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Cat puke -- not at all off topic. . .really

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Cat puke -- not at all off topic. . .really

#1

Cat puke -- not at all off topic. . .really

Dave Mount

>Our dining room table is an antique (1905) Mission-esque round pedestal table with a spectacular QSWO top. Finish is shellac.

A couple years ago, I came downstairs in the morning to find that one of the felines that graces our lives has vomited on the table during the night. When I clean it up, it becomes clear that the puke was sitting there for a while, because it has eaten away all the shellac (shellac is digestible, after all). I washed the area with water as best I could and cussed a little to make myself feel better (the cat was unimpressed).

Couple months later, I get up the nerve to dive in and repair the damage. I filled in the damaged spot with some new shellac, sanded it more or less flush with the surrounding finish, brushed a little straight alcohol around to feather out the repair, then put a really thin coat of shellac over the whole table to blend and freshen the whole top. Looked great when I was done, couldn't tell I'd been messing with it.

Several months pass, and I notice that I can start to see that spot again. Not dramatic, but I can see a light area. Worse than that, I convince myself that the glue joint that runs through the spot is a little offset (hmmm. . .hide glue is digestible too. . .).

So it appears that kitty's gastric enzymes are still hard at work in the table, not only working on the finish, but perhaps on the glue as well.

Anyone have any good suggestions for how to deal with this? I can repair the shellac again, that's not that big a deal. But if I don't get those enzymes stopped not only will the repair not last, the glue joint is in danger, which would be a far bigger deal.

Thanks for any (useful) suggestions,

Dave

Re: Cat puke -- not at all off topic. . .really

#2

Steve Kubien

Re: Cat puke -- not at all off topic. . .really

Steve Kubien

>I doubt your are dealing with active enzymes. I can't believe they are effective so long outside the warmth of your cats body. Sorta like people worrying about catching AIDS from dried blood. The virus/enzyme won't survive outside the body.

Just a thought.

Steve Kubien

Re: Cat puke -- not at all off topic. . .really

#3

Re: Cat puke -- not at all off topic. . .really

Richard A. Gillespie, Jr.

>Not sure that I agree with Steve, stomach secretions are acidic and if you don't neutralize them they will continue to work. Baking soda will stop acid. Try that and rinse well before re-finishing.

Re: Cat puke -- not at all off topic. . .really

#4

Interesting.....

Todd Hughes

>but I noticed the same thing on my truck's front bumper....Hmmm....Todd

Re: Cat puke -- not at all off topic. . .really

#5

Re: Interesting.....

William Duffield, on the Cohansey

>Why would you shellac a bumper? :^)

Re: Cat puke -- not at all off topic. . .really

#6

Do a test piece first!

Frank D. in Montreal

>Get your cat to puke on an old board of the same wood, let it sit, then rinse with a base (baking soda) and see what happens. Seriously though, baking soda or other basic solutions can react with wood and seriously change the color. I don't know much more other than I've tried to wash various stains (don't ask...) with baking soda on pine and maple and the wood turned yellow. I'd just try to rinse it well. Maybe Sam knows more about this.

Re: Cat puke -- not at all off topic. . .really

#7

LOL! Stop, you're making me cry!

Don Thompson - Cutler Ridge, Florida

>

Re: Cat puke -- not at all off topic. . .really

#8

Re: Do a test piece first!

William Duffield, on the Cohansey

>I've heard tell of people intentionally staining maple using washing soda, Sodium Carbonate, Na2CO3 which is closely related chemically to baking soda, Sodium Bicarbonate, NaHCO3.

Here's a link to an explanation of dying natural fibers, just really, really skinny trees :^) http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/FAQ/sodaash.shtml

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