Can house cats and model railroads mix?

[vsmith]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Scott218

Hmmm, maybe I should over feed my cats so they get fat and lose their ability to jump very high.

Only if you want to risk having a 20 pound cat jump up and land on your layout . That could be like dropping a bowling ball on it, he could go right through the foam! [:0]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by vsmith

QUOTE: Originally posted by Scott218

Hmmm, maybe I should over feed my cats so they get fat and lose their ability to jump very high.

Only if you want to risk having a 20 pound cat jump up and land on your layout . That could be like dropping a bowling ball on it, he could go right through the foam! [:0]

Well my bench work is quite sturdy, I bet it could withstand a landing from a 20 lbs "puddy tat". However the point of getting "kitty kong" fat was to weight him down to the point where he couldn't jump on the layout.

Scott218

PS: My vet is not thrilled by the idea of intentionally fattening up pets, as a result I have allready scratched this idea.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by LightBender

Hey LightBender,

What's the story behind this picture? Is your cat a train buff or is he/she playing "Kitty Kong"?

Scott [:)]

[vsmith]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Scott218

QUOTE: Originally posted by vsmith

QUOTE: Originally posted by Scott218

Hmmm, maybe I should over feed my cats so they get fat and lose their ability to jump very high.

Only if you want to risk having a 20 pound cat jump up and land on your layout . That could be like dropping a bowling ball on it, he could go right through the foam! [:0]

Well my bench work is quite sturdy, I bet it could withstand a landing from a 20 lbs "puddy tat". However the point to getting kitty kong fat was to weight him down to the point that he couldn't jump on the layout.

Well FYI one of my relatives had a black&white longhair that weighed in at 25lbs. and he could still jump up onto the kitchen counter. Bacon had a bad habit of jumping onto tables and sliding across the polished surface taking down everything in his path before falling off the other side...i think he did it just for kicks...[8D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Scott218

QUOTE: Originally posted by LightBender

Hey LightBender,

What's the story behind this picture? Is your cat a train buff or is he/she playing "Kitty Kong"?

Scott [:)]

I think it's Catzilla!

[Anonymous]

My layout is in the basement that has a door. My daughter has a cat called Charlie. My Granddaughter has a bad habit of going into the basement then when leaving, forgets to close the door. That is when Charlie changes into CATZILLA. I've had to do more repair work because of that cat. The citizens of my towns are terrified.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Scott218

Hey fellow Model Railroaders,

Does anyone have any special insights on how to cat proof a model railroad?

Scott218

PS: Getting rid of the cat or killing the cat are NOT OPTIONS!!!!

Get momma as drunk as possible, stuff the cat, then when momma wakes up, tell her the neighbor down the street hit the cat and you had it stuffed for posterity. Guaranteed, she'll love you for it.[:D][:D][:D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Roadtrp

"Can anyone contact the ASPCA?? That wasn't funny vsmith."

Oh come on... it was very clear he was joking. Sometimes people here are WAY too serious. Making fun of human disabilities is cause for concern. But joking about a freaking cat? Give me a break. [sigh]

I completely agree, have another beer and some road kill stew.[:D][:D][:D]

[Anonymous]

Hello Scott,

Lucy isn't my cat but she likes to visit from the suite upstairs. She will climb up on the layout but so far hasn't knocked anything over or caused any damage. She has never seen anything move. I always stop all trains when she shows up. She checks around the room, for mice and birds I guess, and then goes away. I never pet or stroke her when she visits the train room. I do if I'm anywhere else.

I think cat training is not only a full time occupation but it can become futile on the cat's whim, ask Roy.

[Favrefan04]

I have had problems with my cats getting into other areas of my house. I started when they were very young, by squirting them with a water bottle. I saw that suggested. It works. All I have to do it bring the bottle into view, and my two cats go hide. Get them to the point that they understand what the bottle represents, and then place 1 maybe 2 identical bottles on the corners of your layout. If they have learned the same way that mine has, they will stay clear of it.

I found this tread very interesting, because I am going to be building a layout soon, and I have been wondering out to cat proof it. I was just going to try to get it into it's own secure room, but I think I will use the water bottle as backup.

-Gary

[Anonymous]

The basement in my old house was a haven for the cat. It had 'tunnels' through all the junk, and hiding places where it would hide for hours if disturbed by the younger members of the family. But the problem was that my layout was in the basement, and it lined the wall with the windows, where the warm sun beamed through to contrast the damp cool air of the basement. So the cat often hopped up onto my layout to have a sun bath, wreaking havoc in the miniature towns, destroying trees, telephone poles, and squishing (or snapping) innocent plastic people. If I ever found the culprit on my layout, I would hiss loudly and scare it away. It seemed to work, because in the last while before we moved, it didn't go on it very much at all.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by vsmith
Only if you want to risk having a 20 pound cat jump up and land on your layout . That could be like dropping a bowling ball on it, he could go right through the foam! [:0]

Now that I like....our 18 pound cat, Dufus is a lot more difficult to pick up than a bowling ball...he tends to kind of slump and go limp....and besides, a bowling ball has more holes.[:0][:0]
Dufus has made it to the top of the highest points on the layout....and gone to sleep there.
For a fat cat can he's surprising....he can go up a tree about 8 feet chasing a squirrel...he just gets rather untidy coming back down.
BTW, I'm not ruffled, vsmith, I just got overly excited about the electric wire...I should have realized you meant it for healthy animals....I overreacted....my apologies.
regards,
Mike.

[The Watcher]

My cats KNOW they own the house.

Right now I only have a small test track. But, every time I get it out both cats show up to watch.

The male just loves to knock the locomotives off the track.

I cann't wait until I have a real layout where he can do some real damage

[Kiwi Down Under]

Cats can be useful. I have a book thats titled 101 uses for a dead cat, but it does not mention self supporting railway tunnels.
Novel idea, in one end, out the other.
Seems like I have found 102 uses for dead cats

[easyaces]

Have you tried some of that spray repellant that can be used on furniture and plants? 2nd option; buy a large dog that hates cats and chain it to the layout !!
The cayenne pepper idea is good. Finely ground and sprinkled lightly around the layout might keep them at bay if they get a snootful !! 3rd option; Use duct tape!!!

[Anonymous]

My HO layout is in the basement, measures 48" high and 15x10x5 feet. We have 6 cats and during the construction of the layout, before any track was put down or structures etc. added they would like to sleep on it. I thought I was going to have a problem. My solution was found by accident. I use the area under the layout for storage of the usual stuff that goes in the basement. Every thing is in boxes and it seems that they like to spend their time under the layout hiding in the maze of boxes. I guess it's more interesting for them under there than on top of the layout. I should also mention that all the wiring under the layout has been harnessed and tie-wrapped close to the bottom of the bench work so there are no dangling wires to tempt them. My layout hasn't had an invasion from Catzilla in over four years.

[Anonymous]

Have you ever seen those military trains from linonel, cox, and model power that launce missles........[}:)]

up here in canada you can buy these metal wires that u put around your yard and you pet wheres a collor that when it goes over the wire it makes a noise that animals can't stand. this is for people that don't have a fence........but it will probaly work if u put it around your train set.