Speaking of Tails

**Tubby & Peanut's Mom** · 01-18-2003, 06:18 PM

Please everyone - do not - try this at home!

Last night Tubby just about gave me a heart attack! I was taking a hot tub - the tub is similar to the one in Sara's picture of one of Jupiter's favorite places, deep and kind of short, with the jets. Anyway, I like to light a couple of candles while I'm in there, maybe have a beer or glass of wine and read a good book. I never close the door tight because I know Tubby likes to come and go, and usually will curl up on the towel I have laying nearby for when I get out. So I'm in there, just relaxing and reading my book. It's just about time to get out when Tubby comes in. He jumped up on the edge, which is always an ordeal because he doesn't always make it that far anymore. So this time he made it up and he was walking around the edge. He manuevered (sp?) around the beer bottle real well, so I went back to my book.

Well the next thing I heard was some hissing and popping (not cat hissing) I look around my book and I see Tubby's tail on fire!!!

He had moved it away from the flame, and it was still on fire, so I panicked, almost dropped by book in the water, and tried to grab him before he knew I was panicking so he wouldn't run. I had closed the door (air was way too cold that was blowing in) so even if he did run he couldn't get far, and if all else failed I could grab him and just throw him in the tub. All this goes through my mind in a split second as I put the book down and reach for him. I got him and just put my hand over the flame (which probably wasn't the smartest thing in the world to do), and it went out right away. Whew!!!

It had just burned some of the hair on his tail and didn't get anywhere near his skin (whew!) so he was fine and was wondering what the heck I was doing. The burning hair smelled to high heaven, and I had to crawl back in the tub because my legs were weak and a little shaky from panicking.

Geeze, just re-telling it gets my heart rate going again. Needless to say, I immediately blew out the candle and tried to get my breathing rate back to normal.

In that split second, I saw him running around the bathroom on fire, starting the towels and the carpet on fire, him being seriously burned and possibly causing a major fire. Whew!! Was I relieved it turned out so much better. There are two spots on his tail that the hair is a little rough, but they are so small you wouldn't even be able to tell if you didn't know, so it really turned out to be no big deal, but it really reminded me that even though he and Peanut have been around candles, and could really care less about them, I still have to be so careful when candles are lit and they are around.

I really wish I had Cinders way with words to tell this story, but I was thinking more about Phred after this episode than anything else. So go ahead, Phred, lecture away about candles because I obviously need it, and hopefully others can learn from my mistake.

**Cataholic** · 01-18-2003, 07:21 PM

Oh, Poor Tubby!! But, it turned out ok. I must say, I do candles around my guys, but, I leave those metal lids on that Yankee Candle sells. It isn't 100% fool proof, I know that......

Wow, your mind really works fast! I am glad you didn't scream..cause then Tubby woulda flew!

**jenluckenbach** · 01-18-2003, 07:27 PM

poor Tubby.

I always thought candles and cats don't mix. Things happen just TOO DARN fast.

**Tubby & Peanut's Mom** · 01-18-2003, 07:57 PM

Originally posted by jenluckenbach
poor Tubby.

I always thought candles and cats don't mix. Things happen just TOO DARN fast.

I used to think so too, when they were younger, but since they've both gotten older they are much more sedate, and I only have them lit when I'm being sedate

which usually means they are too, so it hasn't been a problem for years - ever since Tubby hasn't been able to get on the counters (can't jump that high anymore).

I'm not normally a "screamer," but I'm glad I didn't scream too, and I'm glad I had the door closed so he couldn't have gotten out. Somebody must have been looking out for us this time, whew!.

**jenluckenbach** · 01-18-2003, 08:12 PM

Believe me, I do not want to sound like I am on your back, but never think that a cat is too old to be fast. I had a 19 year old who, yes, most of the time he was slow and quiet, but boy when the spirit moved him, he could get up to speed. I just say, better safe than sorry.
Sure am glad it all worked out for the best.

**AmberLee** · 01-18-2003, 09:50 PM

Whew! By luck, I haven't used my candles lately, but was thinking of starting again. Hmmm... must rethink this. Thanks for the head's up!

**LoudLou** · 01-18-2003, 09:55 PM

Poor Tubby!... Glad all is well now. What a fright for your Mama.

.... Bonzo is the Moth to flame in this house so NO candle burning here anymore. When he was a kitten he tried to singe off his whiskers. Was an extremely scary moment for me. Have never burned candles since then.

**krazyaboutkatz** · 01-18-2003, 10:59 PM

Wow!

I'm so glad that it wasn't any more serious than it was. I hardly ever use candles and now after reading this I'm very glad.

