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From: manheime@nbs-amrf.UUCP (Ken Manheimer)
Newsgroups: net.pets
Subject: Re: CORDS!  Electric Cords and Cats!
Message-ID: <152@nbs-amrf.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 13-Feb-86 12:49:25 EST
Article-I.D.: nbs-amrf.152
Posted: Thu Feb 13 12:49:25 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 19-Feb-86 20:38:36 EST
References: <625@frog.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: National Bureau of Standards
Lines: 42

> In article <345@muddcs.UUCP> uribe@muddcs.UUCP (Lydia Uribe) writes:
> >[....purrrr....]
> >     Bernie, my 3-year-old domestic shorthair, has taken to chewing on 
> >electrical cords.
> >
> >     Does anybody out there have any comments, suggestions, etc. as to why
> >Bernie might be doing this and what I can do about it?
> 
> Don't let your critters gnaw cords!
> [...]
> Take some HOT peppers.  Soak them in cooking oil (or just buy chinese
> "red oil") till the oil tastes pretty potent.  Wipe every cord in the
> whole house with this nasty taste experience.  Renew the coating every
> so often, especially if you see teethprints.  A cat who has just
> gotten a taste of hot will make delightful expressions, so if you get
> the chance, watch Bernie in action.  Since cats don't like being
> laughed at, you could giggle and point at him too.
> [...]
> 				STella Calvert
> 
> 		Every man and every woman is a star.
> 
> Guest on:	...!decvax!frog!wjr
> Life:		Baltimore!AnnArbor!Smyrna!<LotsOfHitchhikingAndShortVisits>
> 			!SantaCruz!Berkeley!AnnArbor!Taxachusetts
> Future:			...	(!L5!TheBelt!InterstellarSpace)

Briefly, my cats seem to avoid any cords that i've swabbed with denatured
alcohol.  They sometimes get to ones i forget to treat (new phone
cords and modem cords seem to go quickly if i neglect the
treatment).  I suppose the toxin they use is sufficiently noxious
to the cats, and i'm certain it's not harmful since they avoid it
so rigorously.

If anybody else has tried this (or tries it) please let me know how
it goes.

(it goes...)

Ken Manheimer	...!seismo!nbs-amrf!manheime or manheime@nbs-amrf.uucp

(Everything leaks.  Not excessively; just enough.)