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SVS cylinder - scratching post issue? (1 Viewer)

Joined
Oct 12, 2003
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40
After reading tons of praise for the SVS subs on this forum I'm thinking of purchasing a 25-31PCi.

My only concern is that I own two cats, both of which have their claws and love to use them. One in particular loves to scratch on the couch and the cloth covered base of my RPTV.

To those of you with SVS suba AND cats, have you had any troubles?

Thanks,
Seth
 

Charlie C

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Jun 25, 2004
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Forewarning, there will be people that will tell you to declaw your cats so watch out. then they will call you stupid for not declawing your cats. just a forewarning. you might want to say you will not be taking the claws off of your cats.
 

Garrett Lundy

Senior HTF Member
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Mar 5, 2002
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Since the fabric of the SVS is just cosmetically covering the sonotube, you could always remove it or cover it with something cats don't like to scratch.

Somebody told me that if you cover something (like a subwoofer or furniture) with waxed-paper for a few months, cats will learn not to scratch that item, and you can then remove the waxed-paper. (I don't own a cat, so I can't verify).
 

steve nn

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Jan 12, 2002
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Cant say you would have the same experience, but our cat used to like clawing everything except the cylinders.
 

Doug McBride

Auditioning
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May 25, 2004
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I've got a 20-39PC+. Put it in a corner where the scratching post used to be and moved the scratching post to a new location and they still use it. I wondered the same thing, especially since they might have assumed the sub was a new scratching post in place of the old one. In the several months I've had the sub, they have not even given it a passing glance from a claw-sharpening perspective.

I've found that the sisal (sp?) posts (kind of like tightly wound hemp rope) keep them happy and away from everything else. The cover on the SVS is pretty tightly woven and smooth so it's not an attractive target - at least for my guys.

Cheers,

Doug
 

Dan Halchak

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Jul 17, 2003
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Easiest way to do it, somewhat fun, only mildly cruel (if at all)...

is to ready a heavy deep powerful bass scene like Darla tapping the glass in "Finding Nemo" or the pounding knocks on "The Haunting." Wait for them to get up close to it and start to investigate it. Just as it looks like they might go for it, hit the play buttom. BOOM BOOM BOOM, they get scared and hide and won't go ANYWHERE near it. Now this doesn't even have to be reference loud, just LOUD. The vibrations are something they don't want to deal with, nor are very confused why the came from it...

Best way to do it I think, no claw removal, no having to cover it up or anything. They just won't want anything to do with it.
 
Joined
Oct 12, 2003
Messages
40
A couple of points:

1) Declawing the cats isn't an issue, fiance would just as soon cut off the tips of MY fingers as let a vet do the declawing. [And on a side note, she makes a convincing case, even without the threat to my personal safety :) ]

2) I've tried a number of training methods to deter furniture scratching with mixed results. I stuck a scratching post in front of the corner of the couch that gets the most abuse, and the one cat uses the post all the time. The other cat goes out of her way to AVOID the post and hit the couch... sigh.

3) Along with #2 above, I'm not so much looking for training tips as anecdotal evidence from cat owners that have the SVS subs.


That's the kind of stuff I was looking for!

Thanks,
Seth
 
Joined
Oct 12, 2003
Messages
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I suppose that's an option, although they don't seem too bothered by my Klipsh KSW-8. Granted the SVS is in a whole 'nother class of subs, and I don't play it very loud right now since I'm in an apartment, but the one cat has been known to lay but a few feet from the sub during LOTR and not seem bothered.

Or maybe that's just a sign as to how horribly under-calibrated my entire system is right now... :)

Seth
 

Brian Elwood

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Joined
Sep 3, 2004
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I like Dan Halchak's reply - a coupe of times and the cat will either stay away . . . or attack it when you are at work.

There is a spray that keeps cats off of things - not sure what the name is but my mom has it.

I feel you pain but my last of 3 cats will pass away this week so it's a non-issue for me (new 20-39 PSi this week I HOPW).
 

Dr. Anthony Rosalia

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Aug 6, 2004
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Newsflash: Cat claws big black marshmallow and wins!

Do yourself a favor, declaw your cat. They WILL rip the sock on an SVS sub. I do not know what a replacement would cost but I can ask Ron our manufacturer on approximate cost should some evil befall your unit :D
 
Joined
Oct 12, 2003
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Not an option. Even if the cats weren't too old for the surgery, superficial furniture damage, even to my HT theater gear, isn't a compelling reason to mutilate my pets.