**All Creatures Great And Small** · 01-19-2003, 12:06 AM

I do remember, growing up, that my mom was a smoker and a compulsive candle burner as well, so the kitties more than once walked across a table where a candle was lit, and singed their tummy fur in the process. (She still smokes, and still compulsively burns candles, too

) I never had my kitties get too near a candle, but once I almost burned my own foot on a candle next to the tub - I flopped over onto my stomach and stretched my legs out behind me, not knowing that I had placed my foot directly over the candle until I felt the pain

!

This thread does bring to mind a funny but bizarre occurrence that involved my RB girl kitty. I used to be a heavy smoker too, and I was downstairs doing laundry one day with my ashtray sitting on the dryer as usual with a lit cigarette in it, while I loaded the washer. My kitty wanted to see what I was doing, so she jumped up onto the dryer and was kind of pacing around up there. After a moment I reached over to take a puff on my cigarette, but it wasn't in the ashtray. That's when I saw the cigarette HANGING FROM MY CAT'S BUTT, with the lit end stuck to one of her "klinkers"!

I'm serious, this really happened! She must have made an attempt to sit down at one point, too close to the ashtray, and didn't feel any burn since the cigarette was not stuck to her fur or skin, per se. She was about to jump off the dryer and take the cigarette for a walk through the house - glad I caught her in time! I'm also glad I quit smoking, so I don't have to worry about anything or anyone getting burnt in my house! I also switched from scented candles to a simmering potpourri pot (on a timer in case I forget about it) or those Glade Plug-In oil things - much safer.

**wayne0214** · 01-19-2003, 04:28 AM

T &PM, that would be scary to witness, especially when your pet does not know they are on fire!. Although I am wondering if a fire would sustain itself on cat fur.

Once in a while I will burn candles on the coffee table, but they are in a 1 gallon iron cauldron, which isolates my furkids from coming in contact with any flame. All of my furkids will avoid getting too close to the fire, yet, some of them are curious and will stick their nose close to it to sniff it, I suppose

.........wayne

**sasvermont** · 01-19-2003, 07:53 AM

T & P's mom,

We have all had horrible events happen "around" our cats. I could post for hours about things they have jumped on (furniture being stripped, ovens just newely opened after cooking, painted windowsills, etc. )......

Anyway, there are many problems with cats being so darn nosey. With candle, what I have learned to do is to put the candle inside another container, a much, much larger and deeper container. I bought a few (imitation?) stained glass containers at a "Ben Franklin" store (5 & 10 type, or home project supplier stores) and they are not bad looking and will hold a rather large candle inside. This way, the stupid cats won't be able to knock into them. I just took a picture of what I am talking about. Graemer was curious as to what I was doing, thus, he is in the photo. It may help you to judge the size of the candle holder I am talking about. You may want to velcro them to the side of the tub or the surface you want to have it sit on. I velcro my CD, VCR and antenna to the top of my tv set. That way the monkeys won't be able to knock them off. The container in the photo is very heavy, by the way.

Many a cat has been set on fire while hanging out near candles. I have witnessed one cat's fur catch on fire on New year's Eve. Fortunately it was not my kitty.

Sorry to hear about your poor kitty but glad the kitty is none the worse for the wear!

01-19-2003, 08:31 AM

WOW

!!

Thàt must have been so scary ...!
I am a candle-person too . Untill we had Inka , I always had some candles burning in our living room . Sometimes we even watched tele in candlelight !! So cosy

But , since I do not trust Inka , no more candles where she can reach them ...

.She has the bad habit to jump on everything , so I don't want to push my luck ...

**Tubby & Peanut's Mom** · 01-19-2003, 07:53 PM

I was thinking about this whole situation, and I realized why there was a problem. See, I used to only have two candles that I lit while in the tub and they were both on the "inside" (the wall side) of the tub so Tubby couldn't get to them when he jumped up. He tried to get to that side of the tub (behind my head) but I would always stop him because a few times he almost fell in because it's a little narrow, and then he has to turn around which is also quite interesting.

So, anyway, he normally doesn't get to that side of the tub, and that's why I put the candles there.

The problem came because I bought a new candle and put it on the outer edge instead of on the protected inner edge. I will now move that new one to the inner edge so there are no problems anymore.

I still say - whew!

**Vio&Juni** · 01-20-2003, 07:06 AM

Yea, I use the same things as Sas. This blue one is for a small candle, I have for big candles too. Juni tried to smell it once, but it was hot and she doesn't touch it anymore, or if she's around it, she tries to avoid it. The other pinkish one, is a special candle, but I wouldn't dare to light it without supervision, the flame is big.