Have any of your cats almost killed you?

[Randi]

Lizzie, I thoroughly enjoyed your story!

Hope you'll heal up soon!

[Lizzie]

Thank you for your good wishes, everyone. My nose and temple bruises are in the greenish yellow stage so I'll be glad when that is over.

I never truly believed Jack could make it over the roof and down to the front of the house because I've had several cats who loved to be on the roof and they never got down at the front. I'd see them sitting on the edge of the roof above the garage or front door but that was as far as they got. And, the cats who have visited me over the years for food, no matter how pushy and lithe, have never jumped up from the front.

However, on Saturday I found out that Jack really has been using the roof as a getaway route. Based on my disbelief, I opened the deck doors early on Saturday without shutting him up first. He was gone in a moment. I caught him in the garden in the afternoon and he's been incarcerated in a bedroom ever since, and very unhappy.

I'm going to have to talk to the shelter about what kind of home he should go to. Like most shelters, they ask for indoor homes only for all their tame cats. I think this guy has to go to a home where the guardian is so vigilant he never gets past them at the front door (which means no children), or a home where he can be indoor/outdoor.

Given the way he has behaved I've been wondering if he is one of those cats that simply hitched a ride on something like a movers van. Goodness knows where he really came from (no microchip.)

[momoffuzzyfaces]

Chester and Winnie tried to kill us last night. Winnie chased Chester and he jumped on the cook stove to get away from her. Seems one of his feet pushed the knob of the back right burner just enough so it turned and let gas out without the burner lighting.

When I came out of the bathroom I smelled gas. Luckily I found it and turned it off. I aired the room out but couldn't sleep well all night. I was afraid they would do that again and gas themselves or blow the house up.

My RB kitty Leroy did that once at the old house. I was able to take the knobs off that stove so he couldn't do it again. I can't get the knobs off this stove though.

[Randi]

Oh MOFF! Can you cut a piece of cardboard to fit the on stove? That might them keep them from doing it. Then, it might be too interesting for them and they'll all sit there during night and turn it on.

[pomtzu]

Moff - try putting tape over the knobs so they can't accidentally be turned on. It's kind of a pain when you want to use a burner - having to take tape off and then put it back on again, but it could be a lifesaver in the long run.
That would have scared the be-geebies out of me. Glad my stove is electric and the knobs are on the back, not that my son's cats have ever ventured on to the stove tho.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

Oh MOFF! Can you cut a piece of cardboard to fit the on stove? That might them keep them from doing it. Then, it might be too interesting for them and they'll all sit there during night and turn it on.

I don't want to incourage them to get up there. Chester thought he was running for his life. He usually doesn't get up there.

I think I fixed it so the monsters can't turn the gas on. I found an old piece of thick cardboard. I cut small stips and they fit great behind the knobs. The knobs won't go down or turn so the gas won't come on. They are so small, the kits probably won't notice them. All I need to do is pull them out when I need to use the stove and put them back again.

I'll also keep extra pans sitting on the burners to discourage them from any monkey shines. They can't reach the cardboards from the floor and if they try from the top, falling pans will frighten them. There is a tiny rim along the top of the stove so hopefully, that will keep the monkeys from seeing the cardboad.

I feel lots better. I didn't let them watch me put the cardboard in to keep them from wanting to investigate.

[phesina]

Oh my God... How scary! And how lucky that you caught on before it was too late.

Ingenious solution you came up with, too, MoFF.

Well done!