Hey all,

I am not sure if this is the best forum section to post this, but I figured I would start here first.

I just built a new 5.1 home theater system using 12 Gauge speaker wire to connect all my speakers to my receiver. It also turns out that my family is getting two new kittens in a few weeks. Now, I know there are some easy preventative ways to keep the kitties from chewing on the wires using products like apple bitter and what not. My question is: How dangerous to the animals would it be if they chewed on a cord. I don't know much about current/voltage and what is considered dangerous. If they bit through a cord while the system was on would it be a small shock or would I have a toasted kitty? As an FYI, I'm fairly sure the receiver I have generates 80-90W per speaker.

I appreciate any insight you all can give. I just want to make sure I understand what the dangers will be to our new family members.

They might get a small shock if you had the volume up at an appreciable level, but nothing is going to happen to the cats if the receiver is off or merely turned on.

Of course, if they chew on the AC power cord that's a different story....probably will do that only once.

Forget about the spkr cables... I'd be worried about the power cords

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation...
Do you remember what happened to aunt Bethany's cat after it bit into the Christmas tree lights? :eek:

great thread and an underaddressed topic

i have 4 pet rats and some LOVE to chew cords--have chewed through power cords and (interestingly enough) my former monster surround speaker cords but not my other kimber 8tc-s I wonder if the kimber's just taste bad...

I am not sure if they got a bit of a jolt (it was only 1 of 4 that did it but caused me to have to splice wires on my wifs cell phone, alarm clock, my alarm clock, and 2 lamps...) but continues to do it while left out of the cage--i have resorted to making sure the floor in the room they play in has no power cords within reach.

so you could elevate your cables, run them through some of those cable concealers available at lowes or home depot, paint them with something especially foul tasting or bitter, or as in another thread has beensuggested, f they start to do it spray them with a spray water bottle--absolutely harmless and they do seem to get it!

(just make sure to miss the equipment and ac outlets!!!)

I have never had a cat that chewed on wires.

I have never had a cat that chewed on wires in 30 years of owning cats. But if it's really a concern, run your speaker wires in the wall, where they should be anyways.

Simple solution: Don't let your cats in the theater unattended.

Thanks for the posts, all.

I appreciate the suggestion to put the wires in the walls. I would definitely do that if this wasn't a rental apartment (lease prevents me from doing as such).

Also, thank you for the info about the speaker cords. I was unaware that the charge they carry is not super harmful to the animals.

You can run wires (and cables and cords) through wiremold to keep pets from getting to it. It sticks on using adhesive and can be removed easily. And it makes it less inviting for pets to mess with it (especially if you adhere it to the wall where it blends in with the trim and such.)

I've had cats all my life, too, and never had one even remotely interested in chewing my speaker wires.

No harm to pets for chewing on speaker wire. Might toast a fuse in an amp though. It could present a near zero ohm load to an amp. Much like toughing the ends together with the gear turned on. Had a 2 year old do that to a Rotel amp for me. Simple trip to Radio Shack for a fuse and I was back in business.

I've had cats all my life, too, and never had one even remotely interested in chewing my speaker wires.

One of the cats I had loved to chew on wires. It stemmed from being given pipe-cleaner wire (you know, the stuff used by kids to create whiskers for animals made from egg cartons, etc) to play with as a kitten before I adopted her. Talk about encouraging a bad habit!

Eventually she outgrew it - it helped that I sprayed her with a water bottle or otherwise dissauded her from such behavior. But not before chewing through a cellphone charger cable one night...

The other cat I had at the time, and the dogs I have now, were/are not interested in wire at all.

Spray bottles and vigilence are your best solutions. But it takes time and patience.

IMHO,

shinksma

How do I keep rabbits out of my speaker ports??????

Oh never mind.:)

but really, my cat for some reason freaks out by the sounds that come out of the rear speakers, the front stuff can be cranked up, no issues,
but the slightest sound from the rear field has her stunned.

and back on topic, I've never had a cat chew a wire but I do know you can destroy an amp if a speaker wire were shorted.

How do I keep rabbits out of my speaker ports??????

Simple. Keep a cat in there.

How do I keep rabbits out of my speaker ports??????

Simple. Keep a cat in there.
:):):):):)

We have 3 cats... not my choice... none of them go after any wires unless they're like moving around(the wires)... then they'll pounce on them but they don't try and eat them. Clawing furniture is a different story.. be careful with your couches. Get a scratching post, make them use it early.

but really, my cat for some reason freaks out by the sounds that come out of the rear speakers, the front stuff can be cranked up, no issues,
but the slightest sound from the rear field has her stunned.The first time I ran the Audessy equalizing software on my Denon AVR, my 10-year old cat took off like a shot at the first reference level "fweep" and never came back. It took me a half an hour to find him after I finished.

The next time I ran it, I warned him that it was coming, and he sauntered away, maintaining that regal demeanor that only a cat can manage. :)

Mike