# Electrocuted from biting cord



## razzle (May 20, 2010)

My friend's cat got a serious mouth burn from biting electrical cord. It's bad. Half her lip died and had to be cut off. The vet almost cut off her upper jaw on one side of her face. She's got a hole on one side of her face. Her face is deformed and might have to have a feeding tube. I love this cat. I hope she makes it. I'll be seeing my friend soon. I'm afriad of what i'll see. :sad:

If you have a cord biter better to be safe and use cord covers

Kathy


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## scottd (Jun 28, 2011)

Crittercord is popular. It's infused with citrus smell and it's bitter to taste.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

I think the kindest thing would have been to let her go.


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## Penny135 (Apr 6, 2011)

marie73 said:


> I think the kindest thing would have been to let her go.


I agree. :sad:


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## builder (Sep 2, 2012)

That’s horrible and it’s something that I fear all the time although I have never heard of such damage before. My most dearest cat Squirts likes to chew on cords and we have so many of them all throughout the house. 

Wires designed to be buried underground have stuff to prevent gophers from chewing on them and it’s a wonder why lamps cords don’t already have something to keep pets from chewing on them. It’s not only pets but I’ve caught my grandchildren chewing on them as well. I always worried more about the lead in the cords then electrocution, but after hearing this I wonder how often this happens. I don’t remember it, but my mother often told me that I once got a shock from chewing on a cord when I was a toddler. I guess I was lucky.

Anyways I’ve never heard of “Crittercord” or cord covers before and I’m going to do some research now. Thanks for bringing this to my attention because I just hooked up about 50 cords for my Christmas Tree display.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

marie73 said:


> I think the kindest thing would have been to let her go.





Penny135 said:


> I agree. :sad:



Me three. Sometimes we have to think about what's best for them, not what we want. It's our responsibility to be sure their quality of life doesn't suffer.

What kind of cord was it? It's strange it did that much damage unless the cord was frayed.....


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

silly 5 minute edit rule......
What i meant was that electrocution should have enough damage to her heart to cause her to jump back, but the way it sounds she kept gnawing while it continued to burn her. Unless it happened some time ago and the damage was caused by infection i guess...


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## builder (Sep 2, 2012)

MowMow said:


> silly 5 minute edit rule......
> What i meant was that electrocution should have enough damage to her heart to cause her to jump back, but the way it sounds she kept gnawing while it continued to burn her. Unless it happened some time ago and the damage was caused by infection i guess...


 If the cord was actually powering something at the moment and she bit completely through the wire, the electrical current would have burned her because there would have been a huge spark. If the cord were simply plugged in with voltage and no current flowing, then her own resistance would have just caused a small shock and not all that damage.


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## Carmel (Nov 23, 2010)

I'm very sorry to hear about your friends cat. I agree about possibly having chosen to let the cat go in this situation, but maybe it sounds worse than it is. There's dedicated loving owners who stick through the bad times with their pets and the pets triumph over their disabilities after a short (or sometimes long) period of rehab. The great thing is, cats and dogs usually love life dispute it all...

When my father was growing up they had a cat that was killed from chewing on an electric cord. If you have a pet that chews on cords, do everything you can to move the cords out of the way and under rugs/furniture, or cover them with tinfoil or store bought protectors or repellent sprays (make sure that cat doesn't _like_ the spray first!) ...


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## Alex Harris (May 4, 2012)

I've never had a problem with my older (2 years old) female chewing cords,but my 9 month old Maine **** still likes to sneak and chew them. I tried Bitter Apple and several other things before I found something that he won't touch now. I hope your friend's cat is ok.


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## 11201ny (Apr 11, 2012)

razzle said:


> My friend's cat got a serious mouth burn from biting electrical cord. It's bad. Half her lip died and had to be cut off. The vet almost cut off her upper jaw on one side of her face. She's got a hole on one side of her face. Her face is deformed and might have to have a feeding tube. I love this cat. I hope she makes it. I'll be seeing my friend soon. I'm afriad of what i'll see. :sad:
> 
> If you have a cord biter better to be safe and use cord covers
> 
> Kathy


Yikes! This confirms my cord fear.


