How do you protect your fish from your cats?

I'm thinking about starting a tank again. It will probably be a 20-40 gallon setup. What are your best tips for protecting your fish from your cats. I will obviously have a lid, but do you do anything else special?

 

Best to get rid of them . (Joking).

 

Best to get rid of them . (Joking).

Haha! There are days.....

 

Just scared off the cat whenever it tried to swipe up at the glass or find a way to jump on top.

Having no clear path for the cat to use to jump on top has probably helped. Don't think many cats will jump up somwhere if they can't see what they will land on.

 

Sprinkel pepper on the lid and around the stand.

 

Sprinkel pepper on the lid and around the stand.

Wont it get in the tank?

We used tape and stickers to keep our cats off the counter.

 

Haha! There are days.....

Feed them to the fish (joking too)

 

The cat will NOT get into the water. Cats hate water. I have a tank with an open lid and a cat. The cat will not jump up into the tank. No way. Even if he could balance on the rim, the fish are too deep for him to reach with an arm.

It is actually better to not have lid so that the cat won't jump on top!!

Just don't give him any ledge next to the tank to give him access to the water surface.

 

A long time ago I had a Siamese cat who always got into trouble. I also had a 55 gallon with a cover. The Siamese jumped on top of the aquarium, the cover gave way and he fell in got himself to the other side and managed to get out. He did not enjoy the swim and never tried that stunt again.

 

Best to train them to not want to get on the tank at all. Put some aluminum foil or tape on the lid of the aquarium, cats aren't expecting the strange texture and it will usually deter them from trying to get up there again.

We had the unfortunate case where our cat just fell in the water when she was a kitten.. she never went near it again.

 

I just keep my door closed at all times so my cats can't get in.

 

I have used ziploc bags or aluminum foil to help cover up some of the bigger openings. My cats sometimes drink from one of the tanks, never seen them actually catch a fish. They mostly ignore my tanks now, though they do get interested in schools of very active fish like tetras.

 

How do you protect your fish from your cats?​

Eat them!
Just kidding! But in some cultures, cats are eaten... Not in my culture, btw...
But in the past there has been a time in our country, that cats were eaten. Not deliberately, btw... They were sold as being rabbits. A skinned cat with the head and feet cut off, seems to look similar to skinned rabbits with the head and feet cut off. When that was discovered, skinned rabbits that are sold for consumption must have the head stuck to the body.
I guess, they must have a similar taste if you look at the time period of this deceit. So, that nobody complaint about having cat instead of rabbit meat.

 

I've had cats that like to go fishing, so I had to ensure that there were no gaps in the lid for them to slip a paw into. Perfecto Glass Canopies work well for me. They come with a strip of plastic that I carefully measure, mark, and then cut so that cords and such fit but there's no space around them. If possible, I position the aquarium so that the cat can't easily jump up onto the tank.

My cats are also trained not to do certain things, though. Jumping onto aquariums or the stove, chewing electronics, or climbing up a person using their claws are all behaviors I've trained them not to do. I use a spray bottle and I have a very consistent, specific order I do things in. First I tell them "no" firmly in a deep tone that I don't use for other things. Then I point the spray bottle at them. Then I give a warning spray into the air, making sure not to actually spray the cat yet. Then if they are still doing the behavior I'm trying to stop, I'll spray them on the lightest setting. I allow enough time after each step to give the animal an oppurtunity to respond. It should only take 2-3 times of doing this in the same way and order for the cat to learn it. For years now, they've usually stopped after the first "no" and almost always stop after the spray bottle is pointed. Only my most stubborn cat has ever gotten to the warning spray step multiple times. They learn well, if you're consistent. It's the same type of thing I do with horses - having 4 phases to get them to do something until they've learned well enough that they respond to the lightest signal. In this case, that's "no".

 

Wont it get in the tank?

We used tape and stickers to keep our cats off the counter.

You do need to be careful.

I like your idea.

 

<-- not a cat owner
what you need are some dog fish.

 

My cats never figured out how to lift the lid.

 

If your cats never saw fish, you can't be sure they'll be interested in them in the first place. Mine was only interested for a few days, but not as a prey, but just as a curiosity, and now completely ignores them. I had fish quarantined in an open bucket a few times, and the cat showed no interest in the fish - the only problem I had was having to stop him from drinking medicated water . Currently I'm planning to get an open nanotank, and knowing how much my cat loves moving water, I actually decided to allow him to drink from it - I even got a slightly oversized cabinet for it so the cat has space to jump on. Another motivation to stay on top of the water quality, wouldn't want my baby drinking dirty water .

 

I'm thinking about starting a tank again. It will probably be a 20-40 gallon setup. What are your best tips for protecting your fish from your cats. I will obviously have a lid, but do you do anything else special?

We have a cat that would try to dip her paws in the water or jump on it. I have a little tiny dollar store water gun that I keep near my desk and I squirt her one time and she doesn't even look at the tank or bother the fish. Her lesson was learned. Now she just gets jealous when we stare at the fish.

 

If your cats want your fish, they will get your fish. My parents had a 4x declawed cat who could catch wild fish off their dock by stunning them. Granted he was a stray that walked out of the forest but still.

 

The cat will NOT get into the water. Cats hate water

You should come tell my Maine Cooon Cats this. The little s*&^s go into the shower and turn on the water and roll around. We have to keep the bathroom doors shut when we're not here and at night.

OP: As far as your original question, most cats shouldnt bother your fish. If the tank is near a couch or table or something so they can get on it, they might try to. Ive taught mine they DO NOT belong on things other than the floor or couch. Thats it. They dont try to climb anything in the house (besides their house/poles). If you dont have well behaved pets, youll have to teach them.