Cat Proofing Your Layout

[serenityFan]

The building should look great on your layout and I'm glad to see that you were able to do some work on it. I make a bet the cats like seeing the trains run.

 

My cats would jump up on the layout as soon as the train starts moving ... I am trying to teach them not to do that  

And I found at least 2 location where the plestered mountain on the layout has cracked, I am guessing it couldn't handle the weight of my biggest cat ....

 

EDIT: Split from, http://www.jnsforum.com/index.php/topic,417.msg13381.html#msg13381

[Bernard]

What helps to keep cats off a layout is to put coins on a small can and rattle it, it usually scares them. It works on my cat Jake.

[disturbman]

If you don't want your cat to sleep on the layout you've to be sure to put it away from the sun. That's a big problem for me too and I still don't know what I'm going to do to make the cat go away. For sure the layout can't be in the bedroom. The cat has the very bad habit to wakes you up by scratching or pushing things you particulary likes on the floor. It's either that or some objects he knows that is going to make a big lound noise when crashing, like jewels or glass/porcelain. And when he has succeed in waking you up with a groan he looks at you with his big innocent caty eyes while you throw your pillow at him. 

[Guest ___]

Capone learned when she was a kitten it was bad to jump up on things. Now at 15 and diabetic she can't make it up the stairs yet alone on the layout which is a good thing since she's over 30# and I know plastercloth mountain couldn't handle that.

[Bernard]

I used to have problems with our cats getting into the train room and climbing onto the layout. What I did was to get a small metal box like Altoids fill it with pennies and shakes to scare the cat off the layout. And as you can see from the photo, it works like a charm.....except on Willow.

[serenityFan]

Excellent new thread 

 

At the moment my layout is still mostly empty, so it is not a real problem, however I can't imagine what will happen once it's full of buildings and trees and other stuff. All those N scale stuff are kind of "fragile" (can't think of a better word here).

 

Will follow this thread with interest and I will also post some ideas once I actually think of one ...  :grin

[to2leo]

I used to have problems with our cats getting into the train room and climbing onto the layout. What I did was to get a small metal box like Altoids fill it with pennies and shakes to scare the cat off the layout. And as you can see from the photo, it works like a charm.....except on Willow.

 

Hahaha Willow is not afraid for the following reason(s):

-Curiosity over scary noises

-Courageous

-Hearing problems

-One smart kitty who knows it is a jar filled with pennies

[Guest ___]

Neko no baka ^_^

[disturbman]

Or just plain "baka neko". I'm still thinking I will transform my layout in a work place and put some plaxiglass to cover and protect it... But that could a huge thing do. It's either that or install it at a height the cat, and I, can't reach... 

[Martijn Meerts]

I have so much junk around my "layout" (well.. just a double loop with no scenery, but at least I can test-run trains ;)), that there's just no space for the cats at all ;)

[SubwayHypes]

my bengal is in love with the nscale trains, as soon as he hears them whizzing around he runs towards the layout and sets up in pounce mode.  when i am sitting there he wont attack, because he knows i will F him up.  but if i leave the room he will attack them.

[Guest ___]

Or just plain "baka neko". I'm still thinking I will transform my layout in a work place and put some plaxiglass to cover and protect it... But that could a huge thing do. It's either that or install it at a height the cat, and I, can't reach... 

 

My Japanese friends constatly correctly me when I don't put the "no" in there.

[scott]

There is no height a cat can't reach, unless it's so fat that it never leaves the floor. 

[Martijn Meerts]

So really, the optimal solution is to overfeed your cat =)

[Guest ___]

So really, the optimal solution is to overfeed your cat =)

 

Unless you want it to be diabetic like mine is, and don't mind giving it two shots of insulin a day.

[to2leo]

So really, the optimal solution is to overfeed your cat =)

 

Unless you want it to be diabetic like mine is, and don't mind giving it two shots of insulin a day.

 

Or just get a robo kitty!

[Guest ___]

IDK, despite my robotics hobby, and owning a cat, that image bothers me. Combining the two is disturbiing. :(

[scott]

See-- automated animals = creepy!

 

(Paging Jeff....)

[alpineaustralia]

We are cat free as I am not keen on cats.

[Guest ___]

Poodles make for excellent anti-cat deterrents. Sadly, they make for poor anti-train protections as they like to attack the trains that it is suppose to protect from the cats.

[serenityFan]

LOL .. more than once when I get home the catenary pole which was on the module for my layout is on the floor, still don't know which one of my cats did it 

[David]

I don't have too much trouble since my layout gets taken apart after each use. My cat only became interested after I put a double length/double track truss bridge in. Until I tell him off he'll try to get at the trains while they travel through the truss bridge, pushing his face against the side and trying to grab through the beams with his paw. Sometimes he'll get smart and try to ambush the train just as it exits, but once it's out he loses all interest. It's like that ring shaped cat toy with the ball inside.

[Guest ___]

My cat's so fat she can't jump the four feet required to get on to the layout.

[to2leo]

I wonder which scale/gauge (T, Z, N, HO, O, G) will cats or dogs most likely to attack?

[David]

I wonder which scale/gauge (T, Z, N, HO, O, G) will cats or dogs most likely to attack?

 

On Youtube (somewhere) is a video of someone with their O scale track setup in a loop around their home (which has lots of cats). Train did a good job of chasing cats.