Our last cat was amazing. She couls jump on the model buiding desk, walk all the way across, and jump to the top of the filing cabinets and noit disturb a single model or anything on the desk. When my youngest daughter moved out three years ago she took the cat with her.
.
The previous cat was a destructive tornado of breakage. I was glad when the previous child took that one.
I will never have another animal in the house again. I am finally building how I want to, and nothing will be allowed to damage any of it.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
One does not argue with the cat...
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Both cats and model trains are extremely cute. While cats are mischief world champions and MRR requires utmost order. Therefore, cats and MRR do not mix.
DAVID FORTNEY steemtrayn If your kid played with your trains without your permission and caused damage, would you have his fingertips removed? http://www.declawing.com/ And what is that supposed to mean?
steemtrayn If your kid played with your trains without your permission and caused damage, would you have his fingertips removed? http://www.declawing.com/ And what is that supposed to mean?
If your kid played with your trains without your permission and caused damage, would you have his fingertips removed?
http://www.declawing.com/
And what is that supposed to mean?
At face value, appears steamtrayn is responding to your comment that your cat is declawed.
The website linked appears to speak for it'self if you are wondering.
I'm not taking a position on this but many people feel it's cruel to declaw a cat. My wife and I got our cat through a rescue organization in the Washington DC area and one of the terms of adoption is we would not declaw the cat.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
I agree with Howard's idea that coining the term "catastrophe" had likely been the result of cats interacting with a model railroader's pride and joy.
I've learned over the years to keep the cats and the trains seperate. Where I live now, the trains are kept inside a closet and in their boxes to give no chance of the cat knocking the trains over on to the floor, or chewing on the trains, or peeing on them. I never leave trains anywhere where there's a remote possibility of the cat damaging them if I can help it.
One not catastrophic moment, is somewhere, I have a photo I'll have to post of Triton "supervising" me while working on a BLI K4. He's just sitting there watching me, while numerous parts of the model are in pieces on the dining room table.I do not mind cat company while working on a model, though when one tries to walk all over my work, I'll just gently remove the cat and get back to work. After about 2-3 times the cat gets a clue. I also work to give the cat time and attention too before hand. Some time and attention throughout the day, and the cats will be less likely to get in the middle of something you're working on all the time. They've gotten some attention from you and though cats in my experience may love and seek a lot of attention and time from us, they will not want it all the time.
The worst incident with a cat and trains for me happened when I was 18, and I had a bunch of freight cars in a homemade carrying case. I'd been out for the day, and when I get home, I get to the box, sitting in my bedroom, and find a big, nasty-smelling, p-- on top of a some Proto2000 cars, plus several cars with missing parts the cat scratched off. I think a couple pieces could never be fully rehabilitated. My heart sank, and I nearly cried. A lot of work ruined by one cat who decided the train box could sub as a litter box. Suffice to say, I'd been more careful after that.
Alvie
steemtrayn If your kid played with your trains without your permission and caused damage, would you have his fingertips removed? http://www.declawing.com/
Dave
Just be glad you don't have to press "2" for English.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ_ALEdDUB8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hqFS1GZL4s
http://s73.photobucket.com/user/steemtrayn/media/MovingcoalontheDCM.mp4.html?sort=3&o=27
I simply assume the cat will get on the layout...it's just easier that way.
Since she doesn't have front claws and is basically gentle I dont really worry about damage happening. She likes to sit on the edge and watch...
riogrande5761 DAVID FORTNEY I found a good way to keep them off my platform. It is 52" Off the floor. Plus there is no other places to jump first then to the platform. Problem solved. The height is perfect for me Being 6'3". Problem solved maybe for you - but my layout is about 52" off the floor and my cat can jump up there just fine when I let here once, which is why we keep the door closed and limit her access. I've found cats can get into mischief in some pretty high up places, especially when you aren't looking - at least cats which are in relatively decent physical shape. Maybe your cat isn't like typical cats and can't jump that high for whatever reason (age, weight etc.).
