"Paws in the printer" game

Our cat Stan has recently become obsessed with our printer! I think he's watched it working, and is now very interested in the internal moving components. At first, he would bat at them through the small opening where the paper goes and they would move when he touched them because we had left the printer on. Now, even though we've turned the printer off and opened the cover to show that nothing is moving, he's still very very interested! He pretty much jumps on the thing to try and get it moving.

Anyone else have this problem!? It's cute but also a little unnerving! We don't want to have to get a new printer prematurely!

Yup. Two of our cats are obsessed with the printer. Go to a health food store, purchase Oil of Olbas. Get a teabag damp, and drop some drops on it. Put it on a plate and set that on the printer. Cats hate the smell of oil of olbas, and will avoid it.

You still have the problem of USING the printer. You know those mats that are used for rolling chairs on carpet? They have spikes on one side? Buy one of those - cut it smaller if you want to, but leave it large enough that kitty can't get to the printer - and set it pointy side up in front of the printer. MOST kitties don't want to walk on it.

Hope this helps,

Laurie

My 17 lb cat walks across and sits on our printer. In 5+ years it hasn't broken yet. He doesn't seem to care about the printing part. I think he does it just because my DH throws a fit whenever Stimpy's up there. I think your cat will tire of messing with it after a while though. Maybe you should get him one of those puzzle toys to distract him?

Thanks for the helpful replies! I really do hope he tires of the game, too. I'll try out some more distraction techniques first, but it's nice to know how to repel him if it get too bad!

Charlie's obsessed with the paper shredder. He reaches in (when not running) and trying to pull out the shredded paper!

Well I can't say mine are THAT interested in the printer when it isn't in "motion" but when I do turn it on and start printing they could be in a DEAD SLEEP and they come running from wherever they are at in the house. It's not like they haven't seen it 100000 times, but somehow they think something will be different. Same goes for the automatic ice dispenser, the minute you start getting ice, here comes the dynamic duo!!!!!

Originally Posted by orltwa

Well I can't say mine are THAT interested in the printer when it isn't in "motion" but when I do turn it on and start printing they could be in a DEAD SLEEP and they come running from wherever they are at in the house. It's not like they haven't seen it 100000 times, but somehow they think something will be different. Same goes for the automatic ice dispenser, the minute you start getting ice, here comes the dynamic duo!!!!!

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....and yet they run from the vacuum cleaner....

Laurie

Gotta get at the monster in the printer!! Ari is always attentive when mine is running.

Originally Posted by gemlady

Gotta get at the monster in the printer!!

Ari is always attentive when mine is running.

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The problem is our kids kept putting their paws in there and trying to get that monster! We were afraid they'd get hurt, the printer would get broken - and not to mention stuffing little paws in there always causes a paper jam. We don't have a set up with a desk where the printer is right next to us, so we had to figure something out.

Laurie

Originally Posted by LDG

....and yet they run from the vacuum cleaner....

Laurie

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Try to figure that one out eh?