So the other day I go to start my truck (diesel) and get a loud noise, smoke from the tailpipe, temp gauge immediately goes red and the Check Engine and Check Gauges lights all come on. I cut the truck off and plug in my ODB-II tool. It basically gave a bunch of sensor voltage errors and the "Most common reported fix" for the codes it had were "Replace ECM." I called a friend to have the truck towed to his shop. It had been running fine the day before.

Later when I walk out of the house I see a feral/stray kitten in the wheel well of the truck. After running at it to scare it off I have the realization of what might have just happened. I pop the hood and see the problem. Sensor wires broken and ripped from their harnesses and dangling.

There has been some argument over whether it was indeed an act of cat. A few people (let's call them "cat apologists") insist that cats won't touch wires but a quick Google search will show thousands of articles about people looking for advice on how to stop cats from chewing household wires. The cat people blame squirrels or rats. What I think is a cat-indictment is that the damage doesn't look like rodent damage. The wire breaks are not clean at all, which I would expect from a rodent. The wires are all ripped out of the harnesses and connectors, not cut/chewed through.

Thoughts? Experience?

8/7/2013 12:02:45 AM

cats will totally chew wires.


my asshole cat has chewed pretty much every laptop power cord I have, so I don't doubt that a cat would chew through your shit

8/7/2013 8:02:41 AM

need to leave these wires plugged in for the cats.

8/7/2013 8:45:25 AM

That won't help...

Animals chew live wires all the time. We had a pet rabbit that chewed the TV cord in two while it was on. Had a stupid dog chew through my laptop power cord while it was plugged up.

To the OP: That sucks.

8/7/2013 8:49:39 AM

Quote :

"We had a pet rabbit that chewed the TV cord in two while it was on"

RIP mr. wabbit..


My dog chewed through 4 (YES, FOUR) Macbook power adapters. Was able to solder/fix most of them though..but still. and yes, I'm an idiot.

My new kitten chews the fuck out of any wire it can possibly find. I'm worried to leave her alone in a room because I'm scared she's going to zap herself.

[Edited on August 7, 2013 at 9:30 AM. Reason : .]

8/7/2013 9:28:48 AM

do you have a rifle? a rifle will solve a feral cat problem.

8/7/2013 10:34:30 AM

Or get some eagles. One stole my friend's cat and just dropped it from ~40' in the air.

8/7/2013 10:54:46 AM

did it land on its feet

8/7/2013 1:31:53 PM

I keep coming into this thread expecting to see a cat get flattened.



[Edited on August 7, 2013 at 2:09 PM. Reason : .]

8/7/2013 2:08:18 PM

To clarify, the rabbit died years later of being and old rabbit, not because the TV wire bothered him in the least.

^Why do you think I clicked here in the first place?

8/7/2013 2:25:41 PM

Quote :

"I keep coming into this thread expecting to see a cat get flattened."

I wish that was the case ...

Quote :

"do you have a rifle? a rifle will solve a feral cat problem."

I live in city limits so I can't really shoot them. Traps are getting set tonight though.

8/7/2013 5:38:32 PM

I have a co-worker whose 2 cats only chew cords that are plugged in

8/7/2013 6:24:13 PM

Quote :

"did it land on its feet"

Yes. It ran off for several days, but seemed physically fine when it came back. It would never go outside again though. Even when it walked through the house it stayed up against the wall and did it's best to stay behind the furniture. It wouldn't even walk across an open space indoors such as the middle of the living room. I think it was afraid another eagle would swoop down and finish the deed.

8/7/2013 6:39:59 PM

Cats are evil and must be stopped.

Felines, too.

8/7/2013 7:18:43 PM

Quote :

"I live in city limits so I can't really shoot them. Traps are getting set tonight though. "

Ah, I beg to differ. It's called a .22 rifle and sub-sonic ammunition. Sounds like a BB gun.

And yes, anyone who has seen National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation knows that a cat will chew threw wires.

8/7/2013 9:51:45 PM

a girl a dated in college gave her cat away because it kept stealing her shit and hiding it inside a hole it tore in her box spring (jewelry, coins, cash, etc...)

8/8/2013 7:06:49 AM

I was expecting funny cat photos ITT...

8/12/2013 7:13:47 PM