Freestanding Stove and Cats

[mountainice]

Wasn't sure where to post this. Relocating to Wyoming with 2 cats. Most all houses we're looking at have freestanding stoves, either propane, pellet or wood. We're concerned our cats, that have never been around stoves might hurt/burn themselves by trying to jump on top of the stove. Are all freestanding stoves hot on top when in use? If so, is there any solution such as a cast iron enclosure to the ceiling or other ideas to make sure they cannot get on top?

 

[begreen]

Many pets love the heat of a stove and will hang around it. Most are smart enough not to jump on top, but there is always the exception. There are wood stoves with convective or trivet tops that do not get as hot as the actual stovetop.

FWIW, we have two cats. Both love the woodstove. One lies at a reasonable distance. The other has singed his tail on the stove door he loves it so much.

 

[Highbeam]

We have had cats and they never jumped up or got burned but they did love to lounge near it. At first, maybe carry the cat over to it and let it feel the heat without being burned, sort of show them it's hot.

Pets and stoves are usually a good combination.

 

[begreen]

Our old cat loves the stove so much that when I go to fire it up on autumn days he starts rubbing and bumping against it and me.

 

[gggvan]

Our cat, Tallulah, likes to lay under our jotul 602. With out LR insert, which is over a 2' hearth that she can easily jump and walk around on, she doesn't while the stove is running. She prefers to lay a few feet in front on the floor.

 

[Prof]

We moved into our new house about 4 yrs ago. We have 3 cats, one 16 and two that are 5. We heat with wood in the new place. The cats love the stove--one actually bugs me to put a fire into it when I am in the basement. They get a little toasty, but never catch fire. They just seem to know better. No worries.

 

[mountainice]

Thanks for all your replies, this really has helped me ease my worries.

 

[ctyankee]

I had the same concerns. I have a small stove, so this "solution" works well. I made sure to have the large kettle on top of stove so jumping on top was not enticing (hard to predict what a cat can/will do however -- one of the cats pictured managed to get up my stone chimney!)

 

[firefighterjake]

One of the reasons I added the soapstone slab on top of my stove was out of my wife's concerns that one of our cats would jump on top and get severely burned. Her thinking was the soapstone slab would be a little less hot . . . although truthfully a few degrees either way wouldn't make that much of a difference.

The cats have never showed the slightest inclination to jump on top of the stove though. They're not that dumb.

As mentioned most like to gather around it or behind it to soak up the heat.