Static & Cats

furry4fury

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Aug 14, 2006
Messages
230
Purraise
0
Location
Frozen Wasteland
Just wondering if there is anything that can be done. I feel guilty trying to pet my cats as it seems everytime I go to pet them I'm shocking them
It's getting to the point where they see me coming and they scream

We heat with wood heat so that doesn't help and getting a humidifer at this point is out of the question. Is there anything that I can do????
 

arlyn

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 9, 2005
Messages
9,306
Purraise
50
Location
Needles, CA
Static gets really bad here in the winter because of the dry climate, so I have the same issue.

Dryer sheets in the laundry are a must or I can see sparks flying around the house.
I rub the cats down with an unscented dryer sheet about once a week, it really helps.

Simply simmering a tea kettle on the stove will help with humidity, or a small aquarium or tabletop fountain.
 

sicycat

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jun 8, 2003
Messages
7,669
Purraise
13
Location
Bay Area, CA
I am having the same problem

I was a little hesitant about rubbing them with dryer sheets but the unscented ones sound like a good idea
 

sylorna

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 20, 2005
Messages
1,370
Purraise
188
Location
North York, Ontario
the pot of water on the stove trick really helps a bunch, and I have noticed my small aquariam going down quicker...also my pet fountain does too.
I'm springing for a humidifyer myself! I can't stand the dry hands and feet anymore...plus, shorthaired cats shouldn't have mohawlks when you're finished petting them lol
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #5

furry4fury

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Aug 14, 2006
Messages
230
Purraise
0
Location
Frozen Wasteland
Well when your temps are sitting at -43 and -36 for days on end its not hard for the water levels to go down as we need to have the fires burning regular. We just have other things like a water pump so we can get water drawn from our well which is going to cost us a pretty penny...etc etc...you know the drill...I will try the kettle on the stove and see if that doesn't help some.
 

cloud_shade

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 19, 2004
Messages
2,807
Purraise
17
Location
Oregon
You could try rubbing them down with a damp washcloth before you pet them--just slightly damp, not so much that they end up really wet. I'm catsitting for a coworker, and his house is apparently really dry. I've zapped the poor cat so many times that he gives me the evil squint when he sees my hand approaching. I tried wetting my hand and then petting him, but I just ended up with a hand covered in fur. But if I had tried wetting the cat instead of my hand, it might have worked.
 

epona

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 24, 2006
Messages
4,663
Purraise
949
Location
London, England
Being as it's quite damp here it doesn't happen too often to me, but one incident I remember - Radar leapt onto my chest for cuddles, went to headbut me in the face, and we both got a shock - him on the ear and me on the lips - OUCH! Fortunately he seemed to realise that it hurt me as much as it hurt him.

Having a lot of houseplants around can really help - obviously be very careful to ensure that they are not toxic!
 

sylorna

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 20, 2005
Messages
1,370
Purraise
188
Location
North York, Ontario
Yeah! I was just going to say that this is the 3rd time I've had to water these tiny african violets this week...houseplants are a great idea (and of course clean the air).
the kettle works, and I use a pot because my kettle is electric and it has more surface area to let steam out of.
much luck!
 

gailuvscats

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 30, 2006
Messages
2,283
Purraise
34
Location
philadelphia
shorthaired cats shouldn't have mohawlks when you're finished petting them lol



that was so funny!!

I learned from My SIL to touch metal before you touch the cat, and it takes out the electricity. I think it works, but you have to carry a spoon around the house.
 

mooficat

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 3, 2006
Messages
7,610
Purraise
2
Location
Brits Abroad - In Spain
you know I dont think I´d ever heard of this before
I do have a lot of house plants and always have, so maybe thats why I´ve never been troubled with static !
Fascinating thread, love the thing about using dryer sheets - humm, scented kitties - nice
 

arlyn

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 9, 2005
Messages
9,306
Purraise
50
Location
Needles, CA
Originally Posted by mooficat

you know I dont think I´d ever heard of this before
I do have a lot of house plants and always have, so maybe thats why I´ve never been troubled with static !
Fascinating thread, love the thing about using dryer sheets - humm, scented kitties - nice
LOL I'm not sure how safe the scented ones are

I'm not convinced the unscented ones are entirely safe either, but it was on advice from a vet, not a vigorous rub down, just a wipe
 

sylorna

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 20, 2005
Messages
1,370
Purraise
188
Location
North York, Ontario
Originally Posted by gailuvscats




that was so funny!!

I learned from My SIL to touch metal before you touch the cat, and it takes out the electricity. I think it works, but you have to carry a spoon around the house.
Why oh why did I just picture that hanging off the end of your nose?? I can just see it now "uhhh. Why do you have that spoon on your nose?" "Static" "oh"
 

gailuvscats

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 30, 2006
Messages
2,283
Purraise
34
Location
philadelphia
Why oh why did I just picture that hanging off the end of your nose?? I can just see it now "uhhh. Why do you have that spoon on your nose?" "Static" "oh"


could you imagine? gives a whole new meaning to
'born with a silver spoon"
 

luxum

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Jan 23, 2007
Messages
176
Purraise
2
Location
Tampa, FL
I find that when i am getting zapped touching them, it's because my own hands are dry. If i use a good hand lotion and let it sink in, i can pet them with no zapping.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #15

furry4fury

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Aug 14, 2006
Messages
230
Purraise
0
Location
Frozen Wasteland
Originally Posted by gailuvscats



could you imagine? gives a whole new meaning to
'born with a silver spoon"
You two are the funniest...

I can just picture people walking around with spoons stuck to their noses


I will try the cream, they really don't like it when I grab their side to give them a good skin rub that they get zapped zapped and zapped again.
 

butterflyy

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Jan 31, 2007
Messages
99
Purraise
1
Location
Massachusetts & Florida
I hate getting shocked in the winter! It always scares me so bad, so I can't imagine what the cats must think. I zapped one of my cats pretty bad the other day and it scared us both, now he is hesitant to come near me when I want to pet him, and I can't say I blame him hehe.
 

rang_27

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 28, 2002
Messages
4,304
Purraise
5
Location
Milwaukee, WI
I'm having the same problem, but my long hair Isaac gets it the worst. If I pet him in the dark I can actually see the little blue shocks in his hair.
 

epona

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 24, 2006
Messages
4,663
Purraise
949
Location
London, England
It's not just cats that suffer - in my old job we had metal filing cabinets and synthetic carpets - and on 2 occasions I got shocked so badly that I had visible burns on my hands. I always hated doing the filing anyway, that was too much for me, I now adopt the 'volcanic pile on the desk' approach to paperwork management just in case - filing is a health and safety risk
 

sar

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 6, 2004
Messages
9,787
Purraise
1
Location
The future 'Green' House! (NW England)
Originally Posted by Epona

It's not just cats that suffer - in my old job we had metal filing cabinets and synthetic carpets - and on 2 occasions I got shocked so badly that I had visible burns on my hands. I always hated doing the filing anyway, that was too much for me, I now adopt the 'volcanic pile on the desk' approach to paperwork management just in case - filing is a health and safety risk
I get the same problem!
I also think that it's me with the static problem, not the cats!


Maybe I should start rubbing myself down with a dryer sheet?
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #20

furry4fury

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Aug 14, 2006
Messages
230
Purraise
0
Location
Frozen Wasteland
Originally Posted by Sar

I get the same problem!
I also think that it's me with the static problem, not the cats!


Maybe I should start rubbing myself down with a dryer sheet?
ME TOO!!!!....but we can used scented....hmmmmm think they have Salmon scented???? Then my kitties will be all over me....
instead of backing away from me like I'm a monster about to eat them
 
Top