail too...the very tip of it but enough to make the end of her tail kind of blunt tipped for a while. I slapped it between both of my hands and like Max, she didn't know she was ablaze! :eek:

I don't burn candles anymore unless I'm alone in the bathroom (with pawsies under the door :D ) soaking in the tub.

This is the exact reason I never EVER burn a candle. Pets, especially cats, are SO fast and they go just about anywhere (to get into trouble....LOL)

Glad Max was not hurt.

I love candles too, but I just think it is to dangerous when there are cats in the house.

I've burned candles all through my house nearly every day for the past 30 years. My cats are used to it by now. Once in a while, one decides to be brave and get a little too close but the heat helps them to figure things out right away. The only one I really keep an eye on is Creamsicle because she's spastic in her movements but even she knows better than to get too close and she did it once, figured it out, and doesn't do it any more. I'm sure glad your kitty didn't get burned, though. :)

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Originally Posted by slick

I burn them almost every evening.

Maybe I should rename him Singe?

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:eek:

Or, maybe you should stop burning them and just *LOOK* at 'em ---

UN-lighted candles never burn anybody or start :eek: Fires!

;)

/s/ the Fire Guy

I'm glad you were so close to the candle and Max didn't get burned. It's so cosy with a candle burning, but a pity cats want to check it out. I'm lucky with Fister, he hardly ever comes up on the table. :)

I use these at my house.

http://www.countryglowsoycandles.com/ncandlewarmers.htm

I have one of the large ones and one of the small ones.

I just use any jar candle and when it's finally warm enough I remove the wick since it doesn't get lit at all. If the jar is a bit small for the warmer holder I just push the jar to one side in it and it finally warms up, but it does take a bit longer like all day to get a liquid wax. But even when it's not liquid it does make a nice scent all day.

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Originally Posted by slick

Maybe I should rename him Singe??????

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For some reason I woke this morning thinking of other 'new names" for Max...

Hot Buns? Hot Pants? Hot Seat? Smoky?

So glad your Max is ok. My Callie singed her whiskers when she got too curious a few years ago. Like you, thank goodness I was right there when she did it. Since then I never burn my candles unless they have a candle shade on them. I burn candles every day in 3 different rooms and have never had any accidents. I also use the electric melt warmers. I have 14 Fuzzybutts sharing my home and would never do anything that I thought would put them in danger. Needless to say, I never leave a candle burning when I am gone or napping. Try the shades if you love candles like I do, there are some really attractive ones.

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Originally Posted by Catlady711

I use these at my house.

http://www.countryglowsoycandles.com/ncandlewarmers.htm

I have one of the large ones and one of the small ones.

I just use any jar candle and when it's finally warm enough I remove the wick since it doesn't get lit at all. If the jar is a bit small for the warmer holder I just push the jar to one side in it and it finally warms up, but it does take a bit longer like all day to get a liquid wax. But even when it's not liquid it does make a nice scent all day.

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We use the Rio candle warmer http://www.cierracandles.com/detail.aspx?ID=2043 to enjoy the fragrance without the flame. Sometimes I microwave the jar candle for a minute or 2 to soften it up.

THATS NOT TO MENNTION THE DANGER THAT A JUMPING OR RUNNING CAT CAN DO IF THEY KNOCK THE CANDLE OVER AND IT LANDS ON A FLAMMABLE SURFACE.
WE ARE GLAD THAT YOUR KITTY GOT OFF SO LIGHTLY!!!!
:) :rolleyes: :cool: :D

Glad Max wasn't hurt. I too love candels, but was afraid of them being knocked over.

How scary! Glad that nothing worse happened!

I never burn candles here, even though I like them a lot, but my RB Katz burnt her whiskers twice when she sniffed the flame... Very scary, and too risky IMO.

Kirsten

I'm so glad Max is fine.
I am one if the few persons who do not like candle- I always feel they eat all the fresh air ;)- so no danger for the kitties here.

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Originally Posted by Barbara

I am one if the few persons who do not like candle

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Boy, would you hate my house then. I have candles in every single room and I light them every single day, not necessarily scented ones, though. They can be rather strong and take your breath away. I start my day w/a devotional candle and prefer candle light to incandescent, especially in the winter time. Ah well, to each his own, eh? :)

I burn candles all the time. Mine are in the jar and I think by the time any of my kitties would stick their heads in the jar to check out the flame, they've already felt the heat by then so they've never tried. So I've been fortunate none of my kitties have ever hurt themselves. They leave them alone. Whew!

In my dining room I have a candle screen that holds 39 tealight candles in little glass votive holders. Well, when Molly was still a baby, I had a dream that when I had them all lit that she went running through the living room and knocked the screen over by running behind it and it set the entire dining room ablaze! So, I've never lit those candles since! LOL I know it sounds stupid but I've had other dreams of something bad happening and then within a year, it really DID happen so I'm not taking any chances! :cool: