[Guest]

My friend told me this one last year. It took three high school students about thirty minutes to figure out, so I don't think it will be too much trouble for you guys! Anyway, this is my first posted riddle, so I hope you enjoy it. (I haven't seen this one here, but if it is, just tell me and I'll remove it.)

It's mid-April. While its owner is away at work, a cat takes its obligatory nap in front of an open window, atop a heater. When its owner comes home an hour later, the cat is dead. How did it die?

Before anyone asks: It did not die of starvation nor dehydration. Good luck.

[Guest]

My friend told me this one last year. It took three high school students about thirty minutes to figure out, so I don't think it will be too much trouble for you guys! Anyway, this is my first posted riddle, so I hope you enjoy it. (I haven't seen this one here, but if it is, just tell me and I'll remove it.)

It's mid-April. While its owner is away at work, a cat takes its obligatory nap in front of an open window, atop a heater. When its owner comes home an hour later, the cat is dead. How did it die?

Before anyone asks: It did not die of starvation nor dehydration. Good luck.

Hi, welcome to the Den. I am pretty sure this needs to go into the math/logic forum though.

Edit: The reason being - there are many different answers that work perfectly.

a dog killed it, the heater turned on and cooked it, birds came and pecked it to death...

Edited July 9, 2009 by MrsP

[Guest]

it used up all nine of its lives

[dyalDragon]

it's mid april in the arctic....or northern canada/alaska, or somewhere else cold where the cat would freeze to death even without the heater

[Guest]

Hi, welcome to the Den. I am pretty sure this needs to go into the math/logic forum though.

Edit: The reason being - there are many different answers that work perfectly.

a dog killed it, the heater turned on and cooked it, birds came and pecked it to death...

Well, that wasn't really what I was going for... I'll edit the initial riddle when BrainDen wants to stop protesting me!

Edit: Okay, I'm not allowed to anymore... -.- "Bettered" version later.

Edited July 9, 2009 by banninda

[Guest]

it used up all nine of its lives

Cute, but it's more logical than that. (I do think this is in the wrong spot...)

[Guest]

it's mid april in the arctic....or northern canada/alaska, or somewhere else cold where the cat would freeze to death even without the heater

I like that answer. I didn't even think of that. xD

But for the *intended* answer, it's slightly more complicated. Let's assume this is in a rather temperate climate?

[Guest]

Okay, because I'm a retard/noob/ditz, I didn't realize you all would come up with other solutions if I wasn't specific. So here is the better, more specific version of the riddle. Sorry for the inconvenience!

It's mid-April, and the temperature has reached its peak at sixty-five degrees. While its owner is away at work, a cat takes its obligatory nap in front of an open window, atop a heater. The cat has no contact with other animals, nor does it move from its spot. Nonetheless, when its owner comes home an hour later, he finds that the cat is dead. How did it die?

[Guest]

I think this is a poorly worded riddle as there are still numerous possible causes for the cat's death.

After the outside temperature has reached its peak, the outside temperature begins to decrease and hence the room the cat is in starts to cool so the heater turns on, essentially cooking the cat.

[Wilson]

The heater and cat go out the window. CATASTROPE.

[Guest]

old age.

[Guest]

Okay, okay, so I suck at wording riddles. Need we say more?

~peeJ-- I don't know what kind of heaters *you* use, but mine wouldn't cook a cat. And I think the cat would notice its being roasted, and wake up.

~MrsP-- It's a possible answer, but still not the one I'm going for. For all purposes, it's right but it isn't my favorite answer. The one I'm going for is a tiny bit complicated.

~Wilson-- When I reworded it, I said that the cat didn't move.

If you're still having trouble, here's a hint.

Everything short of the owner's whereabouts is important.

[Guest]

old age.

Dang I wanted to say that! =D

Does it have anything to do with poisonous chemicals in the air?

What kind of heater is it?

From wikipedia:

"In closed environments, the concentration of carbon monoxide can easily rise to lethal levels. On average, about 170 people in the United States die every year from CO produced by non-automotive consumer products. These products include malfunctioning fuel-burning appliances such as furnaces, ranges, water heaters and room heaters; engine-powered equipment such as portable generators; fireplaces; and charcoal that is burned in homes and other enclosed areas. In 2005 alone, CPSC staff is aware of at least 94 generator-related CO poisoning deaths. Forty-seven of these deaths were known to have occurred during power outages due to severe weather, including Hurricane Katrina. Still others die from CO produced by non-consumer products, such as cars left running in attached garages. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that several thousand people go to hospital emergency rooms every year to be treated for CO poisoning.

Carbon monoxide is also a constituent of tobacco smoke."

[Guest]

Okay, because I'm a retard/noob/ditz, I didn't realize you all would come up with other solutions if I wasn't specific. So here is the better, more specific version of the riddle. Sorry for the inconvenience!

It's mid-April, and the temperature has reached its peak at sixty-five degrees. While its owner is away at work, a cat takes its obligatory nap in front of an open window, atop a heater. The cat has no contact with other animals, nor does it move from its spot. Nonetheless, when its owner comes home an hour later, he finds that the cat is dead. How did it die?

The cat is atop an electric heater, there is a rain storm and the cat is electricuted.

