Cats and audiophiles

Our cats aren't interested in the music but they all run away when it gets loud enough of course. We also have an indoor pet fox squirrel who isn't phased by pop / rock / jazz, but she freaks out at the sound of classical orchestra so I only play that when she's playing outside.

My 2 males will lounge with me most of the time but shy away from loudness and heavy metal. Some rock music seems to be ok - depends on the time of day. Only one of them has laid on the McIntosh but after scolding him, he never did it again (they mind me very well for some reason). They spend lots of time outside so they don't scratch anything.

Yes I have a cat - more like a dog then a cat actually. Picture Garfield and that's my cat. He weighs in about 17 pds and can easily take down a squirell with no problem. I have had him for about 12 years now.

Anyway - he is the most laid back cat in the world and he does not seem to care what I listen too - he will hang out for it all.

Back in my younger days when all I cared about was how loud it was - extremely high volumes never bothered him. I have since matured quite a bit as have my listening tastes, habits, and system.

He does not seem to have a strong preference to any one type of music. And he leaves my system alone for the most part too - no wire chewing or speaker scratching. (He likes trees for scratching posts) He does not lay on any componants either - hot tubes will tend to make them steer clear, but he will lay in front of my tube mono blocks in the winter though.

He prefers to use my Persian rugs as scratching pads more then my speakers - Boy can he do some damage to a carpet!

I told mine to stay out of the audio room, lest he mess up the 'steens grille cloths. He listened to that.... !!!

I agree with the cats on the opera ... just be careful, and when you see them sitting in the chair that occupies the sweet spot, you will know that they are making their move to assert pack dominace over you, and your system. It will probably be one of the older male's who makes the first move, desiring to establish his "ALHPA" status with in the pack. At this point Pet Counseling is useless.