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Cat Forum / Cat Anecdotes / January 2007Laser Pointer Yikes!
Here's something new to worry about with our cats' favorite toy (okay, second favorite, since we hoomins appear to be their favorite toys - grin). From a news item at http://www.nbc5i.com/news/10807181/detail.html ->LOS ANGELES -- A hand-held laser pointer appears to be the ->cause of a fire at a Los Angeles high-rise that caused $200,000 ->in damage. -> ->Fire officials said the blaze at the 17-story office building ->on LA's Miracle Mile began just after 10 a.m. Saturday. -> ->The laser device had been placed on an examination table in a ->dermatologist's office on the 12th floor. Officials said the ->device ignited the surrounding furniture. -> ->The fire was put out by the building's sprinkler system, but ->firefighters had to mop up about three inches of water. -> ->There are no reports of any injuries. I was not aware that a standard laser pointer could put out enough power to ignite anything, even when continuously pointed at something. Much less the furniture... Oh well. Interesting idea for a science project, though. Or a mad scientist experiment... Bwahahahahahhahhahah!! Hugs and Purrs, Mark >I was not aware that a standard laser pointer could put out enough >power to ignite anything, even when continuously pointed at something. >Much less the furniture... The battery probably shorted. Even a small battery can get smoking hot. Some poor soul recently had his trousers set alight by a wireless telephone. Bud  SignatureThe night is just the shadow of the Earth. >>I was not aware that a standard laser pointer could put out enough >>power to ignite anything, even when continuously pointed at something. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >hot. Some poor soul recently had his trousers set alight by a >wireless telephone. Most battery-powered devices have the potential to cause a fire, or at least get hot enough to burn human skin, if short-circuited. I once made the mistake of carrying a 9-volt battery and some coins in the same pants pocket. One of the coins shorted out the battery terminals, getting hot enough to make me dump out the contents of the pocket in a hurry. As far as the laser beam is concerned, the only safety hazard is that you shouldn't shine the beam directly into anyone's eyes (human or animal). It could potentially focus down into a concentrated enough point on the retina to cause a localized burn, resulting in permanent damage. Shining the unfocused beam onto papers, skin, etc. doesn't do any damage. SignatureJohn F. Eldredge -- john@jfeldredge.com PGP key available from http://pgp.mit.edu "Reserve your right to think, for even to think wrongly is better than not to think at all." -- Hypatia of Alexandria > As far as the laser beam is concerned, the only safety hazard is that > you shouldn't shine the beam directly into anyone's eyes (human or > animal). It could potentially focus down into a concentrated enough > point on the retina to cause a localized burn, resulting in permanent > damage. That's the reason I don't want them anywhere near our cats. How can you tell a cat not to look directly at the beam? A cat could whip around in the middle of playing and catch it in the eye. I don't like those things at all because of that -- I won't chance it. Rhonda > > As far as the laser beam is concerned, the only safety hazard is that > > you shouldn't shine the beam directly into anyone's eyes (human or [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > A cat could whip around in the middle of playing and catch it in the > eye. I don't like those things at all because of that -- I won't chance it. That's always been my reason for hesitating, too! My cats are so much faster than I, I'd be afraid I couldn't move the point fast enought to prevent shining it in their eyes. A flashlight beam may not be quite so intriguing, but they'll play with that, too, and there's no likelihood of blinding them with it. >> > As far as the laser beam is concerned, the only safety hazard is that >> > you shouldn't shine the beam directly into anyone's eyes (human or [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > intriguing, but they'll play with that, too, and there's no likelihood > of blinding them with it. I never thought about a flashlight -- I'll have to try that on them. Rhonda >> That's always been my reason for hesitating, too! My cats are so much >> faster than I, I'd be afraid I couldn't move the point fast enought to [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > >I never thought about a flashlight -- I'll have to try that on them. Tribble (RB) would go crazy chasing a flashlight beam around. I'd have him literally going in circles, practically chasing his tail sometimes : ) Jeanne Hedge ============ http://www.jhedge.com >>> That's the reason I don't want them anywhere near our cats. How can you >>> tell a cat not to look directly at the beam? [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > I never thought about a flashlight -- I'll have to try that on them. I hit on the idea when I noticed one of my cats following and meowing at a moving spot of light on the the wall, then realized it was stalking the reflection from a ring I was wearing! (I was reading, and every time I turned a page or moved my hand, the spot would move.) >> I never thought about a flashlight -- I'll have to try that on them. > I hit on the idea when I noticed one of my cats following > and meowing at a moving spot of light on the the wall, then > realized it was stalking the reflection from a ring I was > wearing! (I was reading, and every time I turned a page or > moved my hand, the spot would move.) Today as I was saying goodbye to Smudge, a relection of light from my car keys was moving around on the cement, near her. She didn't even notice. :) Joyce > >> I never thought about a flashlight -- I'll have to try that on them. > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Joyce Well, you know there's practically NOTHING one can say about cats that applies to ALL of them! :-) >> Today as I was saying goodbye to Smudge, a relection of light from my >> car keys was moving around on the cement, near her. She didn't even >> notice. :) > Well, you know there's practically NOTHING one can say about > cats that applies to ALL of them! :-) That's certainly true. My comment above was focused mostly on how uninterested in playing Smudge seems to be, rather than on how tempting (or not) that particular game might be. Smudge doesn't play very much. I don't know if that's due to age (she's almost 10), or that she feels inhibitied with Roxy and Licky around, or maybe just that because she goes outside and gets to do real hunting, she has no need for play. Joyce > That's always been my reason for hesitating, too! My cats are so much > faster than I, I'd be afraid I couldn't move the point fast enought to > prevent shining it in their eyes. A flashlight beam may not be quite so > intriguing, but they'll play with that, too, and there's no likelihood > of blinding them with it. My Dad used to use his glasses to make a reflection on the floor for the cats to chase. Old Thompson especially loved this.You need a bright enough lamp in the right position, though. SignatureMarina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki. Stories and pics at http://koti.welho.com/mkurten/ Pics at http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o185/frankiennikki/ http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/ http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- From: Mark Edwards <Mark-Edwards@comcast.net> >->The laser device had been placed on an examination table in a >->dermatologist's office on the 12th floor. The fact that this occured in a dermatologist's office tends to make me think that it wasn't a "laser pointer" but probably a surgical laser. I'd bet that, to the press, ANY handheld laser is a "laser pointer" in the same way that when an airplane stalls they think the engine quit. > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > pointer" in the same way that when an airplane stalls they think the > engine quit. True. Sadly, oh so very, very true. SignatureBritta Purring is an automatic safety valve device for dealing with happiness overflow. Check out pictures of Vino at: http://picasaweb.google.com/badwilson >> The laser device had been placed on an examination table in a >> dermatologist's office on the 12th floor. > The fact that this occured in a dermatologist's office tends to make > me think that it wasn't a "laser pointer" but probably a surgical laser. > I'd bet that, to the press, ANY handheld laser is a "laser pointer" in > the same way that when an airplane stalls they think the engine quit. Good point. If I hear "laser pointer", I think of two places: an office or an animal shelter. :) Joyce
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