Zap the Cat!

Notch 8:

Is the --0- Morse, or the whistle warning for highway-rail crossings?

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Dress the cat up like this and take some videos.

That made me laugh! That cat is not impressed!

C

My cat just comes down stairs and hangs out with me. Being a kitten and only 8 months old she just sits and watches the trains. If she decides to jump on the layout just grab her and put her down. She will get the hint sooner or later. A spray water bottle is also a good idea but that is the only thing i would use. No need to hurt them in any way.


Dave

Put cookie sheet pans along the edge of the layout, half on half off the layout. If you don't have enough to go all the way around put something tall along the edge to fill in the gaps. Cat jumps on "edge" of layout, cat falls down, pan may or may not land on cat, pan makes loud noise, Cat may try twice. But never tries a third time! Works good for tables, cabinets, workbenchs, etc.

Chip Jackson,
I own two of those wonderful creatures. All they're trying to do is what comes natural......climb. I installed a multi-level "Cat-Tree" for them to enjoy while in my trainroom. When they started onto my layout, I moved them to their "Tree". After a few times they realized that their "Tree' was higher than my layout...problem solved.
God Bless,

Close the door to your train room.

Build them a perch next to the layout, as long as its higher then the layout, they will go to it and leave the scenery alone.

Plus with having a furry friend, I was using pink foam board on a small HO layout, after they saw how easy they could put there claws in it, I put catnip in the spot I needed to be cut out, most realistic scenery ever and no work on my part, except getting all the pink off of them.

Check out the cat and the end of this video. (01:34)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIJINiK9azc

There's more than one way to scare d' cat.

Catch him and tape him to your front engine. Turn the juice up!!! Bet he won't ask for first class seats anymore!!!!!

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thwack

Jon;
Is that the official phonetic spelling of the sound that the mouse trap makes when it is sprung?

Quite a wide range of posts here and some good ideas. Back to my original question:

I have ordered a small electric fence controller designed for pets (not a large livestock unit). My question is this - should I set up an electric fence style setup on the outside of the table ( something removable)? OR ..... can I disconnect the track from the transformer and charge the track, using the track as an "electric fence"?!? So, anyone have a comment on firing up the track instead of a separate wiring setup??

Well, I like cats...they have interesting personalities. So it may
take different things to work. A friend of mine has a smart cat
that will avoid the street and cars. The cat used to climb on the
layout UNTIL one time when the transformer was turned on and the engine headed straight for the cat with the whistle blowing...cat took one look and launched off the table and onto the floor and took the steps two at a time. Now, when train is started, cat disappears and has not since been found on layout.

This really works and won't hurt the cat. Set a row of mouse traps on the edge of your layout where he normally jumps up. Gently lay a sheet of newspaper over the traps. When he jumps up, most of them will go off. It can't hurt him but he will quickly get the point. Don

How about punji sticks & claymore mines

All kidding aside I have 3 cats, 2 of them come down stairs sleep on the layout. True i have to vacume the layout to remove cat hairs, but as soon as the trains start they are off the layout & up stairs.

We have had cats for years, and have three now, but most have never taken an interest in the layout. In the past, one would occasionally knock over a telephone pole while daintily walking around. That was the extent of the "damage". However, please note that I do not use kitty litter for ballast.

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Originally posted by Chip Jackson:
can I disconnect the track from the transformer and charge the track, using the track as an "electric fence"?!? So, anyone have a comment on firing up the track instead of a separate wiring setup??

Running the charger high voltage through the track might damage something.
Try First. You can safely leave your track voltage on at 18 volts with no engines or cars on the track for a couple of days. The 18 volts won't hurt the cat and may zap the cat enough to keep it off the layout. It's worth a try before stringing the charger wire.

Anybody wanta buy a cat??

..for you, today only..

I had a cat problem once. A black barnyard cat that kept killing the new hatchlings. I would have been ok with it if the cat would have eaten what it killed. It didn't...so it was sport.

Solution? One pork chop wired to 120vac.

Never saw the cat again.

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Originally posted by Chip Jackson:
Quite a wide range of posts here and some good ideas. Back to my original question:

I have ordered a small electric fence controller designed for pets (not a large livestock unit). My question is this - should I set up an electric fence style setup on the outside of the table ( something removable)? OR ..... can I disconnect the track from the transformer and charge the track, using the track as an "electric fence"?!? So, anyone have a comment on firing up the track instead of a separate wiring setup??

If it is just track - and no accessories - then it should be ok. The track will serve as the "wire fence".

When I had the garden railway I left the track on full power over night by mistake,the next morning there were 2 frogs welded to the track.
Just a thought

Anyway to make the area in which your layout is situated into a separate room with a door? Seems to me that would be a great solution.

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It's the only phrase I know in Chinese. I learned it at the back of a Chinese restaurant...................Here Kitty Kitty. Big Grin
Just tell your daughter your springing for the shrimp Lo Mein

Boy that reminds me of that Harry Chapin song we play on the radio:

"The cats in the kettle at the Peking Moon,
the place I go everyday at noon.
You say you want to order sweet and sour pork,
but it's Garfield on your fork...
He's purring there on your fork..."

Jon

The original song was "Cat's in The Cradle" by Harry Chapin. The parody by Weird Al Yankovic was "Cat's in The Kettle"

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Have fun.

-Mike

Well, actually Mike, WE really are having fun! You seem to be the one with your shorts in a knot.

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Originally posted by Hot Water:

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Have fun.