DAVID FORTNEY I found a good way to keep them off my platform. It is 52" Off the floor. Plus there is no other places to jump first then to the platform. Problem solved. The height is perfect for me Being 6'3".
I found a good way to keep them off my platform. It is 52" Off the floor. Plus there is no other places to jump first then to the platform. Problem solved. The height is perfect for me Being 6'3".
Problem solved maybe for you - but my layout is about 52" off the floor and my cat can jump up there just fine when I let here once, which is why we keep the door closed and limit her access.
I've found cats can get into mischief in some pretty high up places, especially when you aren't looking - at least cats which are in relatively decent physical shape. Maybe your cat isn't like typical cats and can't jump that high for whatever reason (age, weight etc.).
HA, HA, HA, HA!!!!!!!! Love it!!! When I was little, my dad and I would put up a track on the dineing room floor. It was a big room and we could make 12 foot long straightaways. I still have the Athearn Hustler that our old cat, named Peter, would chase around and around the layout. He would chase it untile he started to get tired and then would turn around and wait for it to come to him and then pounce!!
I restore old trains and believe me, I find plenty of cat hair wrapped around in the trucks!!
One of my earlier forays into our hobby was thoroughly derailed when the family hairbag -- in one night -- chewed through every single power feeder on the 4x8 i was building. Either Ma's cat went or teenage Stu's trains did; guess how that turned out?
Stu
Streamlined steam, oh, what a dream!!
This was my worst cat-astrophe. I think the picture speaks for itself. End of the story, this kitty now resides outside.
Owner and superintendant of the N scale Texas Colorado & Western Railway, a protolanced representaion of the BNSF from Fort Worth, TX through Wichita Falls TX and into Colorado.
Check out the TC&WRy on at https://www.facebook.com/TCWRy
Check out my MRR How-To YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/RonsTrainsNThings
Cats on the Railroad:
1) We had some labor issues during the construction of the railraod:
2) We had some NIMBY problems later on:
My late cat, Precious, seemed to find my trees quite tasty, as I'd find them with bare branches. Sprinkling cayenne pepper on them (after refoliating them) kept her away from them. My other cat, a tuxedo cat named Buster, would come partway down the stairs, then climb up and lay down on the HVAC ductwork. One day, while I was working on some control panel wiring, he thought it would be fun to drop down on my stomach. Scared the crap outta me. He must have thought it was hilarious, because he bolted up the stairs. After that, the train room door remained closed.
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
csxns riogrande5761 This ^
This ^
My first Kali (one really shouldn't name a cat after any goddess of destruction...they live up to it.) was a terror on the layout until I got DCC, she stepped on the track and got Amped. It was enough to let her know that the track could bite. She promptly found the unfinished space and claimed it as HERS! and would be quite content to just laydown and watch the trains go by, being careful to keep her tail near her. She was also not fond of my sound locos, though she would always come running to see what the fuss was about. Saddly she passed away two years ago. Sphinx and Cricket will watch from the stools, but want no part of the styrofoam decking. I am content with that, although I am sick of having to move them closer because they can't see. They're as bad as the kids.
Our cat, Miss Callista (named after Pope Callists the Firstt 222ad) is circling around my feet while I sit here in the computer office. Trains are two buildings over and two stories up, and Callasta being an outdoor cat would be very uspset to be taken up there, and could not find her way up if she tried.
Now she is out in the hallway, yelling MEOW as lout as possible, which will disturb Br. James no end, however, Br. James needs to be disturbed more than the cat needs to be fed.
Being the pussaholic that I am, I could not do anything that would tick the cats off. After all they let my wife and myself live here... all for the cost of a few cans of dead fish and fresh litter every day or so. We once had 12 cats, but seem to be running out of them as the last count was just 6.
There was a time when my patience grew short. I had spent around 200 hours carving stones into a 4' long plaster viaduct I had molded to span Mazie's Gorge.
