Shop cat causing problems

JTknives

JTknives

Joined
Jun 11, 2006
Messages
8,651
Well after a while I decided it was time to have a companion in the shop. So I though a cat would be a good addition. Found a nice black kitten and gave it a home in the shop. I have had him about 8 weeks and got him when he was about 8 weeks old. But he is very hyper and will surprise atack me when my back is turned. He has gotten the in the habit of climbing up on the anvil and when my back is turned he will launch him self and stick like Velcro on my back and climb onto my shoulders. First few times it was funny but when running power equipment it's not the best time to be pounced on. The other day he started running at me and pouncing on my leg be he has learned he gets a quick boot so he pounces and then kinda rebounds off my leg across the room. He likes to do this while I'm at the grinder grinding edge bevels. But today he topped all that. I was in the shop tonight working of a fillet knife and shut everything down and went inside for dinner. After dinner and a movie I went outside to check the chickens and I heard the weird sound coming from the shop. I run up there and the cat had switched on the Belt grinder. I was half expected to see cat parts flung about the shop as he really likes that area when I'm grinding and I have had to quickly grab him when he jumps up there while the grinder is going. Normally I would say see ya cat as I'm not a cat person at all. But this little guy has really grown on me and is the cutest littler bugger. We named him clinker. So, I'm worried about his safety as he has zero fears. He got a face full of hot scale the other day while I was forging. Pull a bar out of the forge and start forging, I am like what the hell is that. There is a paw coming up through the hardy hole just as I give the bar a whack. Scale goes everywhere and cat runs off snacking it's head. So yeah he is a danger to him self and I tryied to tie him up with 550 cord but what thy don't tell you is that it might hold 550lbs but it won't hold a cat. Any ideas?
 
Though dangerous it will settle down .. Honestly I hate cats as a rule because I hate the smell of cat piss . But they snuck one in at my house and it was pretty rowdy but settled down .. They are no different than kids they learn what to do and what not to do .. Usually pain makes this decision for them
 
Get a kennel for while you're working, also getting it fixed when its old enough may calm it down. Cats dont tend to enjoy being tethered in any way.
 
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Yep he'll calm down soon as he gets a little older.
 
Put some nuts and bolts in a coffee can and when he does any of this, rattle the heck out of it. An alternate is a squirt gun. It doesn't take a cat long to get the message. Teach him to keep his distance when you are working.

The bigger concern is that the shop is a really bad place for a cat. The dust, chemicals, and contaminates are all bad to breathe, and some are toxic. The problem is made worse by how cats clean themselves constantly. I don't think 3M makes a cat respirator or a cat hazmat suit.

If it is possible, make him an indoor/outdoor cat. Send him out when you are working.
 
Feline are wonderful intelligent and curious critters. They wanne know what you are doing and copy behaviour. So they sit on the newspaper, play with the toilet paper and (in your case) start screwing around with the power-tools.

I 100% agree with Stacy E.Apelt - A WORKSHOP IS A DANGEROUS PLACE FOR A CAT!!!
Find a better place for your pall. Like the house, barn and/or outdoors...anywhere away from short and long time exposure to chemicals / dust / furnace heat / sharp objects....They only have nine, and need all of them you know ;)
 
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My cats just want to hang out with me. They come into the garage when I'm working but I chase them out. They know they are not supposed to go in there. They try anyway because cats just want what they want. But they go because they know that what I what trumps what they want. Your cat will learn. Just keep him in the house while you are working. He is too young and energetic at that age to be predictable. Keep teaching him the rules as he gets older and he will become a great companion. The shop is no place for pets though.
 
I have 3 cats hanging around my shop. They are what's left from a herd that took over the golf course next door. I trapped them when they were kittens and had them fixed. I've never tried to keep them in the shop but they have an entire fairway and a ton of mangroves to play in. They keep all the rodents and snakes away.

One of the cats did jump on me when he was little. What I did was swat him on the butt with a newspaper. After that all I had to do was rattle the paper and he'd run. Once they all got older they just lay around.

 
I have one that comes in the shop all the time, its fine if Im jsut puttering around on the bench or doing little things, he knows not to jump on the bench. As soon as i start power tools, I kick him out and close the door. He resisted the first couple of times but now he scoots right out when I scat him.
 
Stacy hit on what I was gonna say about the dust and particles. If you're grinding or throwing particles freely in the air in the shop it's no place for an animal.

I have a Yorkie that goes insane if she's not with me at all times and so I'll occasionally bring her down into the shop with me. I have my grinding area sealed off though. I still don't have her down there outside the grinding area when I'm grinding though. Only if I'm doing handle glue up or doing "non-dirty" work. These little critters live a short amount of time as it is, you really gotta shelter them from harm if you want them to have a relatively long life.
 
I was laughing my tail off ready about him ambushing you, that's hilarious! When I was younger I was over at my girlfriends one summer night. I left my windows down in my truck. Around midnight as I was driving home ,through a long stretch of woods, a cat comes flying out of the passenger floorboard up into my lap. I nearly wrecked and almost crapped my drawers. My dog sometimes let's out a mean and loud bark while I'm grinding usually causing me to gouge out spot and then having to fix it.
 
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If you like your cat, take him in the house and keep him there. The shop is a terrible place for him!
 
We had a black cat that was fearless too. Would lie in the middle of the road and the neighbors would have to drive around it or get out and shoe it off the road. Wasn't afraid of dogs. Would stand on the sidewalk while people walking their dog had to hold the frothing canine back to save Mittsy from a mauling.

Cat came home pretty beat up a few times and finally disappeared after 18 months. I knew it wasn't going to last long with a "Short Life Attitude' like that.

Randy
 
Im not a cat person, but my dog loves to sit right outside and stand guard while Im working. I love his company, till he came rushing in barking while I was grinding on a non knife project and scared the crap out of me. I jumped, and my thumb meet the 3500 rpm 60 grit sanding disc, Im lucky it wanst worse!!..... and yea, those are stitches in my index finger from my last run in with my freshly sharpened chisel ;). I keep a closer eye on where hes at now

 
My wife and I (mostly me...) rescue cats and now have ten.... I'd love to have a couple of them out with me as they're just like dogs and want to interact with me constantly. However, as stated, the shop is no place for animals. Both for their safety and yours.

Got my finger caught between the platen and the tool rest a couple weeks ago from a simple loss of attention. I'd be finger less and probably minus a cat or two if they were in the shop with me.
 
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