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## razzle (May 20, 2010)

*Cat electrocution update*

My friend's cat, Zora, is doing so much better. I went to visit my friend and i was afraid of what Zora might look like. She has a small whole on the side of her mouth and you can see the bones on the gums. She's on pain meds, antibiotic, and a something to cleans the mouth daily. She plays and eats well and she's always into something, the little devil. She's a little cutey though. The only time she seems to be in pain is when she yawns but she's always sniffing the other 4 cats' butts. 

My friend wanted me to tell you that Zora had bit on a major wire in the basement not a regular cord. So happy she's doing so well.

Kathy


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## Jetlaya67 (Sep 26, 2012)

Yeah! I am so glad to hear that she is better! Ever since I read your story I have been thinking about her and worried about my cats and the cords in the house.


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## dlowan (Jul 13, 2012)

Oh my.....I do hope her gum grows back?


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## razzle (May 20, 2010)

*Update burned mouth from biting a major wire and still bite another cord*

Zora is doing much better. The roof of her mouth is healing. She is coming off pain meds but will be on an antibiotic for a while to curb future infections. So glad. I really like this cat. She acts like a normal cat that didn't burn her mouth from a major wire. What i remember about her the most is that she is a butt smeller. She's always smelling the other cats' butts. See she didn't need to be euthanized and she's lucky she had an owner who had the money. Cost so far $1300.00. which if i had the money i would pay. I would pay any cost if i had the money. Update-Carrie told me she was biting another cord. Stupid cat. I guess she didn't learn her lesson. 

Kathy


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## scottd (Jun 28, 2011)

Did you tell her about Crittercord?


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## lovetimesfour (Dec 1, 2010)

razzle said:


> Zora is doing much better. The roof of her mouth is healing. She is coming off pain meds but will be on an antibiotic for a while to curb future infections. So glad. I really like this cat. She acts like a normal cat that didn't burn her mouth from a major wire. What i remember about her the most is that she is a butt smeller. She's always smelling the other cats' butts. See she didn't need to be euthanized and she's lucky she had an owner who had the money. Cost so far $1300.00. which if i had the money i would pay. I would pay any cost if i had the money. Update-Carrie told me she was biting another cord. Stupid cat. I guess she didn't learn her lesson.
> 
> Kathy


When Zora was electrocuted she most likely went into shock. She doesn't know what happened to her, so is unable to make the connection between chewing on a cord and being electrocuted. 

To her a cord is just something she likes to chew on. She is not stupid. Zora's family should be taking care that there are NO CORDS for Zora to chew, since they know she wants to chew cords.

All cords need to be covered with something. Inexpensive pipe insulation is the easiest way. They come with the split down the side already, just open the tube and put it around the cords.

And they should provide Zora with something safe to chew.


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## my5kitties (Sep 13, 2005)

razzle said:


> Update-Carrie told me she was biting another cord. Stupid cat. I guess she didn't learn her lesson.


This just burns my hide. The cat isn't the stupid one. Carrie is for not preventing her cat from chewing another cord.


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

marie73 said:


> _I think the kindest thing would have been to let her go_.


Dittos. Sad.
I caught my Maddie chewing on a cord this morning. I have never seen her do that before. Just started (I hope). I don't know what got in to her. I shouted a loud NO!!! and clapped my hands at the same time, sending everyone running for cover. I hope she gets the message, but I will buy some Bitter Apple when I go out today.


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## anie (Dec 4, 2012)

my4kitties said:


> This just burns my hide. The cat isn't the stupid one. Carrie is for not preventing her cat from chewing another cord.


I second that..


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## Ritzpg (Dec 7, 2010)

Stupid--because cats don't get the connection between biting cords and going into shock, and that's assume the cat remembers, and cats live in the present, not three months ago.


