# Any idea on how to keep cats away from a tank?



## 5-O Cummins (Sep 4, 2008)

Out of all the tanks I've ever had, I never had to deal with cats jumping on the tank. Well now my girlfriend just moved in and she has two cats, and they keep jumping on the tank. I've seen them staring at the tank and I try to run them off, but I've also seen evidence by their greasy little cat paw marks going down the glass. Anyone have any good ideas on how I can try to keep them off or away?


----------



## blairo1 (May 7, 2006)

Get a small spray-mister and give it a quick spray over them when they're being mischievous toward the tank. A little water never hurt anything and pretty soon they'll get fed up of getting wet every time they go near the tank like that. Make sure you're consistent, it's not ok to let them do it every once in a while if you don't want them there, or you'll confuse the little guys.


----------



## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Are they jumping on the lids? Take the lids off, let them jump up then.... One of my cats did that, ended up in the tank, and never wanted anything to do with the aquariums again. :lol:


----------



## exasperatus2002 (Jul 5, 2003)

super soaker water gun or make an electric fence using one of those square batteries they use in large flashlights.


----------



## 5-O Cummins (Sep 4, 2008)

blairo1 said:


> Get a small spray-mister and give it a quick spray over them when they're being mischievous toward the tank. A little water never hurt anything and pretty soon they'll get fed up of getting wet every time they go near the tank like that. Make sure you're consistent, it's not ok to let them do it every once in a while if you don't want them there, or you'll confuse the little guys.


Thanks, I know we have used that method for other issues, guess I'll have to try it for this.



> Are they jumping on the lids? Take the lids off, let them jump up then.... One of my cats did that, ended up in the tank, and never wanted anything to do with the aquariums again.





> super soaker water gun or make an electric fence using one of those square batteries they use in large flashlights.


Nice, funny and amusing. =D>


----------



## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

And if you don't want t have to deal with the water, those compressed air duster things for spraying out keyboards work awesome. Its like the worlds biggest hiss. We had a sofa that showed water marks so we used that to stop the cat from scrathing it. Only too about 2 weeks and he never touched it again.


----------



## RyanR (Apr 29, 2008)

Fogelhund said:


> Are they jumping on the lids? Take the lids off, let them jump up then.... One of my cats did that, ended up in the tank, and never wanted anything to do with the aquariums again. :lol:


We have five cats, and this lesson has been only taught twice. Both times it happened when I was cleaning the tanks. Almost slow motion.... and you can see the look in their eyes when they realize that they're up in the air, they're going back down, and there's no lid on the tank! :lol:

I've found that keeping the tank pretty well "sealed" helps make the tank less interesting to them. One of our cats seems to just enjoy drinking fish tank water. :roll:

-Ryan


----------



## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

We also got our cat his own tank. One of those 2-3 gallong things you can get for like $20. we put 3 cheap-o minnows in it and set it on the counter near his food (the dog loves cat food). Never bothered to look at my tank again spent all day stairing at the minnows. After the minnows died, we put one of those air powered treasure chests in his tank and he seemed to ove it even more. He would sit and stalk the chest and when the bubble poped out, he would try to catch it. Never did put fish back in, plastice chest was way easier to care for and the cat was totally occupied.


----------



## xalow (May 10, 2007)

The three cats at my house don't show interest in any of the tanks, one of them sometimes stares at the stand for no apparent reason though. My mom even picked up one of the cats and opened the lid and showed the cat that fish were in there and took the cat's paw and made a swiping motion with it! Needless to say I was outraged but they still have never been a problem.

When we try to keep the cats away from an area we will squeeze lemon/orange rinds around the area because cats supposedly hate the smell of citrus. If you try that though obviously don't get any in the tank.


----------



## alicem (Jul 26, 2007)

MalawiLover said:


> We also got our cat his own tank. Never bothered to look at my tank again, spent all day stairing at the minnows. After the minnows died, we put one of those air powered treasure chests in his tank and he seemed to love it even more.


"his tank"  


MalawiLover said:


> He would sit and stalk the chest and when the bubble poped out, he would try to catch it. Never did put fish back in, plastic chest was way easier to care for and the cat was totally occupied.


Entertainment for human and critters! That's so funny! :lol: :lol:


----------



## Joels fish (Nov 17, 2007)

A twelve gauge works well but be sure to aim carefully, you don't want to hit the tank .


----------



## blairo1 (May 7, 2006)

:lol: I can see it now


----------



## Nathan43 (Jul 9, 2007)

It seems the only solution here is to install lasers. Cats hate lasers :lol:


----------



## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

Take regular Scotch tapeâ€¦ turn the tape back on itself to make a circle with the outside stickyâ€¦ put a bunch of these pieces all over the top of the tankâ€¦

The cats will not appreciate the sticky stuff on their feet and will avoid the areaâ€¦ This works for aquariums, countertops, tables, etc, etcâ€¦

This is superior to squirting with water because even when you are at work the tape is stickyâ€¦ and when you are drunk the cat canâ€™t outrun stickyâ€¦


----------



## PsYcHoTiC_MaDmAn (Dec 26, 2005)

the other option is to set up a tropical pond and keep arowana in it, and wait for the cat to try stalking that....

not a cat lover myself, thought the blasted things like me....


