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Making Wood Stoves Safe for Pets

 
Laura Poland
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My husband and I are considering installing a wood stove in our house to make use of all the free wood we received when the Emerald Ash Borer moved to our town.  We already have our electric bills covered thanks to a 100% solar system, but we pay for gas heat in the winter, and we think a wood stove would greatly reduce that last utility bill.  We have a perfect spot for one in our living room, with an existing chimney.  My only real concern about doing this is for the safety of my cats.  They are very active and love to chase each other around the house, slide long distances on the wood floors, play fight, toss toys all over the place, etc.  I am concerned they could slide into the stove and burn themselves, or maybe throw a toy on top and create a fire hazard.  Has anyone else dealt with cat-proofing a wood stove?

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John F Dean
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I have had a wood stove since the mid 70s and cats longer than that.  I have never had a cat injured by a wood stove.

Good decisions come from experience. Experience comes from making bad decisions. Mark Twain

 
thomas rubino
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Yes we have bred Persion cats in our tiny wood heated home for over twenty years. At times with kittens we have had over twenty in a 500 sq ft house...
Cats are smart they love the kitty warmer but Do Not jump at or on it when it is running.
In our kitchen we have an old wood cook stove flat top,  Even that large jump-able surface is left alone when that stove is running... like I said Cats are smart even the teenage one's that are wild and crazy stay away from hot stoves.
I might suggest that you build a rocket mass heater, Batchbox design (closed door) with a brick bell .  Your kitty's could live on those warm bricks all day and not be burnt... just saying...

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John F Dean
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Hi Thomas,

Excellent point. I have never had a RMH, but our cats know it when the fireplace get lit in the late fall.  They line up by the window and want in so they  can warm up in front of it.

Good decisions come from experience. Experience comes from making bad decisions. Mark Twain

 
Trace Oswald
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I agree with the others that said the cats will stay away from the stove, but if you are still concerned, those little indoor fence things weigh almost nothing, are pretty cheap, and would be very easy to put around the wood stove.  Many of them have a little gate that opens so you don't have to move the fence to fill the stove.  If it gives you piece of mind, it may be worth the small cost.  If you search "indoor pet playpen", you'll find lots of examples.

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bruce Fine
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cats are smarter than you might give them credit for. I had my cats inside last winter with wood stove going constantly, they might like to keep warm but instinctively don't go anywhere near the stove, they do however like to sharpen claws on firewood.
in my opinion you won't have any problem. wish I had more ash to burn, super easy to split and puts out great heat whatever dead ash is left in my woods is way to rotten to try and burn.
 
Helen Mealy
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I've heated with wood for four winters so far. My four cats love the wood stove and have never gotten hurt. During the cold season they claim their spots near it or underneath it (it's up on legs) but never get too close. They run away from the intense heat when I open the door to load more wood, then come back when they're sure I'm done. They learn quickly.

However, we did have a blind senile dog who was always running into things and bumped into the stove a couple times. So we made sure to place sturdy barriers around it for his safety when we weren't around to supervise. Hog panel surrounding the stove works, as long as it's secured so it doesn't get knocked over. A sturdier, but more expensive option would be those safety fences designed to keep babies away from the fireplace. Just be sure it's made of metal.
 
John F Dean
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Hi Bruce,

The issue is not if cats are smarter than we give them credit for, it is if we're as smart as cats give us credit for

Good decisions come from experience. Experience comes from making bad decisions. Mark Twain

 
Mike Haasl
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I suspect cats don't give us much credit for being smart.  Semi reliable minions, maybe.

"Hundreds of years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in or the type of car I drove... But the world may be different because I did something so bafflingly crazy that it becomes a tourist destination"

 
Linda Krelle
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Seems Leo is the only stupid cat then. He jumped ontop and off with a squeal. I rushed and put his paws in cold water in the sink. Hopefully he will be ok. I am wondering if i put something like slatted wood with gap under to stop it getting too hot or maybe bricks?
Anyone made a safe top?
Thanks
 
Mike Haasl
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I wouldn't put wood on top of the stove in any arrangement.  There's a word for it but if wood gets hot for a long time it can burn even though it never got anywhere near burning temps.  

I think Leo probably learned a valuable lesson.  Next time you have the stove running, pick him up and hold him over the stove so he can feel the heat.  Odds are he'll put two and two together.

"Hundreds of years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in or the type of car I drove... But the world may be different because I did something so bafflingly crazy that it becomes a tourist destination"

 
Skandi Rogers
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I have an oven that opens downwards and two kittens one of whom loves to lie under the oven while it is on (there's both a hot water pipe under the floor AND the warm oven to draw him in) I am very paranoid about him jumping on the hot door when it is open, so what i do is when they are around 3-4 months I heat it until it's to hot to touch comfortably but not hot enough to burn unless you keep yourself pressed onto it, they I let them try to jump on it. they don't do it again. Now as soon as the door opens they flee which is a perfect response.
 
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