Trains.com

invasion by house pets

1565 views
20 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
invasion by house pets
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, October 28, 2004 7:21 PM
How do those of you who have cats as indoor pets keep them off your lay outs? I have a Main Coon Cat when he lays down on the layout it looks like an earthquake has hit the layout. He won't get up there unless I'm not at home, I'm on my computer doing internet courses, or not paying attention to the layout.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Willoughby, Ohio
  • 5,231 posts
Posted by spankybird on Thursday, October 28, 2004 7:53 PM
An old trick that I have used is to set several mouse traps on the layout and COVER them with newspaper. When the cat jumps up on the table, he will set off the traps. The newspaper will prevent him from getting hurt and the noise that the traps makes against the newspaper will scare the cat off the table.

I am a person with a very active inner child. This is why my wife loves me so. Willoughby, Ohio - the home of the CP & E RR. OTTS Founder www.spankybird.shutterfly.com 

  • Member since
    March 2004
  • From: Jelloway Creek, OH - Elv. 1100
  • 7,578 posts
Posted by Buckeye Riveter on Thursday, October 28, 2004 8:39 PM
THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION

Train the Cat to run the trains. [:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]



Celebrating 18 years on the CTT Forum. Smile, Wink & Grin

Buckeye Riveter......... OTTS Charter Member, a Roseyville Raider and a member of the CTT Forum since 2004..

Jelloway Creek, OH - ELV 1,100 - Home of the Baltimore, Ohio & Wabash RR

TCA 09-64284

  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: Midwest
  • 718 posts
Posted by railman on Thursday, October 28, 2004 9:12 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by Buckeye Riveter

THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION

Train the Cat to run the trains. [:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]






great!
  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Frankfort, Kentucky
  • 1,758 posts
Posted by ben10ben on Thursday, October 28, 2004 9:36 PM
You have now met who's really in charge of how you're layout's run. Here's the CEO of my floor layout


Unfortunately, just as I pulled out the camera, it startled him, and caused him to drop to CAB-1. As a result, I wasn't able to depict him at work[:)][:)][:)][:)]
Ben TCA 09-63474
  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Crystal Lake, IL
  • 8,059 posts
Posted by cnw1995 on Thursday, October 28, 2004 9:58 PM
Our three cats love to sit on the layout and watch the trains go by. I've taken to changing this behavior because they are so curious they knock down trees, and swat at cars. So I squirt them with a little water bottle.. They leave, looking hurt.

Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.

  • Member since
    May 2004
  • From: Kaukauna WI
  • 2,115 posts
Posted by 3railguy on Friday, October 29, 2004 1:18 AM
Your cat is trying to tell you something. He wants to get involved in the hobby. Build him his own layout in N scale or something.
John Long Give me Magnetraction or give me Death.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Willoughby, Ohio
  • 5,231 posts
Posted by spankybird on Friday, October 29, 2004 6:07 AM
You could always have a hart to hart talk with him


I am a person with a very active inner child. This is why my wife loves me so. Willoughby, Ohio - the home of the CP & E RR. OTTS Founder www.spankybird.shutterfly.com 

  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: Baltimore, MD, USA
  • 263 posts
Posted by 4kitties on Friday, October 29, 2004 11:11 AM
I tried letting my cats operate my layout but they always want to run different trains than I do. [:D]

Seriously, I love my cats (ergo, my user name) but I protect my layout from them just like I do my furniture. I had one cat that chewed the tops of all of my signals and telephone poles! Fortunately that was before I switched back to O gauge. The other cats don't chew on things but they do knock them over. So, if I'm not in the train room they're not either. And if they're in there with me and I see "that look" (cat owners, you all know it) that one is about to jump on the layout, a firm "no" usually works. If not, out they go for the rest of that session.

