Conference misery::feline_v1

   Years ago, my first family of cats used to lie on top of the radiators 
   when the heat was on. They were Siamese, and I believe Siamese are known 
   to be heat seekers. Of course, I'm sure they're not the only ones who do 
   this.

   We lived in a few different places over the years, with different types of
   radiators, but they always found a way to make themselves comfortable. In
   one apartment, the radiators got pretty warm so I put a board on top, and 
   the cats would lie on the board. Lying on the radiators never seemed to 
   hurt them; in any case, there was no way I could keep them off. 

   The house we live in now has forced warm air heat (yuck) so there are no
   radiators. My current Siamese (not one of the originals) parks herself
   over the heat register in the bathroom when the heat comes on. None of
   my other cats do this, though.

   Does your cat get off the radiator when it gets too hot? Can you put 
   something on top for him to lie on so he doesn't get burned? I don't think 
   you have to worry about the general effects of your cat lying on the 
   radiator. At least it never seemed to hurt mine.

   Linda

    I have never had a cat get on a radiator, but when I was growing up
    we had a Boston Terrier which would lay alongside  a hot radiator. He
    would sleep on his back with his feet straight up in the air and snore
    like crazy. The radiators were too hot to touch but it didn't seem to
    bother him. A Boston Terrier has a shorter, thiner coat than most cats.
    
                                          Alice

He used to lie on this rag on top of the radiator, but when picking him
up, he was SOOO hot!

Last night he was sick after being on it, which prompted me to write this note!

Greg

    > He used to lie on this rag on top of the radiator, but when picking him
    > up, he was SOOO hot!

    There are similar stories about heat-seeking cats in notes 427 and 933.

    > Last night he was sick after being on it, which prompted me to write 
    > this note!

    Hmmm, this could be a problem. What do you mean by "sick"? Vomiting? 
    (Could be a furball?) Or some other symptom?  Do you think his lying 
    on the radiator made him sick, or could he have been sick (have had the 
    chills, for example) and then gotten on the radiator?  Did he recover 
    after getting off the radiator, or is he still sick? Sounds like a call 
    to the vet wouldn't hurt. If your kitten remained sick after being off 
    the radiator for quite a while, I would definitely call the vet.

    Does he get on just one radiator or are there many? Can you put something 
    on/around the radiator to keep the kitten away? For example, a board on
    top, or a "cage" (wood frame with screening attached) around the entire 
    radiator?

    The poor little guy! I hope he's ok and you can find a good solution. 

    Linda

    When we lived in Florida our Burmese would lay on the concrete driveway
    with the sun beating down on him, sleeping away.  Many times we would
    get worried about heat stroke or one thing or another and go out to
    bring him in the house, his body/fur was so hot you could hardly
    handle him. We would hold him under his arm pits and run like crazy
    into the house. After we moved north a year later he was diagnosed
    with feline leukemia. We had him for 5 years after that and he got so
    bad we had to put him to sleep.
    
    Daktari's body was probably under going the fight against this disease
    and needed the heat to keep going. (this is hind sight)
    
    If it's a kitten, I wouldn't think that extreme heat from the radiator
    would be good for him. Maybe putting a thick cushion under the cat
    would be better.
    
    Barbara

      My two girls---"Cookie" and "Stormy"---lie on the radiators all the
    time, and ours also get pretty darned hot. In fact, when the heat oes
    on, they can be found streched-out full length in sheer extasy, usually
    with one leg hanging off the edge...
    
      We have metal radiator covers, but they still get very hot.
    When I lived in an apartment with the old iron radiators in it, I made
    a "box" that went over the top of one or two of them, and we used to
    fold up a large bathtowel and put it on the box...my Siamese would
    literally claw you if you tried to keep him away from THAT setup...
      
      JM

    I have steam heat with the old cast iron radiators. My twins, who are
    part Siameese LIVE on the radiators during the heating season (mostly
    the upstairs ones that that are infront of windows that overlook trees
    that the birds hand out in. I put cat beds on these radiators since I
    was afraid that they would burn themselves (although they never did).
    And then there is Spiro, who has now decided to take up residence on
    top of the new pellet stove, and Argus and Billy who have had me move
    their beds in front of said stove.
    
    Deb

    
    
      I have two cat seats that sit mostly on the radiators and partly on
      the window sill because my two LOVE to sleep there during the cold
      months, my house is quite warm but it's that extra warmth that they
      just seem to love.  And the radiator in the bathroom has a towel on
      it that matches the bathroom and they also sleep on that one too.
    
      Sometimes they are VERY warm but they are also VERY comfortable
      looking, so I feel when it gets to hot for them to handle, they will 
      get off.
    
      Sometimes mine has gotten sick on it's little seat but I don't really
      associate it with the heat from the radiator.

    
    My Rascal LOVES heat.  In the summer, it could be 110 degrees and she
    finds the sunniest, hottest spot in the house.  And in the winter, she
    sleeps on the dining room radiator.  It has a metal cover over it and
    I have tried laying a towel over it so she won't get burned, but she
    just knocks the towel off...it's in her way!  

    I have a "heat leech". Dream, my Oriental Shorthair, likes to 
    sleep under the covers in the winter, and she will stay there 
    until she can't breathe anymore and her ears are *bright* pink. 
    Then she'll crawl out, cool off, and crawl back underneath again!  
    She also likes to sleep in the sun during the day - I've had to put a little dab of sunscreen
    on each ear in the summer - the fur is so thin her ears burn!
    
    Mary-Michael

    My cats (all 3) love heat, too, and if I have a heater on in the hosue,
    they're sure to be near, or cuddled under some blanket.  
    
    Be careful setting things on radiators, though.  Plastic melts,
    blankets can start smouldering when they get too hot, or melt, too, if
    they're made of synthetic fibres.  
    
    If kitty keeps wanting to stay on the heater even though he gets sick,
    talk to your vet and see if there's another problem going on.
    
    					-- Scot
     

Well to answer the question(s)

He only vomitted once after coming off the radiator and has been fine since.

We have an old rag on there which is what he sleeps on. Since moving it
off, he now just sits as close to the radiator as he can!

Greg

    I don't know about radiators, but Miss Moffet and Chuckie Cheese both
    love the top of the TV so much they have learnt how to turn one set on
    (the small Sony has buttons on the top-the last time I buy one
    like that).  All those microwaves isn't good for them but it's
    impossible for me to keep them off.  A small heating pad distracts
    Chuckie but I don't like leaving it on when I'm gone, he will chew
    things.
    
    They have loved the past few days as I am being a little more lax right 
    now as we have just become four--I went to Pratt Pond, NH, again and
    (deja vu - Chuckie) found a sweet little cat that someone left behind 
    when they went home after vacation--THE FIENDS!!!!!!