Cat problem


F

f1_indy2000

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All members responding to this thread, Please keep your replies humane and serious in nature. Failure to do so will lead to this thread being locked with disciplinary actions taken up to, and including Bannings.

Any of you out there have a cat and does your cat like to get up on your layout and make an area(my coal mine) a favorite spot to hang out or just become clumsy and knock things over that looks like godzilla had arrived? Well thats my issue and want to get some ideas of how to keep the pest off. I wouldn't just get rid of the cat because he is a good little guy and the boss(wife) wouldn't allow it. I'm just looking for some suggestions of how to deter him from getting up there without harming him. I have used a spray bottle with water. That seems to work on getting him off but that's it. He still gets up on the layout.
 
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Wow, this could open up a pandora's box of interesting and humorous possibilities.....but seriously......I see your problem and I like cats too.


Mike
 
f1_indy2000 said:
He still gets up on the layout.
Click to expand...

Not quite sure what your setup is, but the best option may be to make it difficult for the cat to get on the layout. Which may be hard because there is much on a layout to fascinate a cat, meaning multiple attempts to figure out how to get on that oh so interesting layout.

If the cat is hopping down onto the layout from a nearby shelf, can you put something on the edge of the shelf? Or if he's hopping up onto the layout, can you put up a fence or rail that will keep him from being able to hop up onto it? What I've found with my cats is that, often, they just want to be around their 'owners' (and I use that term in the loosest possible sense), so is there a way of setting up some other part of the room as a better cat hangout?

You could also try this:

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2Je1CEPkUM[/YOUTUBE]
 
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There are more ways than one to skin a cat. And if the cat gets on your railroad, you might end up trying some of them.
 
small spray bottle with water. If you see him/her getting ready to jump up, spray them with the stream, not the mist and tell them no. Eventually they'll learn not to do it.
 
Invisible fence around the layout. If anything, the collar may prove too heavy for a cat and jumping would prove challenging.

Justin
 
lets see where is your layout it is in a room where you have a door? if not are you able to build a partition wall with studs and drywall? if you have a basement layout building a walls around your layout space to make a room could be used, i did something similiar for making a inlaw bedroom in our basement, it was a wierd basement the ceiling was about 6 feet above the floor, it was uneven concrete which was no problem where the frame was going i used the above floor joist to attach the frames to and used 2x4s to build up under the frame and used drywall to cover the walls, and of course don't forget the door i found a used prehung door which was easier and cheap, anything i used to attach to the concrete i used masonary nails worked good. i have never had a basement layout i have been lucky to have a spare room or attic space( was not so good)
so a door works great to keep the furry friend out of the train room
mk
 
"A Somewhat Crass and unfeeling statement removed "

The poster asked for helpful hints not a ridicoulous statement or inhumane advice. If you can't help with advice to the problem don't offer. However if you wish to express sympathy or lack of knowledge on the subject there's no problem.
 
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We had a cat thread here that got locked up because of some of the responses...:rolleyes::eek:

If you have a door...close it.

If you have a sound equipped engine..try its horn, or an alarm horn of some kind...

Cats are like little children..they see you doing something they come up to you...Mommy Mommy!!...so you may need to spend a little time with them...they'll leave, eventually...
 
One suggestion given in Model Railroader quite a few years back (maybe even longer:rolleyes:) was to install window shades that could be pulled down to block access to the layout. On a large layout that could be almost as big a pain as the cat being where you don't want it.

As for the spray bottle method, most cats quickly figure out that if you aren't around there are no consequences.

Training? Good luck with that! Most cats will train you much quicker!

Most cats are after a high vantage point, preferably with something to play with. A layout usually offers both. As an alternative, give them something better. I built a platform for a cat that we had years ago that gave it a comfortable, high lookout with built in toys.

I built it with a 2 ft. square piece of plywood as a base. Attached to that was a 4x4 with three 1 ft. square platforms made from plywood with a 1x4 around the perimeter. Two were attached to the sides of the upright 4x4 and the third was centered on the top. All exposed surfaces were covered with carpet remnants to make a comfortable place to lay and the cat was free to scratch and climb to its heart's content. Allowing a toy to dangle freely also helped get the cats interest and changing the toy and/or its position helped hold its fascination with its "hideout".

Barring that, the only options I see are; closing the door at all times, or putting the cat up for adoption....................and that may very well put you in the dog house!:eek:

After
 
I don't have a layout at home yet, but I do have the workbench and various tables for projects and so forth. Our cats generally like to be where we are, so I don't have issues with them getting on the workbench or tables, even when I'm there. They are usually looking for attention from you (We call this "helping") or looking for that high vantage point. The water bottle does work, but try not to let them see you do it. If they identify you as the source, the jig will be up. You can also lay out aluminum foil over those areas they try to jump up on. They don't like the feel or the sound of it under their feet. They also don't like the smell of that orange citrus spray. You could try and spray that selectively. It won't hurt anything, and it isn't offensive to humans.

Dogs have owners...cats have staff!:D
 
blownoutcylinder said:
We had a cat thread here that got locked up because of some of the responses...:rolleyes::eek:

If you have a door...close it.

If you have a sound equipped engine..try its horn, or an alarm horn of some kind...

Cats are like little children..they see you doing something they come up to you...Mommy Mommy!!...so you may need to spend a little time with them...they'll leave, eventually...
Click to expand...

couldn't have said it any better. But my cats actually want to attack my sound engines LOL
 
Quite honestly your best bet would be to build it in a room with a door so the cat can't get in there. The only other things I've heard of like spray bottles or the good ol' can full of coins trick only work when you're there to do it. Eventually with those the cat figures out that if you're not there nothing happens.
 
The spray bottle of water will work wonders with a cat. I used it with ours since she was a kitten and all I have to do now is pick it up and she runs. Cats can be trained it just taked a lot of time. She knows better than to get up on the layout, however if she hears the trains running she sits and watches them.
 
I think the problem is as above though - when you aren't there, they don't fear the bottle. I've never owned cats but my partner's mum does and it's exactly how they act. No vases or picture frames or plants get knocked over when people are around, it's always when everyone is elsewhere.
 
Cats inherently will not jump onto anything at a 45 degree angle over their heads. People use this method to keep them from escaping the yard. So theoretically, if the problem is floor to layout, you might be able to adapt this method for your needs depending on your setup. A quick internet search of "Cat 45 degree" should point you in the right direction and possibly give you more details on the exact phenom.

My wife and i watch "My Cat From Hell" on Animal Planet which is a sort of Dog Whisperer for cats. That's where i learned this tid-bit (and many others)
 
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