Hey odd ass question but I recently got back into brewing and my family adopted a cat not long ago. The cat loves getting onto things, to include my Anvil crucible. So how much could this end up effecting beers if at all. I’m switching up to a glycol setup soon but but concerned that something could happen. I ensure the drain is sanitized before pulling a sample or bottling as is so would need to be more cautious I’m sure. So any input on brewing with cats?
Cats
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As long as you do your normal sanitation and the cat doesn't figure out how to open the lid and get inside you are probably good.
I'm a little more iffy about my son brewing while the dog is shedding hair all over the place. But so far I've not found any hair in my beer glass.... maybe it gets trapped in the kegs and tap!
I'm a little more iffy about my son brewing while the dog is shedding hair all over the place. But so far I've not found any hair in my beer glass.... maybe it gets trapped in the kegs and tap!
Kinda how I feel about it. He just jumps on top of the lid every once and awhileAs long as you do your normal sanitation and the cat doesn't figure out how to open the lid and get inside you are probably good.
I'm a little more iffy about my son brewing while the dog is shedding hair all over the place. But so far I've not found any hair in my beer glass.... maybe it gets trapped in the kegs and tap!
As long as you clean and sanitize you won't have a Cat-astrophey
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I would return the cat before the return window closes. Assume that their litter box contaminated paws have touched everything and clean accordingly, including cleaning counter tops where food prep occurs. Yes I'm a bitter x cat owner and my dog is an outside dog with his own heated/ac garage where he can come and go as he pleases. I was kidding about returning the cat but the repeated disobedience of countertop stare downs has this old farm boy wanting no inside pets ever again. Enjoy the new pet and brew on! 
Assume that their litter box contaminated paws have touched everything and clean accordingly, including cleaning counter tops where food prep occurs. Yes I'm a bitter x cat owner and my dog is an outside dog with his own heated/ac garage where he can come and go as he pleases. I was kidding about returning the cat but the repeated disobedience of countertop stare downs has this old farm boy wanting no inside pets ever again. Enjoy the new pet and brew on! 
scrap iron
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I once had a cat that opened the ferm fridge and just watched the bubbling of the airlock. He heard the noise and was curious. I started to tape the door shut and no problems after that. We have two cats now and both hate the vacuum cleaner. So wherever we want to keep them away we just put it near.
We have 4 cats and fortunately none of them is very interested in anything to do with brewing. The one cat often comes around when I’m brewing but thats because I’m brewing in the kitchen and he understands thats where we make the food. I keep trying to get a picture of him as my brew buddy. But they don’t bother any of my brewing stuff.
Just make sure they are not under your feet when you go to move a full kettle or anything like that.
Just make sure they are not under your feet when you go to move a full kettle or anything like that.
There is a product we bought from Chewy.com called X-Mat. It is a plastic mat studded with short plastic spikes. Cats don't like to step on them. I'm not sure if you could modify them to fit on the crucible but it might be worth looking into. It sure works on furniture.
Had a cat that loved to chew on electrical cords. Tried a couple different repellent sprays from Chewy. Don't use those, unless you want a chemical irritant hanging in the air. (The cat seemed immune to it and kept chewing.) It was like having chemical mace in the air.
Tried wrapping with foil, but he chewed that up too. We ended up getting some of those corrugated 1/2" cable-wrap tube things and wrapped our cords. Looked like shiat, but kept the cat from electrocuting himself or burning our house down.
To keep your kitty from walking certain places lay out pieces of cardboard covered with double-sided tape. They DO NOT like walking on sticky surfaces.
Tried wrapping with foil, but he chewed that up too. We ended up getting some of those corrugated 1/2" cable-wrap tube things and wrapped our cords. Looked like shiat, but kept the cat from electrocuting himself or burning our house down.
To keep your kitty from walking certain places lay out pieces of cardboard covered with double-sided tape. They DO NOT like walking on sticky surfaces.
Born and raised farm boy here. I own and still live on my grandparents farm. I have always said that’s why animals have fur… they live outside.I would return the cat before the return window closes.
Or you just realize that when you have cats its their house and you just live in it. But seriously, pets are part of the family. And if you’re not willing to treat them that way then you probably shouldn’t have them.
davidabcd
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In suburbia, cats aren't designed to live outdoors here without assistance.
But like I said, if you're brewing, keep an eye out, wipe down if you leave the area. Mine never come near vital areas but I suppose it could happen.
But like I said, if you're brewing, keep an eye out, wipe down if you leave the area. Mine never come near vital areas but I suppose it could happen.
I busted the house cat here licking the trub dump port on my Grainfather conical last time. Hosed him down with some vinegar water and he got the hint thereafter. Some cats aren't phased by it, but it's worth a shot.
it was very diluted.
A little water usually does the trick--if you can catch the kitty in the act.
There's a great beer name in this story...As long as you do your normal sanitation and the cat doesn't figure out how to open the lid and get inside you are probably good.
I'm a little more iffy about my son brewing while the dog is shedding hair all over the place. But so far I've not found any hair in my beer glass.... maybe it gets trapped in the kegs and tap!
As for the cat, has anyone tried dry hopping with catnip?
davidabcd
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It would be fair turnabout to watch the beer drinker run around crazily and roll around on the floor. But beer drinkers might do that anyhow.
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It's bad enough that I have to keep my cat away when I'm eating tuna, salmon, bacon, etc. I don't want to be fighting with him over beer. Gotta draw the line somewhere.
davidabcd
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I've found that if you put them in a bedroom and close the door for five-ten minutes every time they do something non-optimum, it stops. It takes a couple of weeks though.
Whenever our newbie tried to eat the food on my dinner plate, I'd walk him silently to the bedroom, sit him on the bed and shut the door. After a while, he stopped.
davidabcd
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ours are split between loving tuna or beef.
Mine likes the liquid drained from tins of tuna, salmon, chicken. More so than the meat itself. I'd put the liquid in a small bowl, with a couple small lumps of the meat. He's lap up the liquid, then eat the meat.
davidabcd
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Someone schooled me here about the sodium in the cans. It is extraordinarily high I found out. But if it's a rare treat, no big deal.
Mine love it the same way. I call it "Kitty Gatorade."
My wife won't allow us to put salted nuts out for the squirrels. I see the logic but I also see the squirrels saying, "No, man, it's cool. We'll be fine. It's just sodium."
Oh he is most definitely part of the family.
agentbud
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Seems like a good way to get a stuck mash . . . .
my cat always comes when I'm milling grain, she loves the smell but wont eat it, just looks up with a where's mine look
I know that look.
We have a bird in our house, an African Grey. Super smart but of zero help in the brewery. I'm sure she'd try if she could, but her cage is upstairs away from any brewery action which really helps with her overall health.
"Budgie Brewing - the bird is of no help whatsoever"
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