For those of you with cats, you probably already know that they do not always mix. Here are a few things you can do to safeguard your flute from your beloved pets.
1. Cats have a tendency to want to knock things off shelves, desks, or tables so if you must leave your flute out in between practice sessions, make sure you put it somewhere that the cat cannot lie on it, try to play with it, or knock it onto the floor.
2. Open cases are also tempting to kitties to use as impromptu kitty beds. I know, it doesn’t look all that comfortable, but they don’t seem to care. You don’t want them leaving their fur in your flute case where it can get into your flute’s mechanism, so keep your case closed.
3. Don’t use your flute as a toy to tempt your cat with. If you provoke your cat into batting at your flute with his paw, you may end up with some new scratches on your flute, or worse, a claw could hook and tear a pad.
4. Even in its case, your flute can be vulnerable. The best thing to do is to always keep your flute somewhere that is inaccessible to your cats, whether that is on the highest shelf possible (still risky int my opinion), in a drawer, or behind a securely closed and latched door.
If your cat is drawn to your flute or your music paraphernalia, it is probably because he has observed how important it is to you. That seems to make cats want to be on your stuff, whether it is in an effort to be closer to you, to get your attention, or just to be in the way, who knows? Taking some common sense steps to keep your flute safe will keep things harmonious between you and your cat.