[Guest]

I'm glad you guys are taking notice of the heater. xD

~DarthNoob-- I'm not going to pretend to be a heater expert, but I *think* the cat will be safe with a gas heater if the window's open. You're working toward the right track, though!

~Hercules-- Darn, another thing I wasn't specific enough about. The heater's not electric. You are pretty darn close. (Also, please use spoilers for those who want to figure it out on their own. )

Edited July 10, 2009 by banninda

[Guest]

I'm glad you guys are taking notice of the heater. xD

~DarthNoob-- I'm not going to pretend to be a heater expert, but I *think* the cat will be safe with a gas heater if the window's open. You're working toward the right track, though!

~Hercules-- Darn, another thing I wasn't specific enough about. The heater's not electric. You are pretty darn close. (Also, please use spoilers for those who want to figure it out on their own. )

Struck by lightning?

[Guest]

~Hercules-- I don't think that's possible. (I'm not saying it isn't; I'm just saying I've never heard of someone being struck by lightning because they were too close to a window.)

Also, then I wouldn't have placed such a *huge* emphasis on the heater.

Edited July 10, 2009 by banninda

[Guest]

A vampire bat flew in through the window and sucked out all her blood!

"A typical female vampire bat weighs 40 grams and can consume over 20 grams (1 fluid ounce) of blood in a 20-minute feed."

An 8 lb infant has about 8.5 ounces of blood, so a cat might have about 10 ounces, so give the bat 5 hours and the cat could be sucked dry! =D

Is there anything unusual about the cat when the owner found her? Or is she still in the curled up sleeping position?

[Guest]

A vampire bat flew in through the window and sucked out all her blood!

"A typical female vampire bat weighs 40 grams and can consume over 20 grams (1 fluid ounce) of blood in a 20-minute feed."

An 8 lb infant has about 8.5 ounces of blood, so a cat might have about 10 ounces, so give the bat 5 hours and the cat could be sucked dry! =D

Is there anything unusual about the cat when the owner found her? Or is she still in the curled up sleeping position?

As much as I like that answer... xD

She still looks like she's sleeping, with the exception of the whole not-breathing thing.

[Guest]

oh this actually happened to my cat may he rest in peace

the cold air from outside was higly presurized which met with the low pressure hot air of the heater and a tronado formed killing my cat. actually thinking about it now, i've never had a cat. but if i did ever get one i'll have to make sure this never happens

[Guest]

oh this actually happened to my cat may he rest in peace

the cold air from outside was higly presurized which met with the low pressure hot air of the heater and a tronado formed killing my cat. actually thinking about it now, i've never had a cat. but if i did ever get one i'll have to make sure this never happens

wow, that's the weirdest sad story I've ever heard

[Guest]

oh this actually happened to my cat may he rest in peace

the cold air from outside was higly presurized which met with the low pressure hot air of the heater and a tronado formed killing my cat. actually thinking about it now, i've never had a cat. but if i did ever get one i'll have to make sure this never happens

... o_O Was that a joke, or...? I'd think heaters would have warning labels if they could plausibly cause a tornado. (And if not, that would be *the* strangest thing ever to sue for. "Okay, this person is suing our company because... our heaters caused a tornado?")

You all are on the right track. Keep it up.

Edited July 10, 2009 by banninda

[Guest]

The cat was the hairless breed and the heater stopped working suddenly.

The boogie monster killed the cat's dreams before Sandman could stop him.

The cat was pregnant, gave birth, curled back up into the ball and died shortly afterward. And the kittens ran off.

The cat was obese and had a heart attack because of really stressful I'm-chasing-a-mouse-but-can't-catch-him dreams.

The cat was a satanist and god struck her down.

The heater broke and smoke came out and suffocated the cat.

The cat died from skin cancer from UV rays from spending too much time in the sun. (She's still the hairless breed, btw)

Aliens from outerspace mistook the heater for a supercybernetic artifical intelligence, and tried to communicate with it via concentrated alien-rays, which killed the cat who happened to be in between.

The cat was wearing a collar that got moist from rain through the window, then the heater evaporated the water, but the collar was left shrunk, which choked the cat.

The cat was wearing a shock collar that came into contact with exposed wiring in the heating, which electrocuted the cat.

The cat was so cute there, sitting warm and fuzzy on the heater, that god just had to make her into an angel.

Yep... I've got a weird imagination.

Btw I have two cats and I <3 them =)

[Guest]

Ok its the middle of April, the cat is on a heater in front of an open window for at least an hour. A gust of wind blows through the window causing the cat to turn. It falls off of the heater and get caught breaking the cats neck?

[Guest]

1. Skynet saw the cat as a threat to humanity and terminated it.

2. Some one with a warped mind has a knife mobile above the heater, there was an earthquake and one fell and killed the cat.

3. Some one came and stole the cat and replaced it with a stuffed animal.

PS... I have a cat too, & I love her but Skynet should see her as a threat to humanity

Edited July 10, 2009 by music_luvr95

[Guest]

~Darthnoob-- Most of those made me laugh. xD but one of those was the right answer. I'll leave you guys to figure out which one, just because it's more fun that way (well, for me, at least).

~Hercules-- You keep venturing farther from it!

~music_luvr-- I agree. My cats really are threats to humanity. x_x And those are cute answers, but they're wrong.