Good for you getting that cat cleaned out. This is interesting because in the 5 winter's we've heated with the Fireview, there is rarely anything on the cat when we clean. Whenever I've checked it, I just take an old paint brush and give it a couple of swipes and it is done. So this interests me in knowing why and how it got clogged.
1. How long has it been since you cleaned the cat?
It's been a few months.
2. What type of wood have you been burning?
It's a mix of wood.
3. How long had it been since splitting and stacking that wood before you burned it?
Most of it has been split and stacked for years, some for 1yr plus.
4. How and where was it stacked?
Covered and moisture meter showed 17-19%
5. Do you have any idea why and how this cat got plugged?
There seems to be a fair amount of fly ash in the cat chamber every time I cleaned the stove.
6. Was this the steel cat or ceramic?
I have no idea if it's stainless or ceramic, I'd have to ask Woodstock.
Here is a picture of our cat and this is quite typical of what we find. We usually check it in mid-winter and then again when we do the annual summer cleaning. This is the steel cat.
That's what mine looks like after I cleaned it out.
View attachment 64975
and never looked back. 
