ModelRailroadForums.com is a free Model Railroad Discussion Forum and photo gallery. We cover all scales and sizes of model railroads. Online since 2002, it's one of the oldest and largest model railroad forums on the web. Whether you're a master model railroader or just getting started, you'll find something of interest here.
My girl and I have been buidling our railroad for over a year now and we have enjoyed the fact that no one or nothing disturbed it for a long time...allowing us to leave things and not be worried about it getting wrecked.
That all changed the day I decided to get her a new cat. The layout is in the basement, and that is where we put the cat at night because it is still young and very hyper. Sometimes when we are down there we catch her climbing our scale mountain to jump up on higher shelves. Or she will get up on the layout and lay down. I want to try and eliminate this behaviour before i start getting into more delicate scenery.
Anyone out there have pets and some advice on how to keep them from getting into the layout?
Get a squirt gun or spray bottle. Every time the cat jumps up on the layout, shoot him/her with the water. After a bit the cat will think it will get sprayed every time it jumps up there.
My cat shared my unfinished layout with me until there was nowhere comfortable for him to sit or lay. He very rarely jumps up there anymore now that there is scenery everywhere.
Yup, save the meat, they taste great.
I'm joking, I like animals, but I do suggest a dog. If the cat is still young, it will be easy to find a home for it. Or, live at let live. Cats are like monkeys, all over everything, the higher up the better.
On a more serious note, I remember someone with a similar problem in an old issue of MR. The solution was to install window shades around the layout that could be pulled down thereby blocking access to the layout. Most cats figure out pretty quickly that they will only be sprayed when a human is around.
Exactly right! My partner's mum has had a pair of cats for years and one of them regularly gets squirted with the spray bottle but it doesn't stop the behaviour. She is not an unruly animal or anything, she just knows (as Bob said) that she's in the clear as long as nobody is watching.
My 2 stay off the layout, its easy to do. Keep them well fed! Yes, cats are like monkeys, til they get fat!! Then all the want to jump on is a pillow or cushion!
Our cats just stay out of the room, it took a while but they learned.
There is a device that is motion triggered and releases a shot of air with a hissing sound.
A few days of that and the cat will learn to stay off, might be a simple fix for you?
I've seen evidence that cats don't jump onto things with rough edges. I've also seen my cats totally wipe out jumping onto something they thought was solid and it just let them fall to the floor (folder hanging over a desk edge, for example). It probably wouldn't be too difficult to rig up a temporary cat barrier until the cat was big enough to lock out of the train room when you're not in there. The trick is making the barrier effective for cats and also not impede your access. I wonder if stringing a piece of wire a few inches from the edge of the table would help - the cat wouldn't know how to navigate around it.
they are also looking for higher ground to jump up and see everything. try and get one of those "cat trees" or something similar. something taller than the layout. seems to keep them off my desk.
What about those keep off/keep away sprays? I have seen some that are organic. Also don't know if it would harm the layout or not but I've kept cats out of my bushes with Blood meal from the garden store and they have the sprays too.
The high perch is a good idea. Then get a falcon or a hawk and leave it down there. They like to hunt small furry things. Cover the layout with a drop cloth to prevent bird doodoo splashes and you're all set.
Seriously though. Until recently we've always had cats and for many years 2 of them. I pretty much kept them out of the basement unless they happened to scoot down there while I was there and at least I could keep them away from the layout. Kittens are non stop activity but they will settle down. Any reason the cat can't stay up in the house at night other than it might keep you from a good nights sleep? One of life's simple pleasures is to be woken up by loud purring at 2:00 AM with your new pet snuggled up against your ear. As a last resort to the guns, fire hoses, and birds of prey you could put the little fur ball into a travel cage at night in the basement like used when taking them to the vet.
I've got a sliding door setup to keep the cat out. There's kind of a cave underneath, though, and I threw a towel down there... my cat just goes back there and sleeps while I'm messing around. Then again, he's old. On my first layout, my dad built a plexiglass shield all around/over it... of course, the cat just crawled underneath and ate the wiring.
they are also looking for higher ground to jump up and see everything. try and get one of those "cat trees" or something similar. something taller than the layout. seems to keep them off my desk.
Very good point. Forgot bout that. If you ever see that show on NGC, "my cat from hell" the host always says to get something for them to climb up on/into to see everything.
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
OK maybe not. My cat won't go in the basement thank God. The dogs do if no one is around to let them out and that's drag. I put up a little restraint at the top of the stairs which stops them most of the time. Is there a way to put up a door?
Note to ALL Members, Animal cruelty is not a laughing matter, joking about it shows a lack of concern which disturbs many others. The jokes may be meant to be funny and light hearted but some non feeling individuals may even try some of the wacky ideas. Please stick to the topic and post sensible and non injurious ideas for animal control
Thank you
Willis
Anymore insensitive remarks about animals or humans and the poster will have a few days off the forums. I hope I'm quite clear on the matter this time
STICK TO THE TOPIC answer the question or leave it alone!
Well I had to put plexiglass in front of a low canyon because my new puppy ATE all the scenery it could reach. (A couple of fishermen are still listed as missing.)
Well I had to put plexiglass in front of a low canyon because my new puppy ATE all the scenery it could reach. (A couple of fishermen are still listed as missing.)
As a last resort to the guns, fire hoses, and birds of prey you could put the little fur ball into a travel cage at night in the basement like used when taking them to the vet.
