Poor Ketzl wonders why, when I come in from the cold, I don't immediately
grab him or at least pet him; G-d knows he deserves at least that much. I've
tried explaining that after I take off my fleece-lined coat, the friction it
causes by rubbing against my wool shirt is going to produce a mongo spark.
And it's almost always on one of those great ears. I guess if it happened
enough he'd learn; he's a quick study.

I caught him watching the "One Smart Cat" video over and over this morning.
Now I'm going to have to baby-proof all my screw-top containers.

Does that work?  I never had much problem with static
electricity in California, and so far the humidity here in
Arizona has been high enough so even though it's much colder
than I expected, there haven't been any sparks generated.
However, it IS desert country, which implies very dry
air....  (Maybe it's just that most of my house-slippers and
casual shoes have rubber soles?)

I would advise against using a dryer sheet on Persia's fur. Those sheets
are FULL of chemicals and fragrances. Persia will ingest those
potentially harmful chemicals when she cleans herself.

I recall reading a newspaper article many years ago warning not to use
dryer sheets on infant and toddler clothing, due to the chemicals left
on the clothing, causing possible allergic reactions, etc.

If they aren't safe for small children, where most of it will stay on
the outside of the child, they *can't* be safe for a cat to ingest.

~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Life without cats would be only marginally worth living."
-TC, and the unmercifully, relentlessly, sweet calico kitty, Kenzie.

How you behave towards cats here below determines your status in Heaven.
- Robert Heinlein

Life is very difficult. Once you understand that, life becomes easier.
-Buddha

In the wintertime, what I would do was dig a few fingers under Betty's
fur with my left hand while petting her, to keep us in constant skin
contact to avoid electrostatic discharges.

Caliban knows there's electricity between him and Meowmie this time of
year. He always comes to meet me at the door when I get home, but these
last few days (when the inter finally set in here in Finland), he still
comes to meet me, but he flinches all the way. He just knows he's going
to be 'bitten' when I touch him. But he still comes for his 'welcome
home' tummy rub.

We spark a lot here, too. Electric heat is so dry. It does help some if
you run a humidifier.

Sherry