I'm waiting for Labor Day to buy a digital piano. Have pretty much decided on a Korg SP250.
I have two mangy critters (cats). They must get everywhere.
Are there known problems with keys when cats get on them? Damage? One of my cats is a good 20 pounds. I don't know that they will spend much time on there. They will definitely get up there though. Maybe even try out napping on the keys. With my luck they will like it. Doh!
I ask because I'm also considering a LH350. Seriously don't want to spend the money if I don't need to. It does have three pedals. And looks a bunch nicer. I really have to keep this purchase to a minimum.
Not interested in building a cover for the keys on a SP250. I could though?

Train the cats to sit on the bench and play like Nora does.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0zgQAp7EYw

How about buying an instrument with a cover?

James
x

Hello? James? That's what the 350 is. Doh!

Sounds like you've solved your own problem.

Bingo!

James
x

Hello? James? It's another $300. Doh!
If I get up higher in price. Heck...why don't I just go for a MP6 and build a cover for thirty bucks? I really want to keep spending down.
So to get focused. Is there really a problem when these mangy critters romp on the keys?

EDIT: Hello? James? It's getting pretty late in Japan right now. Isn't it?

Well, you could stick with the SP-250 and buy a $5 sheet of wood to place over the top of it.

Cheers,
James
x

So...I take it....Your vote is that there is definitely a problem with cats on keys?
Domo are gato.... (hope I spelled that right)

Well, to be honest, I don't know if there would definitely be a problem with your cats sitting (sleeping?) on the keys. However, I recall that our family cat would malt and awful lot during the summer, so if yours are the same, and some of that malted hair finds its way into the action, it could gunge up over time.

If you're in doubt, keep the keys covered up when the instrument is not in use.



You're close enough.

Incidentally, if you do happen to forget to cover your piano, and walk in to find both cats sleeping on the keys, do the right thing - take a picture and post it here.

Oh, and on a final note:



Cheers,
James
x

Did someone say ... cats?

Tut. Er James?! Hello!!??? Doh!
Please make this man's life choices. Do it now. Get it right. James, this is not an unreasonable request. It ain't rocket science James! Doh!

I'm with Steve

LOL!

Something tells me rnaple is a Simpsons fan

Cats won't be a huge deal on the keyboard, if you don't mind a little hair. My main worry would be the scratches you could get when they launch from the keyboard on to another surface, or when jumping from the floor to the keyboard.

Their weight shouldn't really be capable of damaging the keys any -- cats walk very lightly, and that 20-pound cat is distributing its weight between four legs (or its entire side if it's lying down).

I'd just get a stretchy slip cover. That will take care of the hair issue. If you can find a thick vinyl/pleather cover, that would be best since it will be more resilient to scratches. I don't feel like the cat's weight will be an issue.

Buy a pit bull.

Fight fire with fire: get a StudioLogic Puma Piano.

You don't want cat hair and bits of kitty litter to get in the keys so you need to cover it.
Don't want to spend the money or time to make one? Then get rid of the cats. Don't want to get rid of the cats? Put the DP in a room they don't go in. Don't want to put... We can do this all day.

Or an Alesis Lion...

Or a Williams Overture - it's a proper dog!

Or booby trap it!

I'm not sure what damage the cats can cause by simply walking, sleeping, on the keyboard. I have a cat and once in a while, she jumps on the bench while I'm playing, and starts rubbing on the piano and what not. It's really just a matter of keeping the stray fur out of the keys and the spaces between. A static duster goes a long way to remove the hair. I just bought one because I was paranoid about hair mucking up the action on my YDP-161.

Hope this helps.

And it barks BIG-TIME.

Gee.... I had to go to work for a few hours. Got back and found all these replies.

I seriously didn't think of a problem with cat hair. I appreciate the advise.

What the heck would I do with a barking keyboard? Take it outside and "play" fetch?

I found my cat inside my acoustic once. This is a cat that tends to crawl into my dresser drawers and puke in them if they are open. She got 1 very megaforte bass chord as a reward, and has never even gone in the same room as the piano since.

Where I live, they are drawing up laws to ban Pit Bulls and even part Pit Bulls. There have been a series of maulings and a child was killed recently and the government has had enough.

Not the point of the thread, but I thought it was interesting.

[Edit]

Show this to your cats:
[video:youtube]http://youtu.be/Uj4RBmU-PIo[/video]

The cats won't hurt your keys, but I would lay a cloth (I use a woman's neck
scarf, which is the perfect length and width) across the top to keep dust and cat hair out. And my kitty is NOT allowed to sleep on the keyboard, or jump on it. They can be trained just by removing them every time.

I'm fairly certain that playing loudly with enthusiasm will put more weight on the keys than even your chubbiest kitty.

I had two cats, and one didn't liked piano, the other sometimes jumped on it, but wasn't dangerous. Except one situation, when he was interested in felt that is visible when the key "begins" (I know it begins deep under the casing), I mean the felt on top between casing and the keys, top ones. He damaged it a little using his claws, standing on the casing... When I walked into the room he was during sabotage, so I pushed him off. Fortunately it was first and last time he did it, and no, I didn't killed it nor punished

Well, besides a cover, guess I would just suggest getting a piano bench cushion that's so darn comfortable that there won't be much interest in the keyboard (though my kitty still tickles the keys now and then).




KITTEN ON THE KEYS (5:30)