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Keep a cat off of the layout?

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  • Member since
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  • From: Hilliard, Ohio
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Posted by chatanuga on Monday, January 17, 2011 1:16 PM

Some cats can be taught to watch the trains and not get on the layout.  My late Chessie loved to come down to the basement with me and sit or stretch out on the stairs to watch the trains and me.Granted, there were a couple times when he was a kitten that he got on the layout, but other than that, he was my #1 railfan.

Kevin

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Posted by Boyd on Thursday, January 20, 2011 1:12 AM

I took pieces of cardboard and made a cover with a peak over the top of one bridge when it is in the up position. She can no longer jump over to that section of elevated tracks and wake me up at night.

Modeling the "Fargo Area Rapid Transit" in O scale 3 rail.

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Posted by Erkenbrand on Thursday, January 20, 2011 10:40 AM

We have 3 cats, but only one is attracted to the train. She loves to climb up on the layout and watch it go. I gave up trying to keep her down, and she doesn't really hurt anything. Except the wiring. She loves to chew on the wires, so when I find a dark light, or the train won't run I first check the wiring to see what she's chewed through now.

She's also figured out how to get into the drop ceiling in the basement. A couple of the panels are missing . . . probably from the weight of a cat standing on them. Now, she climbs up there and looks down on the train to watch it go.

Overall, it's been fun to have her around the layout. Of course all of mine is O, so she can't really hurt any of it. The one time she stepped in front of the running train she got a real surprise and hasn't made that mistake again.

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Posted by rustycoupler on Friday, January 21, 2011 7:08 PM

 The problem is your bed is in there. The thing i would suggest is to get a track sensor, you know for signals and hook it up to a loud horn, it should be 12 volt and thats it .My cats hate loud noises and they stay the heck out of there.

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Posted by balidas on Friday, January 21, 2011 7:37 PM

Erkenbrand

The one time she stepped in front of the running train she got a real surprise and hasn't made that mistake again.

LOL, is that when she discovered the space over the layout?

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Posted by Andrew Falconer on Tuesday, August 23, 2011 12:12 AM

Rita likes to get up on the layout to be eye level with me.

Rita can also imitate Chessie the railroad kitten.

 

 

Andrew

Andrew

Watch my videos on-line at https://www.youtube.com/user/AndrewNeilFalconer

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Posted by chatanuga on Tuesday, August 23, 2011 10:33 AM

Erkenbrand

We have 3 cats, but only one is attracted to the train. She loves to climb up on the layout and watch it go. I gave up trying to keep her down, and she doesn't really hurt anything. Except the wiring. She loves to chew on the wires, so when I find a dark light, or the train won't run I first check the wiring to see what she's chewed through now.

Try what I do for electrical cords.  Take cayenne pepper and a few drops of water to make a paste and then smear the paste on wires, cords, etc. where she has chewed on.  After one taste, my cats don't even like the smell of cayenne pepper.

Kevin

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Posted by cjmeyers on Tuesday, August 23, 2011 12:07 PM

Good luck with that, I've never had any sucess. Layout still in construction phase. The big 13lb female likes to plop herself down right in the middle of progress. 

CJ Meyers
Member TCA

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Posted by Boyd on Tuesday, August 23, 2011 1:50 PM

On a pet program on the radio I heard the suggestion of putting double sided tape on the surfaces you don't want your cat on.

Modeling the "Fargo Area Rapid Transit" in O scale 3 rail.

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Posted by SantaFe158 on Tuesday, August 23, 2011 1:52 PM

You think that's bad, try a 50 pound dog sitting on your cotton snow (clean, and she sheds) when you're trying to put your Christmas layout up..... :D

 

She did figure out pretty fast that putting a wet nose across both the inner and outer rails at the same time will feel quite unpleasant.  She hasn't really disturbed my christmas layouts since.

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Posted by SantaFe158 on Tuesday, August 23, 2011 1:53 PM

rustycoupler

 The problem is your bed is in there. The thing i would suggest is to get a track sensor, you know for signals and hook it up to a loud horn, it should be 12 volt and thats it .My cats hate loud noises and they stay the heck out of there.

 

Like this?

watch?v=9r7apNSGQQY

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Posted by chatanuga on Wednesday, August 24, 2011 11:14 AM

Boyd

On a pet program on the radio I heard the suggestion of putting double sided tape on the surfaces you don't want your cat on.

Just beware that when a cat gets something stuck to it, he/she will possibly go berserk.  I still remember the night that Chessie sat on a piece of clear packing tape and then went to stand up.  You would have thought the devil was grabbing him.  I've never heard that much commotion before or since.

Kevin

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