South Korea: Cats and stoves don't mix

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Bad kitties

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Pet owners in South Korea have been warned to stay on their guard after more than 100 fires were started by cats over the past three years, according to fire officials in the capital Seoul.

A statement Thursday from the Seoul Metropolitan Fire and Disaster Department said cats caused a total of 107 house fires between January 2019 and November this year.

The cats are believed to have started the fires by switching on electric stoves, the department said. Cats can turn electric stoves on by jumping on touch-sensitive buttons -- and once overheated, the appliances can catch fire.

Four people were injured in the fires, just over half of which started while pet owners were out, the statement added.

 

[catlady]

My parents nearly had a similar experience:  some 30 years ago, they lived in an apartment that had an old-model gas stove.  The pilot light was under the center of the cook top and had a small vent hole over it.  Their cat sat on the edge of the stove to look out the window and draped his tail over the vent.  Luckily my mom was home and could smell what turned out to be scorched tail fur and quickly put it out.  
Training commenced immediately to deter Kitty from sitting on the stove.