I see this as not really a problem with a permanent solution, and I've learned to live with it. They're worth it.
  • Member since
    April 2004
  • From: Holland
  • 1,404 posts
Posted by daan on Saturday, October 30, 2004 3:38 PM
My layout is on the attic, which is reached when climbing a ladder. All 3 cats in the house simply are too big and fat to climb it. And one of them is a giant maine coon who is scared of anything making strange noises or anything bigger than a peanut..
The only time they dared to interfear was when I drove the slotracecars with a friend. Even our 2 doggies enjoyed the cars.
The 0-gauge only scares; it's too big for a mouse..
Daan. I'm Dutch, but only by country...
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, October 30, 2004 11:25 PM
THis is Baby Girl, and she loves trains. If she is asleep on the third floor an di start the trains she tears doen the steps to get a good seat. Unfortunally my 14 year old son isn't as interested. In fact her favorite spot is where one runs abover her and another runs in front of her. Here she is inspecting the tunnel. Bill
  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Frankfort, Kentucky
  • 1,758 posts
Posted by ben10ben on Saturday, October 30, 2004 11:43 PM
Bill,
I couldn't help but laugh when I saw your picture. I'm quite sure that when I get around to building my layout, Tony, pictured above, will have to give everything, including the tunnels, a full inspection before I am allowed to run trains on the layout. I picked up an O gauge styrofoam tunnel somwhere along the line, and Tony has already shown a great interest in it the few times that I've had it set up.
Ben TCA 09-63474
  • Member since
    March 2004
  • From: US
  • 18 posts
Posted by TonyGG1 on Monday, November 1, 2004 11:28 AM
We have two males who have always been inside since they were little guys. My trainroom is the extra bedroom downstairs and I simply keep the door shut, either when I'm running trains or not. This helps keep the dust level down also.

Tony Sincius
  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: Midwest
  • 718 posts
Posted by railman on Monday, November 1, 2004 2:06 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by spankybird

You could always have a hart to hart talk with him





these pictures are so well framed!
  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: Midwest
  • 718 posts
Posted by railman on Monday, November 1, 2004 2:07 PM
Tunnel Cat is good too!
  • Member since
    August 2004
  • From: IA, usa
  • 351 posts
Posted by railfanespee4449 on Monday, November 1, 2004 5:28 PM
[#ditto]
Call me crazy, but I LIKE Zito yellow. RAILFANESPEE4449
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Willoughby, Ohio
  • 5,231 posts
Posted by spankybird on Monday, November 1, 2004 7:17 PM
Credit goes to Buckeye for the pic I posted. It's his cat I beleive.

But I love it.

tom

I am a person with a very active inner child. This is why my wife loves me so. Willoughby, Ohio - the home of the CP & E RR. OTTS Founder www.spankybird.shutterfly.com 

  • Member since
    March 2004
  • From: Jelloway Creek, OH - Elv. 1100
  • 7,578 posts
Posted by Buckeye Riveter on Monday, November 1, 2004 7:37 PM
Spanky, remember that photo is of the wild cat that was seen in Central Ohio this summer. [:D][:D][:D][:D]

I made a stupid remark this summer about the peace and calm of Central Ohio. It was then pointed out to me that I lived in a place where a sniper was taking shots at cars on the freeway and a wild cat was on the loose. I guess we all can't be like Cleveland. [;)]

Celebrating 18 years on the CTT Forum. Smile, Wink & Grin

Buckeye Riveter......... OTTS Charter Member, a Roseyville Raider and a member of the CTT Forum since 2004..

Jelloway Creek, OH - ELV 1,100 - Home of the Baltimore, Ohio & Wabash RR

TCA 09-64284

  • Member since
    August 2004
  • From: IA, usa
  • 351 posts
Posted by railfanespee4449 on Wednesday, November 3, 2004 10:54 AM
Speaking of pets, my bostsn terrier refused to budge, even as my ACL SD-18 blew it's horn and sped down the tracks.It nudged her leg. Now, she is one CAUTIOUS "assistant engineer" STOP, LOOk, & LISTEN!
Call me crazy, but I LIKE Zito yellow. RAILFANESPEE4449
  • Member since
    August 2003
  • 6,434 posts
Posted by FJ and G on Wednesday, November 3, 2004 11:40 AM
this thread is cute. BB the beagle, for some reason, likes chewing on metal Lionel ties that I replaced with homemade wooden ones. Just glad she can't jump high to the layout like some of the felines on this page.

The newspaper mouse trap idea, btw Tom, is very interesting and creative. If that isn't enough to scare your purr ball off the layout, a bear trap should do the trick
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Willoughby, Ohio
  • 5,231 posts
Posted by spankybird on Wednesday, November 3, 2004 11:58 AM
It might even work with Spanky



tom

I am a person with a very active inner child. This is why my wife loves me so. Willoughby, Ohio - the home of the CP & E RR. OTTS Founder www.spankybird.shutterfly.com 

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

FREE EMAIL NEWSLETTER

Get the Classic Toy Trains newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month