Update on the *Zap!* Sich-e-a-shon:

Of course the best of the above ideas would cost money, and when Dad asked if I wanted Krunchies to eat of less Zaps, the move to Down Under and the midifier boxes kanda slid onto the back burner.

The plantz idea sounded neat to me, but then Dad asked what I'd suggest doing with The Kat: paw-cufs, put him in a canvas bag tied around his neck, glue his paws together, or put a cork in a strategic place or two to eliminate to need to *dig* in soft dirt?? I had to agree The Kat would be a serious flaw in the plantz project, but offered the thought that the Kat would probably not insist on weekly dumping of his box. What with multiple new poddy locations being available to spread the "load", none would need frequent R&R. So what's a little cat odor all over the house? ... Moving on;

Course the low tech = CHEAP ideas 'pealed to Dad, so we began the "Strategic Placement of Auxilliary Humidity Sources" throughout the house. I said "Huh?" Well, why dint he just say "bowls of water"? First "source" was the car wash bucket behind the end table (outa sight, he said). That lasted till Lightfoot the Kat did a slide-stop jump landing on the pile of Firehouse Magazines on top of said table. Luckily the Whole Fambly was assembled for the ritual staring at the TV box and got to see the show. Kat only got one paw wet, but 6 months of Firehouse was a little more than the bucket could hold. The wet rug filled in for the bucket for about 3 days. Was 2 days 'fore we saw the Kat again.

Next "placement" was a bowl behind the kitchen trash bin and in front of the kitchen heater. That one lasted 'bout 45 minutes, till Daddy-O stepped on the lid popper peddel on the trash bin - which promptly skidded backwards (into said water bowl) which resulted in a clean spot on the kitchen floor.

The one in the "really good spot" in the baffroom lasted 2 or 3 days. It was a bigger bowl, owing to the Kat's desire to empty the first tried smaller one, and placed "outa the way" but still in front of the heater. It retirement from service was indeed komikal, but alas we FurKids were not present for the actual event. Seems the Dad sometimes visits the Hoomin Poddy (Dog's Big White Waterbowl, when the lid's up) during the nite hours. On these visits he (1) Never puts on his glasses and (2) Never turns on the lights. #1 cause "he knows the way". #2 cause "can't see with the lights on without the glasses, and it wakes me up". See where this is going? Items #1 and #2 ALSO means "you can't see the *big* bowl of Aux Hoomiditee Source" in the dark baffroom. The then empty bowl slept the rest of the night in the sinkbowl (lucky for Boots he wasn't sleeping in the sink that night) and the baffrom rug did a fine job of increasing the hoomidity for a few days.

There were a couple more sites tried, but each fell out of favor after one of us (Dad, Boots Kat, or me, Cinder Dog) either fell into it, pushed someone else into it, or dropped someting into it.

Does adding water to the house help 'liminate the Zap!s? Oh, you bet. Kat knows first hand the added moisture (specially in us FurKids) stops the Zaps. Kat uses the tub/shower as his *clubhouse* to seek refuge from wild animals loose inna house (me), Hoomins bent on punishment for sins against the establishment (Dad), and when he just dosen't wanna be found. He's inna *clubhouse*, Dad feels like a shower. Dad reaches in the half-open door, turns on the shower, closes door to let steam build up, leaves baffroom to take off his fur pieces. Rest isn't purty. Dad, now in birfday suit, without glasses, opens shower door and places foot #1 into shower. The now completely drenched (by almost scalding hot water) medium sized house Kat, who's been waiting for the shower door to open for a good five minutes, exits said tub area through the dorway partially blocked by said naked, sightless, Dad. I'm not sure which of 'em made the louder screams. Dad had Kat tracks from top to bottom. Kat almost knocked himself out when he banged his head into the shower door top track. They didn't talk to each other for a week. But Kat did report less Zaps for the two weeks it took for him to dry out!

Although not personally injured in the hoomidity production program, I've desided that avoiding the cause (Dad's paws) is by far the least dangerous of the available remadees. On bad days (signaled by the Kat's reaction to the "we're home" pat on his back), I just avoid the Dad.

Any better ideas; post away! /s/ Cinder