Cat chews through steel flex toilet supply line

D107

Just spotted a leak after we knew our cat's been chewing on the line for a few months. Rather than have a plumber put in the old-style hard bent pipe line, is there a particularly durable flex line out there? Or should I coat a new one with grease or something the cat won't like. When the plumber put in the toilet I told him my concerns about the cat and he said, 'nah, cats don't do that.' not in most cases maybe....

BobC

If the cat gt through a stainless braided line I think the only alternative is the old style hard copper line.

Many noons ago I came home from work and headed up to do some work on the old 286 computer (running DOS 5.0). The machine booted up just fine but when I tried to use the mouse I found the cord had been chewed in half. Back in 1990 a computer mouse cost $70 so I repaired the cable and kept the door to that room closed when I wasn't using it.

Bob

vaporvac

Gee guys, they sell cat food where I live! Those are some hard-core kitties.

D107

Thanks Bob C. You say old copper line--what was there before looked like chrome, maybe 3/8" pipe from shutoff valve up to the tank. Was that copper? It is copper from below the floor to the shutoff valve.

Jamie Hall

David107 said:

Thanks Bob C. You say old copper line--what was there before looked like chrome, maybe 3/8" pipe from shutoff valve up to the tank. Was that copper? It is copper from below the floor to the shutoff valve.

That's the stuff. With some care you can do a nice job of fitting it.

D107

Jamie you mean the chrome-ish material not the regular copper below the valve, right? A cinch for a plumber, but the tubing has to be bent yes to meet the tank connection straight on. That's what I'd probably have trouble with. Looks much nicer than a flex line.

BobC

Bending it to line up is a little tricky but once it lines up it's usually good for 50 years. Just remember if you ever take it apart you have to use a new ferrule because if you try and use the old one they almost always leak. The bent pipe will last almost forever as long as you use a new ferrule if you take it apart.

Bob

kcopp

lose the cat....

JUGHNE

A 3/8" OD bending spring is ideal for forming that tubing. Not too pricey either. (Cheaper than cat food) . If you have to pull the WC for flooring it is simpler to loosen the nut at the tank, then the ferrule does not have to be tampered with. You can get new cone rubbers for the tank connection if needed.....if you cut the old ferrule off than you lose about a 1/2" or more of length on the tube. If the supply comes thru the floor and has any give to raise up I would always make the tube a touch short so as to give good pull on the tank which gives a little more stability.

jonny88

hope you don't have pex behind the walls-good mouse food but your ok the cat will get the mouse so all you gotta do is hard pipe your fixtures

Harvey Ramer

Sprinkle some red pepper or cayenne pepper on the line. It is an excellent deterrent. The cat will only taste your plumbing one more time.

Mad Dog_2

You need a chrome plated tank supply. Buy a nice rigid tubing bender and 3 or 4 of them and have fun. OR. Hire a pro . Never been a fan of "no burst" hoses...Seen too much damage from.them when they fail. Mad Dog

jonny88

Ridgid tubing bender what you talking about?????
I see plumbers bend with their hands didnt know there was a tool.(joking).

ChrisJ

I always bend them by hand.

JUGHNE

Depends upon how short and how drastic of offset needed.
A little egg shaping where the compression nut goes causes grief.
The spring bender is petty economical.

D107

Just to report back, I removed the old flex line, put in a new one for now and rubbed cayenne pepper all over it and made sure my cats licked it once, upon which they shook their heads and I haven't seen them near it since. I assume there's no way they could puncture a chrome-plated tank supply--which cayenne couldn't stick to.

ChrisJ

David107 said:

Just to report back, I removed the old flex line, put in a new one for now and rubbed cayenne pepper all over it and made sure my cats licked it once, upon which they shook their heads and I haven't seen them near it since. I assume there's no way they could puncture a chrome-plated tank supply--which cayenne couldn't stick to.

I don't think anyone could make any promises, but I assume a cat couldn't puncture one. It's chrome plated soft copper.