cats - and surge strips

[destrekor]

Cats are fucking evil, evil creatures. Complete assholes. Manipulative pricks.


My roommate has two cats, a full-grown black cat of some sort, and a kitten of some kind (probably half-size thus far).
I know jack shit about cats, and would prefer to keep it that way. They are worthless animals who do nothing but fuck shit up because they can.
Now that I put it that way, they are just like wasps.


So anyhow - these fuckers keep doing two things that are pissing me off:

1) jumping on my front tower speakers to jump onto the center speaker that sits on top of the TV (I've got this shelf made for "mounting" speakers or electronics on top of flat panels).
Two problems with that: it's a 50" plasma using the included stand, and that speaker shelf is merely using a gravity-style system to pin itself down/onto the TV. Touching that shelf wobbles the TV. The shelf is rated for 25lbs and the TV doesn't appear to really be going anywhere, but I'd like to not worry about that.
It's also the best spot to put my keyboard for the HTPC. And they cause all sorts of havoc when they get cozy with that keyboard.
Since I moved the TV from the corner and, well, upgraded to the larger TV from the previous 32" LCD, it's been less often - but it's annoying.

2) Far more troublesome: the bastards get behind the TV and sometimes hit the switch on one of the surge strips.
Off goes the HTPC, my router (but not the cable modem/router combo - have that on a lesser surge strip), receiver, hd home run, ps3, etc.

I can't protect it 24/7, so who knows when I'm going to miss out on recording something that I really, really want. It screws with my internet, so that's a big issue too.


/first world problems

Seriously though, how do I approach this particular issue? Is there some home-theater-grade surge protector (i.e. has good protection (# joules) and can host a fair wattage/amperage, along with ample connections) that makes it difficult to hit the main power switch?

Even better, is there a cheap trick to either keep the bastards out of the tight mess of wires back there and/or make it at least very difficult to hit the switch?

 

[lxskllr]

Put a small box over the switch. Sheesh... Engineers can be myopic sometimes :^D

 

[rudeguy]

Kleenex over the switch, electrical tape over kleenex.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

All of our shelves and a lot of our electronics got wall-mounted as a result of cats jumping on them.

Get them a cat condo they can climb on and scratch, and chase them away from your crap - they'll figure it out and stop messing around with your stuff.

 

[rudeguy]

All of our shelves and a lot of our electronics got wall-mounted as a result of cats jumping on them.

Get them a cat condo they can climb on and scratch, and chase them away from your crap - they'll figure it out and stop messing around with your stuff.

Bwahwhahahahaha

Cats train you. You don't train them.

 

[Imp]

I'll be getting a dog "soon" and plan to lock all my valuables in a separate room. That and "training" it not to touch expensive things.

Build a cage or wall-mounted (i.e. nailed to wall and floor) shelf?

 

[MustISO]

Some APC surge protectors have a protected inset push button switch that makes it impossible to press accidentally or on purpose by evil doing cats.

 

[SlickSnake]

Op owned by cats, as expected.

Nothing to see here, move along.

 

[destrekor]

I'll be getting a dog "soon" and plan to lock all my valuables in a separate room. That and "training" it not to touch expensive things.

Build a cage or wall-mounted (i.e. nailed to wall and floor) shelf?

I've never really had much of a problem with dogs and electronics.

Cats, on the other hand, have proven to be the ultimate dicks of the animal kingdom.
"Oh, what's this? Fuck you, that's what. Because."

 

[SlickSnake]

I've never really had much of a problem with dogs and electronics.

Cats, on the other hand, have proven to be the ultimate dicks of the animal kingdom.
"Oh, what's this? Fuck you, that's what. Because."

The ultimate dicks of the animal kingdom are whales. If a whale got on your 25 pound shelf, he would likely take out your home theater system, along with your entire home.

 

[destrekor]

Put a small box over the switch. Sheesh... Engineers can be myopic sometimes :^D

Yes, yes engineers can be.
Good thing I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts. :sneaky:

The ultimate dicks of the animal kingdom are whales. If a whale got on your 25 pound shelf, he would likely take out at your home theater system, along with your entire home.

Good thing I only have to worry about the land whale upstairs.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Bwahwhahahahaha

Cats train you. You don't train them.

It's about establishing territory and boundaries. Yes, I'm forced to operate on their level, but when I do it, then they do what I want.

Cat-proofing a house or apartment is necessary just like dog- or child-proofing.

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2013/07/17/peds.2013-1086

 

[destrekor]

All of our shelves and a lot of our electronics got wall-mounted as a result of cats jumping on them.

Get them a cat condo they can climb on and scratch, and chase them away from your crap - they'll figure it out and stop messing around with your stuff.

