Cat Proofing?

Hey everyone, I was wondering if you guys have any ideas on what I could do to make sure my tank & and my Luigi are safe from harm & stress.

Luigi will be moving into my apartment soon. He's been staying at my mom's (just down the road) for the winter, and now that the weather is warming up, and the roads are slippery with snow or slush, I've deemed it 'safe to travel'.

I've noticed on the last time I was house sitting, Tink (the cat) has found it rather "fun" to get on top of his enclosure and watch. Because of this she's already made me get a new bulb, and almost killed my ballast system.

Here's a pic of the current layout at 'casa mom'

The tank is sitting on a fishtank stand, and has two 6 inch ledges on both sides (I've used for holding his things i use every day, like his mister, etc). Unfortunately, Tink has also found that she can use that as a step up for her herp watching hobby. You may have noticed that we've made a makeshift curtain for him at nighttime; it seems to deter Tink the Explorer from too much interest.

Thankfully all cords are hidden at the back, and she can't touch the central hub of gear because of the stand's door. (yup, she's also a wire chewer...)

If you guys have any ideas at all.. they would really be appreciated! I don't want to stress out my gecko.

Edit - I'm starting to wonder about these "scat mat" products about... she's not deterred by a water spritzer any more

Stating the obvious, but the easiest way is to get another stand that`s slightly smaller than the tank, though I know cats can jump, not having a ledge might just help stop it. It must be quite stressful to have the cat (predator) staring at, or pawing? the glass!

Try building a case that will go around the current tank and over the lights. That way even if the cat jumps up on top of it, it still can't see the critter inside or get to your lights.

Hi

I love cats, but they can get anywhere they want. I know that my cat doesn't like the water bottle, you could try that any time you see her attempting to jump up there you just give her/him a squirt. Also when I was setting up my baby room, the cat loved the crib. Well I wanted to break the habit so she wouldn't jump in when the baby came. This may sound cruel but if you use very low tacked tape, place the tape sticky side up on the surface you don't want her/him to jump on. for my cat this worked well, it only took one try. I guess the feeling of having something stuck to their fur really bugs them. another solution is they have these thing at the pet stores that deter cats from jumping on the counters, furniture etc. I am not exactly sure how they work, if its a blast of air or what. these things are triggered by motion. Well good luck

Hi

You could also try just placing a chair beside the tank and hopefully sitting on the chair to watch will be enough. I did this with my bird cage.

Michele

Originally Posted by murrindindi

get another stand that`s slightly smaller than the tank, though I know cats can jump, not having a ledge might just help stop it.

Yeah, that would be the best option, but I got that one because it was the only thing i could find within an hour's drive of me that would fit. Trying to find thoes Exotera stands is tough!

Originally Posted by fire2225ems

Try building a case that will go around the current tank and over the lights.

I'm not sure how I'd go about that, and have a place to store it when I'm around... Maybe a tent like build... just need to figure out the design to get around the lamps and not have them overheat.

Originally Posted by mld

Hi

I know that my cat doesn't like the water bottle, you could try that any time you see her attempting to jump up there you just give her/him a squirt. Also when I was setting up my baby room, the cat loved the crib. Well I wanted to break the habit so she wouldn't jump in when the baby came. This may sound cruel but if you use very low tacked tape, place the tape sticky side up on the surface you don't want her/him to jump on. for my cat this worked well, it only took one try. I guess the feeling of having something stuck to their fur really bugs them. another solution is they have these thing at the pet stores that deter cats from jumping on the counters, furniture etc. I am not exactly sure how they work, if its a blast of air or what. these things are triggered by motion.

If Tink was smart... she would prolly have gotten the hint by now from the water bottle... she's a stubborn cat! I tried that sticky tack stuff on my couch to stop her from clawing.... the strips were black (with fur) in a week, and she still goes back

I'm gonna try and see what the local stores have in the sense of that deterrent "technology", i saw an add for "paws off" and 'scat mat" a while back on tv... does a static shock or something, have to look into it.

Originally Posted by mld

You could also try just placing a chair beside the tank and hopefully sitting on the chair to watch will be enough. I did this with my bird cage.

We have a chair near... I guess its not enough for her... she seems to go do the same for my rat's cage... likes the aerial view I guess :o


They're some good ideas, I wish Tink was smart enough to lean 'no means no'. Further pondering is required.. and as Pooh would say "Think. Think. Think"

hey

If your cat is not too heavy you could make a frame and wrap metal mesh around that way your cat can look and it would be open enough to not let the lamps overheat. I got some wire mesh a home depot and its looks like small squares and is pretty strong, it also doesn't have the jagged pieces like chicken wire.

michele

This sounds a little harsh, but it worked for me, We used a mild hot sauce, what I did was just put some on cotton balls and placed them near where the cat jumps up on the tank or the side of the stand.

It took our cat just a couple times of getting near it & he quit jumping on the tank.

It didnt hurt him he actually started sneezing, looking at us like what the heck is that?!

Nat & LaLA

hmm hot sauce... that could work... thats what one guy at a pet store told us to try for when my older cat was spayed... she kept going at her stitches! :s

Originally Posted by megnluigi

hmm hot sauce... that could work... thats what one guy at a pet store told us to try for when my older cat was spayed... she kept going at her stitches! :s

Can you, (or someone else), make a small base to put the tank on? 4 pieces of 2x2inch timber say 3 feet long, then just screw 4 pieces of 1/2 inch plywood 12inches deep x a little less than the width and depth of the tank, just screw together, then a piece for the top and sit the tank on it, this would be a couple of inches smaller than the tank. (It would look a little like a stool).