Hiya,

Simple question really, do you light candles when your cat is around? We’ve newly got our cat (5 months now), but had never light a candle around here due to the possible dangers. Are your cats curious about candles when lit? I feel like the possibility of them being too curious around them isn’t worth the possible risk. We haven’t really got a lot of places where the cat cannot reach either. But could maybe get some ‘enclosed’ candleholders.

Happy to hear what you do guys do regarding this. We quite like having the occasional candle lit.

  • Spot@startrek.website
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    3 months ago

    Never leave them alone together and it should be OK. We had an adult who was just a little funny in the head. Big super fluffy orange tabby. We had a small candle in the middle of our coffee table burning. Somehow, this crazy head decided it would then be good, while we were watching a movie, to do his most acrobatic love stretches around our legs and the coffee table. As we tried to push him away from the table a little his tail was moving around like a little periscope, or feeler, or something… next thing we knew, as he finally did move away, there was a little perfect tiny flame on the very tippy tips of his tail hair as he ran off. Of course I jumped forward to put him out, which he thought was a chase game and took off. I was young and able to dive and tackle him to make sure he didn’t burst into flames or something. Just a couple burnt hairs, gross smell, and lost trust with me for the next day or so because of the tackle. He was super “special” his whole life and did things none of our other cats have. But, it put me on guard for the possibilities that exist and I’m super cautious with flames and fur going forward.

    • MajorMajormajormajor@lemmy.ca
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      3 months ago

      a little funny in the head. Big super fluffy orange tabby

      Orange cats collectively share a couple brain cells that they rub together for ideas when it’s their turn with the braincells. Trust me, I also have an orange tabby who is the cuddliest little special one.

  • Nurse_Robot@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    I do, strictly because I understand my cat’s personality. He’s not interested in fire, he’s not interested in getting on the table, he’s not interested in the candle. That being said, I wouldn’t leave him alone with a lit candle for an extended period, but that’s more to do with not leaving something burning unattended than anything else.

  • sic_semper_tyrannis@lemmy.today
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    3 months ago

    Yes, however one of our cats is dumb enough to almost light her tail on fire. We only stopped a fire by smelling her tail fur starting to burn and picked her up. Besides that one time both our cats don’t try to push candles off of counters or anything

  • some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org
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    3 months ago

    Only on the kitchen counter where I can see them from the sofa (open kitchen design). The kitties know they aren’t allowed up there and only on extremely rare occasions openly violate the rule (like, you know how sometimes they just forget that you’re standing there and act like you’re not?). The candles are also the type that come in a metal tin that can be closed when not in use, so they’re wide and squat.

  • ChaosCoati@midwest.social
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    3 months ago

    We do not for 2 reasons:

    1. Like others have already said, orange cat + flame = chaos
    2. Artificial fragrances give me headaches. However essential oils can be toxic to cats so I don’t feel safe burning those kind of candles either. Maybe I’m being too cautious but I never really burned candles much before anyway.
  • Anoxydre [they/them]@jlai.lu
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    3 months ago

    We do it frequently. Our cat put her paw only once over the fire and understood immediately that it is a no-go. Nothing big, I guess she was more surprised than really feeling any pain. But afterward, she was just staring randomly at the light and she never tried again putting her paw on it.