Conference misery::feline

    Oh Steve...that question isn't strange!!!   All my cats have been
    getting "zapped" lately too...and then they look at me like I did
    something to them!!!   I love when you pat them and they get static
    cling...and it looks like they have spiked hair!!!
    
    We find if we keep the humidifier going...it helps a little!!!!
    
    Sandy

    You should see my Himalayan in this static-y weather!  He looks punk!!
    
    All he needs is a guitar between his paws and a little leather
    jacket...
    
    :^)
    
    -Roberta
    

    Suggestions:
    ===========
    
    The expensive solution would be to purchase a humidifier to add
    moisture to the air.
    
    Other ways of combating static is to use a comb on the coat instead of
    a brush, and to place bowls of water around the house or on the
    windowsills -- wherever kitty can't knock them over!!  When you're not
    using the tub, fill it with a shallow amount of water and drape a towel
    over the edge with the end submerged into the water to act as a natural
    wick.  Fill the sinks too.
    
    That's a start, anyway.
    
    -Roberta
    

    Thanks for the suggestions Roberta!  I wanted to suggest the humidifier
    too.  My cats spark and I don't think it can really hurt them. If you
    need a leather cat jacket, Kitty Kouture carries them!! With the biker
    hat and all.  I would prefer the "mink" coat myself!!  "Josette,
    Dahlink, you look mahvelous!", Tubba, now where did you put your
    tuxedo? (he has a hawaiian visor hat, a beautiful eggplant colored
    sweater that his dear Aunty Carol made, reindeer antlers too!)
    unsigned, to protect the insane!

    Also, if you live in an old house like ours, you may have those big
    heaters in every room??  We've put a metal bowl or teapot of water on
    some of them (living room and bedroom)  and that seems to get rid of
    some of the static.
    
    There's some other stuff that you can buy called "coat gloss" that I
    believe you can get at a pet store (I think I've seen it at Dr. pet). 
    It's made by a company called "ring 5".  It comes in a pump bottle. 
    Spray a bit of it on your hands and then rub your hands through the
    cat's coat.  This should get rid of the static.
    
    Holly
    

    I had it, too. It does not really hurt the cat, but (s)he dislikes it
    very much. Humidifier and waterpots (warning: not to knock over by cat
    and not too much water to drown!) helped fully out. I have the problem
    no more.
    
    Nat

I use a cheap vaporizer from the drugstore. $10<$20. Also, this
year I picked up some terra cotta pots at the nursery that didn't
have the drainage hole punched through to put on the radiators.
Bumble Bea would have a field day with the metal pans I tried to
use in the past. However, the terra cotta is too heavy for her to
budge and because the terra cotta is so absorbent and porous, more
water is evaporated into the air. Works pretty well so far.


                                     Susan

    Susan, the vaporizer is a great idea!  I am going to pull mine out
    tonight and use it.  Thanks for the suggestion!!
    
    -Roberta
    

    
    
    	Also if you have a clothes drier, take the vent hose and 
    	let it exhaust back into the house, it has the warm air and
    	moisture from drying the clothes.
    
    	Mike

    
    
    One thing that also helps is when you go to touch your kitty,
    say you wanna smak a kiss on his/her nose.  If you touch another
    part of the cat and then give the kiss, the spark will not jump
    from you to the cat at the nose,but where you touched first.
    I find this saves myself and Menace from some shocking hellos!!
    
    the humidifiers work great too.
    michele

    I had the same trouble with Jimmy and Rosie when we moved house. The
    previous owner had used industrial carpeting throughout the house
    (obviously picked it up very cheaply from somewhere). My two used to
    run around the house, get charged up and get shocks every time they
    came for some stroking or petting.
    The carpeting was a horrible murky brown colour and I changed it as
    soon as I could - no more static or shocks.
    
    Perhaps that's rather an expensive option, though!
                                                      

    I used the vaporizer last night and it worked wonders!  Also doused my
    Himmie with the coat gloss spray.  Both really helped.
    
    -Roberta
    

re: .9

But only do this with an electric dryer.  Gas dryers should not 
be vented back into the house.

	Get a fish tank, it keeps the static down, and provides hours of 
	watching for curious cats.


	Heather

    My cats seem to be more appropriately called static balls than fur
    balls.
    Whenever I pet them, I can feel and hear the static discharges in the
    fur.  Fortunately, they seem to think it is natural, and don't run, but
    still... 
    Anyone know of any ways to reduce eliminate static in the cats?
    
    like would a humidifier help?
    
    thanks
    phil for Cain & Abel

    
    Phil, I've noticed a lot also has to do with what I'm wearing. 
          Like if I'm wearing my flease (sp) jacket there is more 
          static, or with some of my sneakers. I know that there is more
          static in drier climate so a humidifier probably will help. 
          Ever turned the lights off and pet them and see the sparks?
          That's amazing.
    
    Shaw

    Phil...I have the same problem and even have a humidifier going 
    every day.  The humidifier helps the room it is in..but to really
    solve the problem...you probably need a humidifier in every room.
    
    
    Sandy 

    A humidifyer does work, but like Sandy said, only in the room  you're
    in.  
    
    There is a spray that you can get at the vets that does bring down
    static.  It's by Ring 5 and it's called "coat gloss".  Either spray it
    on the cat's coat, or spray it on your hands before petting them.  It
    actually smells kind of nice too.
    
    Holly
    

      I used to have a Siamese that liked to 'play' with static
    electricity! He actually would roll and rub on the carpet, then come
    and put his nose up to your hand...causing a spark to pop off his nose!
    He'd jump when the spark hit, and immediately go back and 'recharge'
    and do it again! It seemed he was actually aware of how to get the
    spark to fly...
    
      JM

    Keep one hand "grounded" when you pet them.  I find that if
    I smooth with one had only, and the other flat on the carpet, it
    helps to reduce the sparks.

    
    
    	Last night a cute episode happened.... 
    
    	Whitney slinked over to Jebb (rolling on the carpet), kissed him
    	gently on the nose, got an awful zap... then proceeded to pounce 
    	and beat the h*ll out of him. Poor guy never knew what hit him!
    
    	Heidi

I love petting my long-haired guys at night after "lights out" and watching
the light show.

-Patrick and the boys (Chester, Farley, and Jeremiah)

    The FIRM has been very static charged lately; I wonder if I put on my
    ground strap if it would help?
    
    Deb

    
    
      Does anybody has a trick to remove static electricity from a cat
    
      I have a two cats and it only one has static problem, he is an 
      Aby if that make a difference, he looks so weird with all the static
      on his fur.

    
    Grounding straps?
    
    ;^)
    
    (For you non-electronic types - a grounding strap is a wrist or ankle
    band that's wired to an electrical grouns (like a cold water pipe) that
    bleeds of static electricity build up.  Electronics workers wear them
    when working with static sensitive parts so they don't build up a
    charge that zaps the part when they touch it.  If I recall correctly,
    the breakdown voltage for air is about 75000 volts/inch, so a 1/8"
    spark (not unusual during the winter) represents about a 9000 volt
    discharge.  Yes, that *thousands* of volts.  The current's so low it's
    not dangerous, but it will make you tingle.  Lately all my cats have
    been "sparking" when I pet them.)
    
    len.
    

	Put your hands under the tap, flick them to get most of the drips off,
	then stroke your cat.

	The dampness will get rid of it.

	.....................a fish tank in the house helps, all that water
	going into the dry air - and it really entertains the moggies!


	Heather    

    1. There is another note on this topic already - try it.
    2. Remember: NOT the cat is electrified, but YOU. Don't ground the cat,
    ground yourself.
    
    Nat