The Feline Foreman
Why should I keep my pets away during home electrical repairs? Pets are naturally curious, but they can easily get in the way during complex electrical work, posing a severe risk to themselves and the contractor. Open electrical panels, exposed live wiring, sharp debris, and moving cables during a wire pull are extremely dangerous to cats and dogs. Always secure your pets in a separate, comfortable room with the door closed while an electrician is actively working in your home.
Some jobs come with a foreman. Some come with a building inspector. And some, ... come with a cat who takes the role very seriously.
The Yarn:
I walked into the house in Upper Island Cove expecting a normal service call. Flickering light, loose connection, nothing too dramatic. The homeowner says, "Oh, don't mind Tibbles. He likes to help."
Now I've worked with a lot of "helpers" over the years—apprentices, homeowners, uncles who "did a bit of wiring back in '84"—but nothing prepared me for Tibbles. The cat perched himself on a chair, staring at me with the judgemental confidence of a creature who's never paid rent.
I go to pull the first length of wire through the wall. Tibbles watches intensely. Eyes narrowed. Tail twitching. When the wire pops through the hole, he pounces on it like it owes him money.
"No, b'y, that's not for you," I says, gently retrieving my wire from his claws.
He releases it but follows me to the next outlet. And the next. And the next. Every time I'd pull a wire, he'd inspect it, tap it, sometimes sit on it like he was claiming it for the Crown. At one point, I'm in the hallway, kneeling down, trying to secure a connection. Suddenly I feel a soft tap on my shoulder.
It's Tibbles. Staring directly into my soul. Like he's saying, "You sure that's code, buddy?"
Later, I'm in the crawlspace feeding wire up. The homeowner is upstairs pulling it through. Suddenly: "Stop! Stop! Tibbles got the wire again!"
I back out of the crawlspace like a groundhog and find Tibbles proudly dragging my wire across the living room like he's in the Santa Claus Parade.
Fine. Two can play that game. I pull out a spare piece of old scrap wire and toss it aside. Tibbles looks at me... looks at the scrap wire... looks back... Boom. Instant distraction.
The rest of the job went right smooth. As I'm packing up, the homeowner says, "Tibbles likes you. He doesn't let just anyone rewire his house."
I look down. The cat rubs against my leg, purring like a tiny furry generator.
"Well," I said, "tell him I'll send the invoice to his name then."
💡 Local NL Homeowner Tip: Pets and Electrical Work
The Curiosity Hazard: Cats and dogs love to "help" by chasing pulled wires or exploring open floorboards.
Keep Them Safe: For their safety (and the electrician's sanity), keep pets in a separate room with the door closed during open-panel work, drilling, or wire pulling.