[ds968]

Anyone here with cats that have access to the garage ? Just trying to figure out how 1) you prevent a cat from going under the car and possibly getting burned by the exhaust , and 2) keep them from climbing on the car's hood or whatnot and leaving marks/surface scratches ?



We now have a cat which showed up out of nowhere about a month ago and has taken up residence 24/7 in our backyard..we have a "house" for it, and all the other amenities , so she seems quite content with everything, but in the winter ( whatever that means in California ..) the nights might be too chilly for her to remain outside , so thinking of making her a living space in the garage. No, not letting her in the house..the furnishings are way too nice to be converted into a pet pad .

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[tamathumper]

Number 1 is easy, if not Darwinian... Cats are pretty smart and they'll avoid hot stuff. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/rock.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />



Number 2 is impossible, if not Darwinian... Cats are pretty stupid and will sit on the highest thing around, especially if it's expensive. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/glare.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />



In my estimation, it will never be too cold for a well-cared for cat in California, even if it gets below freezing I've had barn cats for years and they handle the winters up here just fine where it gets below zero, so long as you give them a place to curl up out of the elements, that's soft and somewhat insulated, and fairly enclosed to keep the heat in. My last barn cat had his own door, his own light, heated water bowl, two beds and a radio left on for him. But he still climbed on the car once or twice. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/whine.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> Unfortunately he became fox bait, or coyote bait, or owl bait. Best cat I ever had, too.

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[flash]

yeah - unless it's a female and looking for a spot to have kittens, i doubt it will go under the car.



the hood, roof, or inside is an entirely different matter. they will do that in a blink. they leave the nicest little scratches everywhere too.

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[rhudeboye]

True. We have a pet door giving our cat access to the garage, which give him access out doors. He goes in several times a day but only climbs on the 68. His lil paw prints are seen going up the front windshield then sliding down it. it's there nature to explore every crevice of a place they consider theirs but Why he never gets on Kathy's car is beyond me. What can I say, our cat has good taste in cars.

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[ebarone968]

When I was a kid I had a cat that used to get snug in the radiator cooling fan housing of my mom's car. (It was a big cadillac) It was warm because of the radiator gave off heat for awhile after the car was shut. Needless to say my mom started the car one day and with alot of loud noises under the hood, and fur flying everywhere my cat came running out from under the car. She was ok but got quite a few cuts and a good shave. She never went near that car again........................

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[Chris Vais]

We have had a whole succession of cats over the years and the cats always have access to the garage because that is where their litter boxes are located. They have all enjoyed sleeping on the hood of the car at one time or another. My solution, for years now, has been to throw an old blanket on the hood of the cars when I park them in the garage. Car doesn't get scratched and the cats are happy. That said the current one favorite sleeping spot is in my home office or in the wine cellar. He like the wine cellar during the summer as it is the coolest place in the house.

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[ds968]

I keep the 968 under a car cover, so no concerns with that one but I'll just have to get a large blanket to throw on the MBZ ( too much hassle to put on and take off a cover every day )

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[tamathumper]

I try not to keep a car cover over my cars unless they've just been washed, because I do as much damage putting them on and taking them off as I would just leaving them alone - I figure after a drive any car is pretty covered with dirt that would just rub into the finish by putting a cover on it.

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[flash]

i actually had worse damage from a cat on a car cover. the cover soaked up the oil in the hair, and caused a big spot to form on the paint. it was one of those uber expensive soft covers. the parachute cover was better at protecting against the cat, but worse at everything else and scratched the heck out of the car.



this was one determined cat. it used to jump into the car (top was always down) and sleep in the seats. it did the same thing in my tow van. i had a radar alarm in both. it would go off and chase the cat out, but it would come back. in the van, the cat peed on my brand new captain's chair, and i had to replace it.



in the end i just shot the cat.

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[Langley968]

Interesting thread, seeing that after returning from a 10 day vacation, it seems that one of my kids left the garage door open long enough for the cat to get stuck in the garage for a day. There was cat hair ALL OVER the cab top. I was NOT impressed! I used a lint removal roller to pick up all the hair. Worked great. There was also evidence that kitty had walked all over the front hood (paw marks) but upon very close inspection it seems that there are no claw marks on the paint. I used to HATE cats, until this one, which is such a character. If it had been any other cat (or if the paint was damaged) I would probably have made the cat "move on"...

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[flash]

look closely for signs of the hair oil in the top fabric. that one made me nuts. it does not come out.

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[tamathumper]

It weaves in there good. I still find some from last *summer*. White to boot.

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[ds968]

great, now I have to shampoo this friggin' cat daily <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/dry.png" class="smilie" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/tongue.png" class="smilie" alt="" />



in terms of the covers for the 968, I have 3: two are custom to the car and even though they have an ultra-soft interior lining they are such a perfectly tight fit, that puting them on and taking them off ( unless the car is just washed ) will definitely lead to surface sratches. However, the one I keep on the car while in the garage is also a very soft, bruhsed cotton cover but significantly bigger than it needs to be ...I can cover a large SUV with it.... and is so loose that the removal process does not pose that problem.. easy on easy off <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/cool.png" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[mbardeen]

[quote name='tamathumper' timestamp='1345470111' post='131295']

Number 2 is impossible, if not Darwinian... Cats are pretty stupid and will sit on the highest thing around, especially if it's expensive. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/glare.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

[/quote]



I dispute this. We have two outdoor cats that live in the shed and help to keep the rat population down (hantavirus is a nasty nasty thing). They like sleeping on my wife's car when it's parked up by the shed, which she is fine with. They also like sleeping on top of my Jeep when it's parked there, especially after it's been freshly washed. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/whine.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />



This weekend, while washing cars, I moved the freshly washed Porsche to sit next to the Jeep, which was along side the wife's car, which was parked next to the shed. Guess which one I found a cat on...



Just one more reason I need to build a garage... That and the dog teeth marks in the front fascia of the Mazda (I suspect a cat was involved in that incident too).

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[tamathumper]

I stand corrected. Cats apparently consider expensiveness first, and height second. Duly noted! <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/biggrin.png" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[rhudeboye]

Sorta on topic- Does anyone here own a Savannah cat? I'm soon to be on a waiting list for a F2.

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[tamathumper]

No, but I'd love one. Been looking at them for several years now, but I don't think they're quite big enough for what I want, which is to teach the local coyote population to leave my @!#$! cats alone.

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[rhudeboye]

LOL Ever hear of an African Caracal. It's like a short haired lynx. Very strong for its size. But some of the neighbors dogs may go missing as well.

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[tamathumper]

Yeah, I can't see but one neighbor from my house, but I have a feeling a cat big enough for my evil plan would also get me in some kind of trouble.

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[ds968]

possible solution:



   



[quote name='mbardeen' timestamp='1345575224' post='131366']

That and the dog teeth marks in the front fascia of the Mazda (I suspect a cat was involved in that incident too).

[/quote]

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