Do Felines Have Instrument Preferences?

MrNally asks: "Last night I was trying out my new harmonica when my cats started to freak. A quick check of google (isn't the internet wonderful - la la) reveals that, as a rule, cats hate the harmonica. Here's a small company that has used this to 'cat proof' your computer, playing harmonica sounds whenever the keyboard is used in cat-like ways. Does anyone know anything about feline physiology? Any ideas why my cats hate my Bob Dylan renditions when played on the harmonica, but don't seem to mind it on the guitar? And then there's the point that someone has turned this into a computer solution which suggests that there's a bandwidth limitation to their hatred (that is, their hatred is still true even after a low pass filter). Most importantly, is there any similar system that could be created for certain humans? ;-)" So remember, folks, if you don't want any household catastrophes, leave the harmonica renditions of your favorite songs to a feline-claw-free environment. Come to think of it, are there any particular instruments cats like?

Yes, they do.

[sllort]

I know a pussy that loves flutes.

Violin

[JAZ]

I always thought that cats hated the violin most... what with the cat gut strings and all.

From the keeping-cats-away-from-the-keyboard dept.

[bihoy]

I have found a simple game that you can play with your cat that will teach them to stay away from your keyboard. It's called wall kitty. Basically, when ever you find your cat stepping or about to step on the keys, you pick it up and fling it against a wall. The cat soon learns to avoid the keyboard altogether.

Laser Tag, Sorta.

[CMiYC]

The neighbor's cats don't like it when I play Laser Tag with them and my shotgun. Shuts 'em up real quick when they howl all night. If the owners would get them fixed I might not feel the instinctive need to reach for my gun.

I've heard your playing

[Anonymous Coward]

and your harmonica would drive women wild. No, not the way you're thinking; wild like a cat on the way to the vet for that once-in-a-lifetime surgery.

gut strings

[chocolatetrumpet]

For those that don't know, the strings on string instruments used to be made mainly from gut. As instruments became louder and more resonant, concert halls got bigger, and most strings have been replaced with steel, which is strung very tight and is very resonant.

However, some people still choose to use gut strings, particuarly those of cat gut. A friend of mine who strings his viola with cat gut strings and I used to joke about taking kitty to the music store, handing him over the counter, ordering some new strings, waiting while kitty was taken to the back room and after a minute or so of trashing, out came the clerk with some beautiful brand new gut strings.

This friend has been known to pet his viola while making an affectionate face and muttering, "kitty!"

classical guitar

[vinnythenose]

I knew a cat that absolutely loved the classical guitar. He'd go and lick it like crazy. Then again the guy that the guitar was borrowed from did a lot of pot. We figured pot is like catnip.