Isaac Newton invented the cat door

[DawnStorm]

Riiiight. I heard this during some radio ad for Purina One pet food. Sounds like one of those 'fun facts'.

[Tarquin Farquart]

I don't know if you consider The Daily Mews a reliable new source but it does repeat the story there.

Sir Isaac Newton (1642 - 1727) invented the first known cat flap. While he was in his attic trying to conduct light experiments, his cat kept nudging the door open and letting the light in, spoiling his experiments.

Don't know if it's true.

[llewtrah]

In spite of being a very great man, when his cat had kittens, he cut an additional smaller hole in the door. Apparently it didn't occur to him that the kittens would use the existing hole. (There are suspicions that Newton had Asperger or similar hence such things didn't always occur to him)

I'm pretty sure the practice of cutting holes in doors or in partitions pre-dates Newton, but his was possibly the first documented instance or the most famous early cat-hole.

[DawnStorm]

Hmmmm, interesting. I'm always suspicious of 'facts' I hear in ads.

[Andrew of Ware]

Is The New Scientist any more reliable? It is certainly more cautious.

Perhaps it should be 'The Mew Scientist'.

[kit_n_caboodle]

Well, kudos to Sir Isaac for inconveniencing himself on behalf of the cats. And that's as it should be (the cats who live in this house made me type that).

BUT, wouldn't the light that came in when the cat opened the cat flap also ruin a light experiment? (Whatever the heck that is.)

I would have just locked the door. But then, I'm not a genius.

[jimmy101_again]

Well Sir Isaac may have invented the cat door. But it was Schrödinger who figured out that the door wasn't needed.

[Eddylizard]

Originally Posted by kit_n_caboodle

Well, kudos to Sir Isaac for inconveniencing himself on behalf of the cats. And that's as it should be (the cats who live in this house made me type that).

BUT, wouldn't the light that came in when the cat opened the cat flap also ruin a light experiment? (Whatever the heck that is.)

I would have just locked the door. But then, I'm not a genius.

I thought the concept revolved around the idea that Newton was in an attic room, far away from an exterior door and the cats were somewhere in the rest of his house. With the cat door they could let themselves out without bothering him. Without it they would have to enter the room he was working in to attract his attention in order to be let out. Thus spoilng his light experiments.

[kit_n_caboodle]

Originally Posted by Eddylizard

I thought the concept revolved around the idea that Newton was in an attic room, far away from an exterior door and the cats were somewhere in the rest of his house. With the cat door they could let themselves out without bothering him. Without it they would have to enter the room he was working in to attract his attention in order to be let out. Thus spoilng his light experiments.

"...his cat kept nudging the door open and letting the light in, spoiling his experiments."

But you are right, Eddylizard, the article DID say something about the attic room. I am too lazy to go back and look.

Hmm. This may be a radical theory, but I think that article was poorly written.

[Andrew of Ware]

I have been to Newton's home, 'Woolsthorpe Manor' and the room where he conducted his 'light' experiments has been recreated - to show his famous 'spectrum and prism' discovery. It is not really an attic room - in fact it is a small enclosed room off a first floor room. There was just one small window to let in light.

However, the room was some distance from the outside doors (on the ground floor of course!) so - as stated - it would be an inconvence to let pussy in and out.

[F Minor]

Off Topic, but I had to laugh when the front page abbreviated this topic title to "Isaac Newton invented the cat".

[Eddylizard]

Originally Posted by F Minor

Off Topic, but I had to laugh when the front page abbreviated this topic title to "Isaac Newton invented the cat".

Britain, Britain, Britain. We've had running water for over ten years, we have a tunnel connecting us to Peru, and we invented the cat.

I noticed that too.

[Esprise Me]

Originally Posted by kit_n_caboodle

Hmm. This may be a radical theory, but I think that article was poorly written.

May I have this for a sig line?

[kit_n_caboodle]

Originally Posted by Esprise Me

May I have this for a sig line?

All yours, my dear.

[DawnStorm]

Originally Posted by Andrew of Ware

it would be an inconvence to let pussy in and out.

But did Newton ever pet the pussy?

[Eddylizard]

Originally Posted by DawnStorm

But did Newton ever pet the pussy?

We do know he discovered the principal behind going down.

[Andrew of Ware]

Originally Posted by DawnStorm

But did Newton ever pet the pussy?

Oh dear! I think I've read on the boards here that 'pussy' means something different in the USA than it does in the UK. I'll try to get it right in future. Sorry.

[llewtrah]

He knew the principle and the theory, I'm not sure he managed to put these to the test.

[Eddylizard]

Originally Posted by llewtrah

He knew the principle and the theory, I'm not sure he managed to put these to the test.

After contemplation I have decided not to post my response on the grounds it is in violation of common decency.

[llewtrah]

Anything relating to the principles of motion - bodies at rest and bodies in motion?