Pet Cat Wreaking Aquarium

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nicklfire

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Alright at the frustrated point that i'm actually posting about this looking for other help lol.

I setup my aquarium in my new place, didnt think about it at the time but it's just on the other side of a kitchen counter, and my cat jumps up on the counter, onto the top of the aquarium and picks and pulls out all the plants that float to the service.. vals, other floaters.. i've tried tying ballons but she gets past that, tried, tape on the top of the aquarium but she dosnt seem to be fazed by that at all. This morning i found my 8" pleco laying on the floor... probably from the cat, RIP pleco. Anyways... does anyone else have similar problems that they have solved before? I was thinking of a net on top of some sort.. but that would look ugly.. I dont have a canopy at all. i just have my coralife life on top.. so not room for a canopy of sort. Input would be apprecaited from those who might have had thse problems in the past that they fixed lol.. i know werid thread lol
 
i havent had thsi problem since i was a child growing up in my parents home. one of our cats enjoyed crawling onto my dresser, knocking everything over, waking me up at 4am doing so, etc i know other cat owners know what im talking about etc etc. first id try getting a spray bottle with water in it and spraying the cat whenver it jumps up there - itll eventually learn its lesson. if your cat is super stubborn like some of mine have been and water wont teach it, lock it out of the room, keep the door closed. is there anything you have that your cat is scared of? ive had cats in the past that don't like certain things, which you can place next to the aquarium for awhile til the cat stops visiting it. for example, when i was a kid, my younger sister had an inflatable bath toy which when it was not fully inflated you could squeeze it and it would make a wheezing sound which the cats hated. next time i caught the cat by the aquarium, i got the toy and started squeezing it, the cat took off i placed the toy next to the aquarium and she never came back again - i eventually put the toy back in the tub - problem solved.
it really depends on the cat, different things will work and not work. its a matter of trial and error my friend.
 
Really your best bet is to purchase a spray bottle and fill it with water. Squirt your kitty when you catch it in the act. If it isn't detered by the water, you can try filling a soda can with coins and taping it shut. Throw this towards the tank/counter (don't hit the cat, the noise is the deterrent). It is important to suprise the kitty and try not to let it realize you are the source. It needs to think that the source of the noise or water is its action in jumping on the counter.

Good luck!
 
When I was a kid we used ot have a cat that liked to go "fishing" in our koi pond. nothing scared it off for very long and the only thing that stopped him was putting a net over it.

The best option would be to use "eggcrate" to cover the tank. This will stop fish from jumping out and stop the cat being able to get in.
http://www.plaskolite.com/lighting.htm
 
i like the water bottle idea, i've actually been thinking about that forever, but cant find my water bottle.. gues i'l just spend the 1$ to buy one lol. The tanks in the main living room so that's why i cant close any doors.. we live in an apt. And the little sneeker knows that i hate her doing it... so she usually does not do anything during the day it's when i wake up in the morning.. she knows that during the night no one will bother her. The egg crate will be a good idea aswell. i'm just nervous that the cat wouldnt just step on that... and then bust that part too... and other things in the mean time. guess i'll try the spray bottle in the mean time.. good suggestions guysy
 
had a couple of ideas:

1: Glass sliding covers should hold the weight of a cat - enough so you can figure out a deterrent.

2: deterrent... pepper. maybe cover the tank in cling film and try a pepper type approach.

3: positive distraction: try making a nice comfy place away from the tank and putting some catnip in it - or another treat?

the extreme approach is to grab the cat and dunk it in cool water if it gets on the tank. its a nasty and demanding approach, but after a few times a cold spray from a water pistol / plant spray will induce same response. And to explain my method - its the temporary discomfort of one animal to protect the life of another. IMHO not cruel... but certainly not kind - i think of it the same as my grandfather. Loving but strict as they come!
 
had a couple of ideas:

1: Glass sliding covers should hold the weight of a cat - enough so you can figure out a deterrent.

2: deterrent... pepper. maybe cover the tank in cling film and try a pepper type approach.

3: positive distraction: try making a nice comfy place away from the tank and putting some catnip in it - or another treat?

the extreme approach is to grab the cat and dunk it in cool water if it gets on the tank. its a nasty and demanding approach, but after a few times a cold spray from a water pistol / plant spray will induce same response. And to explain my method - its the temporary discomfort of one animal to protect the life of another. IMHO not cruel... but certainly not kind - i think of it the same as my grandfather. Loving but strict as they come!



Completely agree with this post.

but before dunking in cold water try the cling film and pepper,
It should work as cats really hate pepper.
 
Are you sure that your pleco was dead?
Pleco When they dry up due to escaping the tank.
If you put them back in the water they will absorb water and Revive it self
 
How long can they stay out of the tank, cause i'm sure he was out of the tank for... at least 5 hours.

It's been a aday a a half now... so i think it's a lost cause.

He really wasnt moving at all.. and hard as a rock.
 
There's a very simple cure for this, and you don't need to be there with a spray bottle. Buy a cheap roll of tin foil and put it on the surface where the tank is. Cats HATE walking on it. It may take a few goes, but it WILL stop your cat going on there.
 
Sliding glass covers that are tough enough to stop kitty falling in.

Not only the danger to your fish, but if he does fall in doing a bit of fishing on the sly, there is a distinct possibility he could drown.

I breed Siamese cats, so all my tanks are well & truly hooded ones !!
 
I have exactly the same problem and was considering a glass cover, but the foil idea sounds good.
 
yea been working on this for a couple weeks since i started this post. Tried the tape idea.. but the cat seems immune to it.. not really bothered at all.... tape just unsticks after a while.. and full of hair lol.

Tried the spray bottle thing, been trying this for a good week now and has no effect as of yet...

next will try tin foil
 

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