Cat-proofing your speakers...

Go to a Bed Bath and Beyond or similar store
Pick up a can of Orange Citrus Mist spray
take a couple plastic sandwich bags apply a small amount of orange spray on and in the bag.and tape low to the back of the speaker
once the cat smells this they stay away and is harmless
Repeat when any new cats enter the room.
Cheers Johnnyr

My two pals Boo-Boo and Beeper lay on the floor by me and listen with me all the time.

They're de-clawed on fronts only and stay INDOORS, no problems here.

>Orange Citrus Mist spray

Really? That works?

"Are the protective grills on the Gallo Nucleus Reference 3.5 Loudspeaker wire? If so, those may be an option."

actually, they're perforated metal (a baseball bat would barely dent them) - and the speakers are usually wall mounted (you can buy stands if you want), so they really are out of harm's way. there are some other manufacturers who have screw-on metal grills, which would work great, but i can't recall their brand names, sorry. i think canton used to make some, not sure if they still do, though... av123 used to, but they're no more...

and regarding chewing of cables (by dogs or cats) i knew a guy who had that happening and he wrapped his cables in double-sided tape (after wrapping paper around the cables so they wouldn't get gummy) and after a few gos at them, the dogs stopped doing it. he left the tape on for a couple of months for good measure, and they've never done it since, even with the tape off. i know that some people use double sided tape to keep cats off furniture too, but i've never tried it - fortunately for my nerves, my main systems are in places away from my pets.

Drubin
FYI
Cats like to mark there territory.....
With Orange Citrus spray Cats think another more Alpha cat must of marked their turf and stay away.

Cheers Johnnyr