----------



## severumfreak (Aug 6, 2008)

electric fence? :lol:

jk


----------



## 5-O Cummins (Sep 4, 2008)

Some good and funny ideas, thanks for the replies. I'm going to try that whole tape thing.


----------



## BenHugs (Jan 13, 2007)

Try menthol (a great cat repellant) like vicks vapo rub that might keep them out of the room all together. (I'm assuming getting a new girfriend is not an option)


----------



## 5-O Cummins (Sep 4, 2008)

BenHugs said:


> Try menthol (a great cat repellant) like vicks vapo rub that might keep them out of the room all together. (*I'm assuming getting a new girfriend is not an option*)


 :lol:


----------



## CharlieTuna (May 20, 2006)

since you have a two cat problem here's what you do. knock'em out with a plush toy dipped in chloroform. then while their "sleeping :drooling: " you tie their tails together and hang'em over a tree branch and when they wake up let them have at it with each other. your fish will be relived as well as entertained. opcorn:


----------



## BenHugs (Jan 13, 2007)

MalawiLover said:


> We also got our cat his own tank. One of those 2-3 gallong things you can get for like $20. we put 3 cheap-o minnows in it and set it on the counter near his food (the dog loves cat food). Never bothered to look at my tank again spent all day stairing at the minnows. After the minnows died, we put one of those air powered treasure chests in his tank and he seemed to ove it even more. He would sit and stalk the chest and when the bubble poped out, he would try to catch it. Never did put fish back in, plastice chest was way easier to care for and the cat was totally occupied.


I think getting your cat its own tank is a great idea. I think just about any cat would fit in a 20g


----------



## tankhead (Aug 8, 2008)

Fire up the grill. Two cats should serve 4! :lol:


----------



## CharlieTuna (May 20, 2006)

Clark: "What is that smell?"
Uncle Eddie: "Emmm! fried pussycat!"

:lol:


----------



## willyt (May 30, 2006)

....... get a new girlfriend with a dog :thumb:


----------



## bernie comeau (Feb 19, 2007)

Well my tops were easily sturdy enough ( fiberglassed wood) to support a cat so I never minded a cat on top of the tanks. But I used to have a hole on the top of my 100 gal. and I use to have a male siamese cat that would drink water from the hole. That is, until I put a pair of oscars in the tank and the oscars bit the cat every time he attempted to drink. The cat would yelp and run away :lol: He got scared of the oscars and stopped drinking water from the tank!

To keep a cat off the table and counter tops I used a water spray bottle. It worked very well; the cat learned very quickly that way. Cats sure hate water :lol: though I sort of always wondered how a cat behaves when no one is around?? I guess you would probably need to set up a video camera to find that out.


----------



## Joels fish (Nov 17, 2007)

I still like my shotgun idea better  . Another idea is to keep pirahna and remove the lids. Solves the cat problem and feeds your fish all at once. :thumb:


----------



## ashilli48 (May 14, 2006)

Shotgun sounds like fun but a Red Rider would be less messy (cat splatter) and less likely to crack the glass if you missed.

You'll shoot your eye out, kid!

-Oh My God I shot my eye out! >Ralphie you be careful out there, don't shoot your eye out. -She hadn't seen! She didn't know!

-A Christmas Story

Merry Christmas to all you cat lovers!


----------



## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

My cat is too fat to propel himself off the ground and onto a tank. :roll:

Anything that requires energy is out of the question...

He does spend hours watching the brichardi tank, but won't look twice at the mbuna. :-?


----------



## white_t (Mar 7, 2008)

Take the lid off then put a good sized snakehead in the tank.


----------



## klumsyninja (Aug 14, 2008)

cichlidaholic said:


> My cat is too fat to propel himself off the ground and onto a tank. :roll:
> 
> Anything that requires energy is out of the question...
> 
> He does spend hours watching the brichardi tank, but won't look twice at the mbuna. :-?


I like your cat. He has a bad attitude, that's probably why I like him.

I think taking the lid off would be a guaranteed solution. NO cat will jump into water twice.


----------



## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

klumsyninja said:


> I like your cat. He has a bad attitude, that's probably why I like him.


I thought Pete was going to have a heart attack when you picked him up! He never comes around people that he isn't used to and he hates everyone, so he must have taken an immediate liking to you. :wink:


----------



## iceblue (Apr 27, 2004)

PsYcHoTiC_MaDmAn said:


> not a cat lover myself, thought the blasted things like me....


Same thing with me.

Cats bothering your tank?


----------



## PsYcHoTiC_MaDmAn (Dec 26, 2005)

iceblue said:


> PsYcHoTiC_MaDmAn said:
> 
> 
> > not a cat lover myself, thought the blasted things like me....
> ...


the rest of them wouldn't forgive me...


----------