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## razzle (May 20, 2010)

So sorry for calling her stupid. I know animals don't think like people or connect things like people do.

Kathy


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## razzle (May 20, 2010)

*Update on Zora*

She's the cat who bit into a major electrical wire. She's doing very well considering the damage it caused but the vet did say she will probably need surgery in the future. She does seem to sneeze because there is still a hole in the top of her mouth. She's one lucky cat.

I strongly suggest anyone who has a cat that chews cords to cover them. Cheap covers can include foam covers used for pipes as long as the cat doesn't chew that too or a hard plastic cover.

Kathy


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## Yuki'sMum (Dec 3, 2012)

*Update on Zora*

I'm glad to hear she's doing okay  thanks for the update and reminder 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## razzle (May 20, 2010)

Update

Just saw Zora and Zora is doing extremely well. She's on the last week of antibiotics. *See she didn't need to be put to sleep*. All you had to do was give her a chance. In fact she's into everything as usual-butt sniffing the other cats, playing, into everything, loving her mommy and her friends and yes I just saw her biting a cord. I can't understand how she didn't remember the extreme pain she got when biting that cord but she's biting cords again but maybe a cord biter and ever a cord biter She's just so cute I want to hug and squeezer her.

Kathy


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## Carmel (Nov 23, 2010)

I'm glad she's doing well, but has your friend after all of these expenses not hidden or put protectors on all the cords in the house?


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## cat owner again (Dec 14, 2012)

I sure would do something with the cords and cat training if possible.


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## misschloe (Mar 20, 2013)

Carmel said:


> I'm glad she's doing well, but has your friend after all of these expenses not hidden or put protectors on all the cords in the house?


I just read through this thread and now wonder the same thing:

this poor cat has been injured once from chewing on cords. To her the cords are a chew toy, something for her to gnaw on. I can't understand why her humans haven't taken steps to cover the cords with something so this poor cat won't get hurt again. 

And the reason Zora doesn't make the connection between chewing on cords and getting hurt is due largely to her having been in shock when the injury occurred, and because she's a cat and does not possess the ability to think logically like us humans, which is why it is up to us to ensure our critters are kept safe and happy.


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## hemiram (Feb 14, 2013)

builder said:


> If the cord was actually powering something at the moment and she bit completely through the wire, the electrical current would have burned her because there would have been a huge spark. If the cord were simply plugged in with voltage and no current flowing, then her own resistance would have just caused a small shock and not all that damage.


Incorrect. The full amperage is available with nothing turned on, and the cat's mouth is wet inside. Something being powered by the cord would actually reduce the current available to the cat.. 

My cat Orville was in my mother's bedroom about two weeks after we got him, and decided to bite a lamp cord, the lamp was off. Each of his fangs went into one of the wires. He screamed, obviously, and we ran in there and found him shaking his head and the cord pulled out from the wall. We could smell the burned skin and hair. He had some pretty bad burns on his mouth and gums. He was fine in a week or so, but had some bad scarring. He never bit a cord again. If you've ever had the pulp tester at the dentist, you can get a rough idea of what it must have felt like, but much worse, as the pulp tester (Worst thing I have ever felt!) is a lower voltage and much less current.


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## lovetimesfour (Dec 1, 2010)

razzle said:


> Update
> 
> Just saw Zora and Zora is doing extremely well. She's on the last week of antibiotics. See she didn't need to be put to sleep. All you had to do was give her a chance. In fact she's into everything as usual-butt sniffing the other cats, playing, into everything, loving her mommy and her friends and yes *I just saw her biting a cord.* *I can't understand how she didn't remember the extreme pain she got when biting that cord but she's biting cords again but maybe a cord biter and ever a cord biter She's just so cute *I want to hug and squeezer her.
> 
> Kathy


For pete's sake, haven't they covered those cords yet? What is wrong with those people?

We already explained why she didn't make the connection. If I had a cord chewer every cord in the house would be covered. Good grief.


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