Do you think its safe for my cat to run along our exposed pipes?

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Chicagoan

(@chicagoan)

Eminent Member

Joined: 15 years ago

Posts: 34

15/10/2011 10:19 pm

I live in a loft with 14 foot ceilings and all the piping is exposed. We have only lived here a couple months.

Our cat once got up on the pipes (hopped from his cat condo to the top of a wall and then onto the large air pipe) and we let him run around up there. He was having a ball!

Sorry if "air pipe" isn't the right term. Basically it's the largest of all our pipes intended to carry AC and heat.

Then a portion of pipe started swinging. We got a little worried that the pipes might be damaged or collapse under his weight. He's a big 20 lb. cat.

But I feel bad because he loved it up there.

Do you think it is safe? The pipes are suspended from the ceiling with what look like plastic straps? It's hard to tell because they've been painted over.

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niceguy

(@112952msn-com)

Illustrious Member

Joined: 6 years ago

Posts: 1155

15/10/2011 11:34 pm

do not think
Chicagoan,
Do not think. Go to the first place that sells stainless steel cable and reinforce all the pipes to support your cat.
Let your cat get pleasure from the experience and be pro-active as opposed to re-active in addressing the mechanical issue. Your pets are priceless and the physical accommodations are inexpensive.

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Chicagoan

(@chicagoan)

Eminent Member

Joined: 15 years ago

Posts: 34

16/10/2011 4:47 am

Hi niceguy,
That's...
Hi niceguy,
That's actually a great idea. After the first time we let him up, we didn't do it again. I didn't even think of trying to reinforce the pipes. Thanks for the suggestion.

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SDR

(@sdr)

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Joined: 15 years ago

Posts: 6462

16/10/2011 7:29 am

That sounds right
to me. Do what you can to keep the pipes stationary, as well; swinging necessarily implies stress on the taped joints between sections of the ductwork, which wasn't intended to experience movement. But I love the idea of letting the cat have a "tree" to play in.

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