Every time I catch them, I do chase them away, hosing them down with a spray bottle the roommate has for that purpose.
They haven't been learning as fast as they should be. :\

 

[Thebobo]

Two sided tape on things you don't want your cat to walk on

 

[KlokWyze]

Can't handle a couple cats & are ranting like a bitch about it. :|

 

[destrekor]

Can't handle a couple cats & are ranting like a bitch about it. :|

I can "handle" them - I'd kill them or simply throw them outside to never see them again if I could get away with it,

I seriously don't like the things - the one likes to chase/claw my foot/ankle. ...probably because I wear ankle socks around the place and nobody else does - I don't give a shit, he adapts... not I.
I've seriously come close to punting that bastard across the room. The fact that I don't want to cause a rift with my roommate is the only thing holding me back with regards to how I treat them.

I'm also slightly allergic to them so I don't like dealing with them, at all. I think I'm getting desensitized, but that's beside the point.

I've never seen the value in cats, and I continue to find them to be worthless excuses as pets. I'm master, not them. Dogs can at least see that AND still want to be best friends, and can actually do a real job (protect the property - as long as they aren't those equally worthless toy shits that sound like squeaker toys).

They can be cute and cuddly when they demand attention and want to be right on you, but that's just part of their manipulative approach toward bonding.


I've got an issue with animals that don't accept their place, and this one alpha-like bastard isn't getting it.
Especially when animals draw blood like the one fucker did, I don't think of them as deserving of life under the same roof. The fact that they piss me off for what are more or less superficial reasons just makes it more aggravating.

 

[AmdEmAll]

I used to have a cat that peed on electrical outlets and surge strips.. could be worse

 

[dave_the_nerd]

I can "handle" them - I'd kill them or simply throw them outside to never see them again if I could get away with it,

Admitting to that on an internet forum is a good way to get flamed into oblivion.

I seriously don't like the things - the one likes to chase/claw my foot/ankle. ...probably because I wear ankle socks around the place and nobody else does - I don't give a shit, he adapts... not I.

Nah. Just wants to play, probably got too excited (was it the little one?) As they get older, they get better about keeping their claws in.

Soft Paws work too.

I've seriously come close to punting that bastard across the room. The fact that I don't want to cause a rift with my roommate is the only thing holding me back with regards to how I treat them.

Hey, look, more ITG threats of animal abuse. Are you actually a sociopath, or do you just play one on the internet?

I'm also slightly allergic to them so I don't like dealing with them, at all. I think I'm getting desensitized, but that's beside the point.

http://www.cat-world.com.au/General-Cat-Articles/why-do-cats-go-to-people-who-dont-like-them.html

People who love cats will attempt to engage with them. Picture this, you visit a friend who's cat is quietly sitting there observing, and you want a cuddle, what do you do? You lean forward, speak in a high tone, look directly at the cat and call him over. To a cat, direct eye contact is a sign of dominance and can be viewed as threatening behaviour. He doesn't like it.

Meanwhile, the visitor who doesn't like cats quietly sits down, avoids all eye contact with the cat and hopes the cat will stay away. He is behaving in such a way that is viewed as non threatening towards the cat. So who does Fluffy go to? The non-cat lover.

Again, if you want a cat to do something, you have to communicate with it. You probably aren't.

 

[Murloc]

cats are cuddly and it's nice to stroke them and hear the purrs, that's why they are pets. They actually enjoy that stuff, and not just to manipulate you for food or stuff like that. My cat comes just to get cuddles and will try everything to headbutt my hands, including standing up.

In star trek there are similar animals made to give you the same feels as cats, without the hassle of real animals.

1) they like the heat, so they will sit on top of any electronic device they find, including closed laptops (I hate this because the screen feels flimsy so I always put the laptop away, but it survived when it happened without problems).
Put items on top of the speakers that discourage jumping because they take up all the space so the cat can't see a place to land and won't jump. Something light so that if it falls, it doesn't ruin the floor. What about a PSU box in vertical position covered with a rag? If it doesn't look like he can get a grip, he won't jump, and a rag on a vertical psu box will be steep and the side of the box is not big enough to land on, it also looks unsafe.

2) put a small metal/wood/hard plastic box over the switch and use duct tape to keep it there.
If you don't want them to go there, you have to either reduce the space, or block the entrances with CLOSED boxes duct taped into place.

 

[KlokWyze]

I can "handle" them - I'd kill them or simply throw them outside to never see them again if I could get away with it,

I seriously don't like the things - the one likes to chase/claw my foot/ankle. ...probably because I wear ankle socks around the place and nobody else does - I don't give a shit, he adapts... not I.
I've seriously come close to punting that bastard across the room. The fact that I don't want to cause a rift with my roommate is the only thing holding me back with regards to how I treat them.

I'm also slightly allergic to them so I don't like dealing with them, at all. I think I'm getting desensitized, but that's beside the point.

I've never seen the value in cats, and I continue to find them to be worthless excuses as pets. I'm master, not them. Dogs can at least see that AND still want to be best friends, and can actually do a real job (protect the property - as long as they aren't those equally worthless toy shits that sound like squeaker toys).

They can be cute and cuddly when they demand attention and want to be right on you, but that's just part of their manipulative approach toward bonding.


I've got an issue with animals that don't accept their place, and this one alpha-like bastard isn't getting it.
Especially when animals draw blood like the one fucker did, I don't think of them as deserving of life under the same roof. The fact that they piss me off for what are more or less superficial reasons just makes it more aggravating.

