Cat-proofing my tank

beeZer350

beeZer350

Likes Expensive Hobbies :(
Jan 19, 2008
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My wife just called me to inform me that our little kitty was on top of my fish tank. :swear:

I've tried to keep him away from the tank by making loud noises anytime he gets close but that apparently hasn't worked. Our two other cats have never been interested in the fish tank and know/respect the house rules (no jumping on the furniture, counters etc...) but this little jerk can't get that through his thick little head. Is there anything else I can do to make sure he gets the message? The top is fairly secure but there is still a chance of him falling in. The tank is in the basement and can't be sealed off from the cats.

Arthur in action:
picture.php


:nono:

The chair has already been taken away.
 
Darn, I was going to suggest moving the chair. Try a spray bottle, give him a taste of what could be. :P
 
Temeraire said:
Darn, I was going to suggest moving the chair. Try a spray bottle, give him a taste of what could be. :P
Click to expand...

i agree with this one though i'm not sure if it will completely work but it's worth a try
 
He has plenty of toys so I don't think boredom is the issue.

Curiosity, absolutely.
 
Cut a piece of cardboard larger than the top of the cover. get some empty pop (or soda as you call it) cans and throw some pennies in them. put two or 3 of them towards the back of the cardboard and balance the whole works on top of the tank. The idea is that when he attempts to get up the whole things comes crashing down and that with the rattling of the cans scares the bejesus out of him. the cans and cardboard are light enough that you don't have to worry about it hurting the tank. The other nice thing is that it works on it's own without you having to be there to catch him in the act. You'll have to use your own judgement for the size of cardboard. you want it big enough that it over hangs the tank enough so if he tries to climb on it it falls, but not so outrageously huge that it blatently obvious to him when to try and not try to get up.
 
I used the squirt gun trick to train my cats (soft furniture is ok, hard surfaces and the wired areas behind the tvs/computer are not!), haven't had to pick up the gun in months. Even after the first few experiences with it, I could shoot it empty and the noise was enough to run them off. You could also indulge his curiosity...pick him up, let him get nosey with the water and sniff around a bit, and then give him a good splash :D
 
put tin-foil on the cover.... I would go as far as putting it all on the top of the tank for a few days. Once he feels it's up there, he won't touch it..... for some reason, cats don't like it... in little balls, great fun... but in sheets... they hate it. I had a cat once who fancied digging up potted plants..... he stopped after I did the tin-foil trick.
 
Eat the cat. I mean....land fish.


:D
 
We're considering the foil for sure.

When we put up our Christmas tree we tried the squirting him with water thing but he got used to it after a while. He's a resilient little sucker.
 
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