Besides, as someone else pointed out, the "sock" on the SVS is just for aesthetics. I was originally worried about functional damage before I realized how stupid of an idea that was. [Now, if they were clawing the driver itself, THEN I'd have to worry]

I'm looking for great bass on a budget first, aesthetics second. If the reviews I've read are correct, I'd be better served (for the same dollars spent) by a scratched up, tattered SVS cylinder than a normal box sub without a scratch. This thread was to help me gauge the liklihood of damage appearing on the sub, not to justify declawing to avoid the damage.

Thanks for the replies though... anyone else have an SVS AND a cat that can pitch in their experience?

Seth
 

Ned

Supporting Actor
Joined
Feb 20, 2000
Messages
838
Being a longtime cat owner I think declawing is just plain mean. If you can't handle clawed furniture, don't get a f__king cat.

Anywho, my 2 cats never go near the SVS. They claw certain chairs and even the carpeting right beside the SVS but never the sub. I don't think it appeals to them.
 

Charlie C

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Joined
Jun 25, 2004
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"I can ask Ron our manufacturer " like we cant talk to Ron ourselves :)

Dr. Read post #7

and didnt you take the oath of hipocracy?
 

BrianML

Auditioning
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May 1, 2003
Messages
7
Well i think you said it yourself already, your cats are already clawing some of your equipment, they will probably claw the svs also. I have two cats now one scratches at everything the other does not. Having owned many cats over the years you tend to know thier disposition and what they are going to do. It sounds like you know they will wreck the sock. Think about mabye getting of the box subs and then they will probably only sleep on it. Good luck.
 

Brian Fellmeth

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jul 30, 2000
Messages
789
I have 4 cats that are all devoted claw sharpeners, and they have hit just about every cloth covered item we've got. Except the SVS. They have never touched it. Ever. Any of them. I also have a DIY huge cylinder sub that is covered in berber carpet that looks like it was made to be a cat scratcher- they won't touch that either although they work some of that very same carpet where it is on some stairs and even on the floor. I think they know that mysterious, powerful sounds come out of those things and they choose not to mess with them. I am convinced that 95% if cats would make the same choice after hearing a sub in loud action.
 

Robb Roy

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jul 15, 2002
Messages
711
My wife and I have four cats (I like to say I have one and she has three more). They scratch most everything, but they never touched the SVS 20-39PC+. I have seen many posts like this one (worrying about what a cat will do to a sub) but I've never seen one that says the cat destroyed an SVS sub. Even if it has happened, it's probably a safe bet humans spend more time worrying about cat damage than cats spend scratching subwoofers.

-Robb
 

SVS-Ron

Screenwriter
Joined
Jun 2, 2001
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Robb,

Remind me to double up on the Claritin before I visit some day ;^)

And BTW, this has never happened. Incredible as it might sound, the fabric on our subs is tough enough that those that try haven't done much, and the same material is inexplicably un-attractive enough to cats not to entice the critters much. Then again, from what little I know about cats, maybe the two issues are related?

It's tough enough to seemingly defy most claws... so cats don't bother? Move to softer targets that don't scare the daylights out of them seems to be the MO here.

Assuming cats have MO's. SVS E-commerce Director Erik Kroner has a herd of felines (which is more than one in my book) and I'm pretty sure he's never had a problem with this either. Of course some REALLY devoted cat is thinking "Oh yeah? Watch THIS!" but honestly you stand a bigger chance of having someone break into your house and steal ONLY the SVS (this HAS happened) than your cat messing with it.

Can't recall if the guy with the stolen SVS had a cat however ;^)

Ron
 

erikk

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Jan 24, 1999
Messages
123
I have 3 cats and none of them have ever shown an interest in scratching my cylinders. Now I know you know about the different methods to prevent scratching (water gun, double sided tape, waxpaper, repellant spray, vinegar, etc) but as someone else mentioned, different cats respond differently to them and if you haven't had good results with any of them so far most likely you won't have good results with this. Some cats like to scratch certain surfaces and some like others. But even if your cats decide to scratch the SVS as Ron mentioned the fabric is very durable and would probably stand up to many years of abuse.

As a side issue I heard that there is a new declawing method that is not like cutting off their finger tips and is much more humane. My vet is VERY into humane treatment of animals (yeah I know, duh) and she thought it was an acceptable option for cats that are exclusively indoor cats. But I don't know of anyone who has done it and reported their results.
 

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