Obviously you are just in some sort of cats vs dogs tribal war mindset. You're just saying "I don't like cats" and whining like a bitch about it. You even mention the cats are too alpha for you! LOL

Cats had more utility in pre modern times. Killing pests like rodents. Dogs certainly have more utility, but that is not the primary reason people own pets. The worst part about owning dogs is the level of care that needs to be provided, e.g., they need to be walked @ least twice daily, fed more food, pick up their shit, etc.. Though this of conversation is beyond you, because you're just a whiny bitch troll.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Cats also are little killing machines - most of their "play" is killing practice. So they do a pretty good job keeping down bugs, mice, things like that. Might not be a problem in your apartment, of course.

I mention this because I actually found a spider last night - it was the first time in years I had seen a live one in the house.

 

[Gillbot]

 

[destrekor]

Admitting to that on an internet forum is a good way to get flamed into oblivion.


Nah. Just wants to play, probably got too excited (was it the little one?) As they get older, they get better about keeping their claws in.

Soft Paws work too.

Hey, look, more ITG threats of animal abuse. Are you actually a sociopath, or do you just play one on the internet?

http://www.cat-world.com.au/General-Cat-Articles/why-do-cats-go-to-people-who-dont-like-them.html



Again, if you want a cat to do something, you have to communicate with it. You probably aren't.

I exaggerate, yes.

Today is a stressful day for a few other reasons, so while half of this thread is is jest... I'm multi-tasking and half of this other shit is bleeding through.

But I also am serious about animals that harm humans do not get multiple chances at life. Just like a dog that bites a human MIGHT get a second chance, but nothing beyond that.
If you feel animals that harm humans, even in play, deserve to live regardless - then all I can say is we view animals differently.
I am a dog lover by nature, and can easily get quite moved by things involving dogs, and would go to town to protect a dog unjustly treated - but I also will never stand for a dog that has shown harmful tendencies toward humans.
Animals have a place, and that is a subservient place to a human master - I also think animals must still have a job and not just sit there and look pretty, which I've yet to see any example of anything else for cats. They just aren't my kind of animal.

As for the one clawing me, no, that is the older one.
The younger one I can play with like a dog at times. It'll use no force and play bite, she'll use her paws/claws to bat and grab without harm.

The other has only play batted at me one or twice without extracting the claws. He has shown far less reserve than the kitten. Which is why I don't like that one at all.


As for the stance of dominance - I'm probably too challenging to him. I'm always making eye contact with both, especially the older male. I've both tried to be friendly and cuddly with them, and worked with them in friendly but stern tones and body language to get them away when so desired.


It also doesn't help that this is all in the same span of time that they brought/hosted fleas, and I had to help clean up that mess when the owner was out of town on vacation.


In short - it's been the worst possible start to sharing living space with animals I can hardly stand.
I can't rough 'em up like dogs, I can't expect them to actually do anything worthwhile, and I can hardly even pet them unless they are demanding it.


I'm probably handling these things all wrong... I'm trying to pick up how others approach them (I'm suspecting they aren't much better with animals/cats).
I aspire to be a master dog handler, so while I'm not perfect on that front I do typically have an ability to handle myself around any dog and get them to accept me as someone they should respect...
but I've never had any clue what to do with cats, as they are in an entirely different world behaviorally. I've never cared to correct that either, as I will absolutely never own cats.

 

[destrekor]

Obviously you are just in some sort of cats vs dogs tribal war mindset. You're just saying "I don't like cats" and whining like a bitch about it. You even mention the cats are too alpha for you! LOL

Cats had more utility in pre modern times. Killing pests like rodents. Dogs certainly have more utility, but that is not the primary reason people own pets. The worst part about owning dogs is the level of care that needs to be provided, e.g., they need to be walked @ least twice daily, fed more food, pick up their shit, etc.. Though this of conversation is beyond you, because you're just a whiny bitch troll.

lol k

I shouldn't have responded to you in the first place, you derailed this thread.


The last dog I helped raise was far more alpha than this cat. Don't cherry pick your statements to attack.

It's not of a tribal mindset at all. I can truly see why people like cats, but I find no utility in them.

Sure, they can kill the small things. But the things I put more weight behind, like other humans and large animals, need the attention of larger dogs (or predatory cats... but those are a whole different world of trouble).

 

[sixone]

First, you need to get out of the attitude that they're doing these things to piss you off. They're doing these things because they get a reward for doing them. If you're smart enough to figure out how to eliminate the reward, they'll stop doing it.

On top of the tower speakers, put a Kleenex in the center, and a beer/pop can with four pennies inside right on the edge of the speaker. When they land on it, they'll grab the Kleenex with their claws, which will dislodge the can of pennies. The noise when it hits the floor will scare them, and they'll stop jumping up there.

Most surge protectors have a hole on the back, so that you can hang it on a nail. Use it. Or you can block both sides of the TV stand, so that they can't go back there anymore.

This isn't rocket science. A simple Google search would have taken less time and effort that typing out your grievances.