If your two greatest loves in this world are your home theater and your dog Sparky, you may have learned the hard way that they don't always play nice together. Let's face it: As domesticated as modern pets are, they can't exactly be expected to know what those remote controls are for, or that scratching a plasma TV screen is way worse than chewing a slipper.
Before you reach for the phone to call the Dog Whisperer, we've got some easy solutions for setting some rules, boundaries and limitations for your pet — and make sure your entertainment center doesn't give Sparky's name a raison d'être.
Temptation 1: Cables
The cables in the back of most equipment racks often resemble a rat's nest, so it only makes sense that it would be a favorite hunting zone for cats (not exactly known for their restraint around stringy things). And plenty of dogs will chew on anything.
To keep Mr. Squiggles and Rex from getting their claws into your coax, cover your cords with something difficult to slice: You might try using spiral wrap, typically made of thick polyethylene, to give you an extra layer of protection. Wire loom, resembling old-skool phone cord, and CritterCord, tubing infused with citrus to deter potential nibblers, are other options.
Temptation 2: Speakers
Those full-range tower speakers with the real wood veneers sure are gorgeous, aren't they? They're also likely the prime substitute for your feline's scratching post. Even if your speakers don't have wood veneers, any speaker grille is a potential claw magnet. If putting the speakers on stands isn't an option, you might try a strategic placement of a ScatMat, a flexible vinyl pad that will bestow a small shock on any creature that steps on it. The little zaps won't do any lasting damage, and kitty should learn to stay away after a few touches.
Can't bring yourself to shock your pet even that much? Cats generally hate to claw anything sticky, so you can try covering your speakers in aluminum foil with double-sided tape all over them. Relax — it's a temporary solution. After you're finished, place scratching posts next to the speakers to give your pet a scratching alternative, then slowly move them away over the course of a couple of weeks. Hopefully by then the little guy's claws will no longer have a hankerin' for cherrywood finish.
Temptation 3: Your TV Screen
If your pet is the type to try to make a new friend whenever she sees another critter onscreen, you'd best invest in a screen protector. Anyone can just drape some thick material over a TV when it's not in use, but that's just so Grandma Ethel. What you really want is a durable, transparent material you can stick right in front of your screen. Plenty of manufacturers, like NuShield and Mighty Shield, are ready to help you out, but take promises like "will not alter picture quality" with a grain or two of salt.
The better solution is to buy a TV with a screen that can withstand attacks from furry fellas in the first place. Panasonic — in an attempt to immunize its latest series of plasma TVs against flying Wiimotes — have screens rated to take a 1-joule impact without a nick. Best of all, you could go with a front projector and a screen that retracts when not in use.
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Temptation 4: The Remote Control
As your remote controls start to multiply with your equipment, your coffee table will start to look like a buffet table full of chew toys to Fido. The win-win solution here is to replace his potential snacks with a single universal remote, but be careful which one you go with. Remotes with lots of noticeable, glow-in-the-dark buttons made of rubber are probably not the best choice. Logitech's Harmony line has some good alternatives, whose plastic construction isn't very friendly to canines' . . . canines.
For All Your Trouble
Done everything you can to keep the little guys away from your gear, and still finding bite marks where they shouldn't be? Try a spray bittering agent, which you can apply to the apparent "tasty zone" until your pet learns that wires aren't something you eat. Brands like Nature's Miracle or Bitter Break are common and affordable. The nasty smell might keep you away as well, though, so be sure to sample before you buy.