My cat sleeps on my new computer. Should I move it?

In My Humble Opinion (IMHO)
#1

So we got us a new computer, and new DSL (woo!) and are having a wonderful time.

As is the cat. She has found that it’s nice ‘n’ warm and she gets to sit right next to me, without having to move every five seconds if she’s on my lap. This concerns me.

There are no vents on the top of the computer, so I’m not worried about hair getting into all the gubbins, but I am a tad worried about overheating.

Should I be? I could move the computer, but where it is right now is about the most convenient spot. Desktop is too small, anywhere else will make it difficult to plug in USBs/printers, etc.

Thanks in advance for your humble thoughts.

#2

You probably should do something. I have to keep my box on the floor under the desk, and although usually keep our two cats away from it, their hair is everywhere. Therefore, I find the intakes often get clogged with hare as well as the grills outside the fans.

I just open the box every couple of weeks and clean it out, but am sure it is not doing the cooling system any good.

You can, of course, always make a little jump suit for your cat. :slight_smile:

#3

The computer has a fan (or several) in the back and air vents on the side/front, right? As long as these aren’t blocked, I wouldn’t worry about it.

#4

I meant I wouldn’t worry about overheating as a direct result. KlondikeGeoff’s point is valid. It won’t hurt to open up the case once in a while and blow away any accumulated hair (and dust) with canned air.

#5

(bolding mine)

There’s a good bunny joke in here somewhere, but darned if I can find it.

#6

Man! I have two cats that do this all the time. I hope I’m not creating “The Hairball That Ate Chicago”.

#7

Both my cats like the tops of my monitors and one likes the top of my husband’s computer. They don’t generate enough body heat to affect your computers as long as you have good intake and outtake fans going.

#8

Open it up and sweep it out periodically. Check.

Kitty’s too small to overheat the thing, so let her sleep where she damn well pleases. Check.

Thanks guys!

And KlondikeGeoff, I have enough trouble putting her in a collar. A jumpsuit would cost me my hands. Although if you could send me one of those hares that seems to be running rampant around your place, I might be able to distract her…:wink:

#9

You’ve said that there are no vents on the top of your PC. Therefore there will be no cat hair. Your problem is that the cooling effect of the top surface is decreased, and if the cat’s body temperature is greater than the computer’s, your top surface will be an internal radiator.

I wouldn’t worry too much.

#10

Er, please get the hair cleaned out. If it’s a big enough hairball, it might reach out here to the 'burbs.

I fear hair.

#11

My cat kept sitting and sleeping on my computer… This was particularly a problem because my computer vents through the top… My solution was to place little things on top of it in strategic positions until it was just too much of a bother for the cat to sit on it:

http://www.orbit.org/photos/2005-03-16%20-%20Kitnix/CRW_2493.jpg

:slight_smile: (That’s before getting enough stuff on there).

#12

A: Opening up your computer for periodic cleaning is a good idea, cats or no cats. Especially if you smoke.

B: I for one would like a nice picture of kitty sleeping on compy.

#13

Sounds like a lazy cat if it’s sleeping where the computer is all infested with hare! :smiley:

#14

Um, you’ve never actually had a cat, have you?

#15

Is it a Linux machine? You could try cat > /dev/null.

#16

Actually, I’ve lived with several. The OP stated that there were no vents on top.

#17

OK, OK, i’ll never live down the “hare” thing. Even if we had a spell checker, it would have squeezed by. Oh well, hare today, gone tomorrow.

Final advice: trade in your cat for a hairless model.

#18

you’re all busy making calculations of temperature rises and size of hairballs—but you’re forgetting the really important issue here: calculating the cuteness ratio.

Ain’t you never learned to appreciate cats?

#19

Q: My cat sleeps on my new computer. Should I move it?

Answer courtesy of Catbert: Sure, provided you don’t disturb the sleeping cat.

#20

A quick story about my days of working for KSLY-AM/San Luis Obispo, CA (published on 440.com)

Poor kitty - we really had to keep our eyes out so he wouldn’t get up there. Good luck with Kitty and your computer!