Inflate balloon. Rub balloon on head. Attach balloon to cat. Enjoy ensuing hijinks.

This is a really really really serious problem! Ranks right up there at the top. So don't make me come through this computer and smack you.

My brothers used to do that to the cats and see how long they'd walk around with a balloon stuck to their backs before they noticed it was there. Oddly enough they didn't take much notice... probably out of spite to spoil their fun.

and the shocks still come to and from the cats. It doesn't seem to bother the cats as much. They don't run away from me after it happens.

Too bad that I am running away from my cat at this point though. I had not thought of a humidifier, but it sounds like that wouldn't matter. The only time it bothered my cat was when I tapped his nose, and we both got shocked. I guess I had better stop touching him on the nose.

Oh yeah, the nose is a bad place to touch.

At one time I had 3 aquariums running, one of them was 55 gals and even though I constantly had to add water to them it still was dry enough in the apartment to get shocks from the cats. I think they have their own internal generator to keep them charged up for when they do their daily "freak out", running from room to room without a purpose.

I always thought that we should find a way to capture and use static electricity, and maybe cats have already learned that trick.

I have to run one in my house in the winter or my own long hair tries to grab my face all the time. Worse though the dry air without the humidifier dries out the insides of my nostrils which can lead to those painful splits inside your nose.

With the hairy ones though I'd also maybe add a little pet conditioner to their fur. If they tend to dry skin you can rub it in good, or if they tend to be the greasy type their own hair oils help but you could still lightly pat just a bit on the hair ends.

I dislike the chemicals in dryer sheets, but will use it once in awhile when the static is awful. We live in a dry, cold climate and winters are insanely dry, even with a humidifier on our furnace. When you cannot groom the dog because the hair is sticking everywhere (to the clippers, to your face and glasses) a dryer sheet works wonders.

In fact, I almost posted this as "is it safe to use dryer sheets on a cat" instead of asking for suggestions. Since cats are always grooming themselves, I am not sure if it is safe. I have no idea what kind of chemicals are in those dryer sheets, or if they are safe or dangerous chemicals.

you can tell I'm not a cat owner, LOL. I didn't even think of the cat grooming itself! Yeah, I wouldn't chance it.