This was turning out to be my finest creation on the pike... far exceeding anything I had done to date. The viaduct when finished was resting on a piece of plywood over open benchwork as I was preparing the scene for it's installation. It is easy to guess what happened next....but there is a small twist. Yup, a cat jumped up on the benchwork, but in my panic in chasing the *** cat, my shoulder knocked the viaduct to the floor. The damage was so severe, that it seemed like I could have put the plaster back into the 100 lb sack. Those who have visited my layout now see a viaduct built from styrene over this area. I have never again attempted anything using plaster although I have assembled some South River and C.C. Crow kits.
Just another cat tale (no pun intended). There are so many stories I could tell, I most likely could publish a decent size book with them.
HZ
BRAKIE Years ago my daughter had a cat that like to walk and sleep where it pleased including the kitchen table,stove and counters. She started using a spray bottle filled with water as a learning tool for the cat..The cat soon learned its out of bound areas and slept in a easy chair. Some times a pet owner has to take steps to let a cat know who the real boss is and who owns who.
Years ago my daughter had a cat that like to walk and sleep where it pleased including the kitchen table,stove and counters. She started using a spray bottle filled with water as a learning tool for the cat..The cat soon learned its out of bound areas and slept in a easy chair.
Some times a pet owner has to take steps to let a cat know who the real boss is and who owns who.
That does work, but you need to be there.
Another trick is to set mousetraps upside down on the counter (you will need to protect the counter) covered with a thick towel. When kitty steps on the towel, the mousetrap goes off and the towel "attacks" the cat.
It usually only takes once.
CG
My cat Chessie (Yes---Chessie) used to love to chew through thread power lines. The local Plattsville power company took a lesson from New York City and the power lines were moved underground (at least in my mind). He also collapsed a bridge that he walked over one day. The street got a "Road Closed Bridge Out" sign for the rest of the layouts life. In general as he got older he wouldn't go up much, or if he did there were certain areas where he could sit and watch the trains. If he was in one of the approved viewing areas I would leave him alone or just say hi & pet him. He eventually learned where he could and could not go. My layout was O gauge, so he really couldn't hurt the trains themselves any.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
riogrande5761This ^
Russell
csxns Howard Zane "trainaholic", I admit to being a "pussaholic" and quite proud of being both. We have several cats also but they are never allowed in the train room.
Howard Zane "trainaholic", I admit to being a "pussaholic" and quite proud of being both.
We have several cats also but they are never allowed in the train room.
Sorry, but you'll get no "cute cat" anecdotes from me. However, the stories explain a lot about the never ending threads on track cleaning and layout maintenance.
Wayne
Whenever I open a closet door or a kitchen cabinet door one of my cats is always there to go inside. Same with the train room door, as soon as I open it they run right in and find a place to hide or look out the window. One thing I notice is if I leave the door open continously they lose intrest and don't come in the room at all. Another thing I also notice is they don't like to sit on the track with the DCC power on. They become very fidgety when they feel the tingling in their paws and get down from the layout.
Howard, LOL
Sam, the Cat ... 1
B&O S1 ....... 0.
Our trio of cats is not allowed on the lower level of our house where my model railroad is located.
My model railroad friend had his wife do scenery on the layout, and she "saved money" using cat litter to ballast the track ...... They have a cat..... Suffice it to say, that was a very dumb idea. ....
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Should dig out the photo of cat sitting on stool, watching trains go by and post it.
I have a plexi glass barrier like Ricky W, but she was part of the reason it was there. Found trains off the track several times, fortunately no locos to the floor. The other reasons are track much to close to the edge (of necessity) and small children with long arms and magnetic fingers.
Took me a while to find her enterance and it wasn't until I found a cat bed made of trees and underbrush, with the overhanging roof of the grain store on the ground to make me get serious about finding it. It was down where the baseboard heating goes through the wall. Cats, like rats seem to be able to go through holes half there size.
Have fun,
Richard