-Mike

Well, actually Mike, WE really are having fun! You seem to be the one with your shorts in a knot.

How about if I start following YOU around the board, making a comment on everything YOU say?


For someone as old as you are, you sure do act like a kid.

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How about if I start following YOU around the board, making a comment on everything YOU say?

Be my guest, kid. But remember, I only commentented on your silly statements.

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Originally posted by Hot Water:

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How about if I start following YOU around the board, making a comment on everything YOU say?

Be my guest, kid. But remember, I only commentented on your silly statements.

Yeah, EVERY one of them. Which makes me think you're looking for them and doing it intentionally.

I'm sure you're a smart guy, and knowledgeable in your field... but you also have a tendency to make smart-aleck comments where they are not necessary. Are you like that "in real life", or is it just your online "personality"? Maybe you just get a kick out of trying to tick people off, I don't know.

I'd probably put the hole in my favorite locomotive with my aim. Cat would get the laugh.

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Originally posted by Hot Water:

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Originally posted by Gandalf97:

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Originally posted by Hot Water:
I'm getting a Ruger 357 for my next birthday, THAT should take care of the cat, using only 38 cal. loads of course!

That would cause problems with the scenery...

Only one 38 cal. hole.

Speaking of cats, anybody wanta hear a story...

It's about a cat that was probably this one here's larger country cousin. It was a bobcat. And it tried to take down a deer. No small task if you're a bobcat.

I was watching the whole thing from a deerstand early one cold morning in the deep woods. Neither cat nor deer knew I was there.

A little deer about fawn size was tripping innocently along when it came to a big fallen tree. Then it jumped straight up in the air and took off. Really fast. I think it touched the ground twice in the next 20 yards.

Just then a very large bobcat leaped from behind the log where it had patiently been lying in wait. No telling how long. It must have been there when I arrived. It lept for the deer with paws out-stretched and tore out in hot pursuit. But after a few yards it saw the thing was hopeless and stopped, turned and looked in my direction.

That's when I knew exactly what was on its mind, "Well, THAT was not my best work by far".

..anywho, I just thought at this point something "cat related" wouldn't hurt the proceedings..

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Originally posted by Ginsaw:
Speaking of cats, anybody wanta hear a story...

It's about a cat that was probably this one here's larger country cousin. It was a bobcat. And it tried to take down a deer. No small task if you're a bobcat.

I don't think I'd try a squirt gun on that kitty...

Aluminum foil works on some cats. They don't see to like the feel of it.

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Originally posted by DPC:
And if that doesn't do it let me know . I've got a charger that's good for 500 miles of fence and it'll put a 3500 pound bull on it's knees.
David

Anyone remember the scene from Christmas Vacation with Chevy Chase where the white fluffy cat crawls under the livingroom chair and chews on extension cord? BBBBBZZAAPPPP!! When they removed the chair, all that's left is a smoking white furry blackened outline of the cat. As Eddy says to Clark (Chase) "Boy that cat used up all nine lives"

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Originally posted by rrman:
Anyone remember the scene from Christmas Vacation with Chevy Chase where the white fluffy cat crawls under the livingroom chair and chews on extension cord? BBBBBZZAAPPPP!! When they removed the chair, all that's left is a smoking white furry blackened outline of the cat. As Eddy says to Clark (Chase) "Boy that cat used up all nine lives"

I remembered but wasn't going to mention it. That cat was chewing on power cords though...

We now have two new cats. The ones I had before would lay on the track and one time I ran an engine almost at full speed right into him. Never laid on the track again.

One year I had to tie our christmas tree to the wall. I put two I hooks in and a small thin cable because they knocked over once. I tried the squirt gun thing (it was super soaker when they were around) and drenched the cats and it didn't phase them at all.

So I guess if you can't stop them make sure they can't knock it over.

But I like alot of the other ideas posted.

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Originally posted by scale rail:
Set a row of mouse traps on the edge of your layout where he normally jumps up. Gently lay a sheet of newspaper over the traps. When he jumps up, most of them will go off. It can't hurt him but he will quickly get the point. Don

Finally, a real solution. And, they also do not like to walk on aluminum foil. If you took the trouble to lay down sticky paper, you should not mind putting down a few strips of foil in spots you see the cat frequent. After jumping up on it, or the papers with the mouse traps under them, your problem will be solved with in a week..........unless you have a really stupid cat. It will deter them from using the area.

I have used the foil and the paper/trap deal several times to train a cat. You may have to do it again in a month or two and repeat in a year or so.....but they both will WORK! Good luck, just know that the problem is solvable!

Greg

Put an acrylic or plexiglass box over the layout. It is so small that It could easily have a plastic cover over it that would keep it safe.

Andrew

At my Tennessee home, the train room/office is OFF LIMITS.

At my NC mountain depot home, however, my layout is in a large open area that was the former waiting room. Not long ago, one of my most curious cats, a beautiful orange tabby named "Red", jumped up on the table as the Brute and its six-car state consist (seventy-plus pounds of steel) was rounding a curve. I just barely pushed him out of the way before the almost-collision!

My other two cats like to watch from a safe distance, and have never tried to commit toy train "suicide"!

Cats can learn but you have to speak feline. The next time the cat is somplace you don't want it to be grab it by the scruff, shake (gently) and yell no. They respond to the scruffing as they would to the mother cat. Trust me, do this a few times and the word no will take on new meaning. The only thing I ever accomplished with the water bottle trick was to teach the cat to enjoy water. He became a great swimmer.

They're like kids. They're all different and you have to figure out what works for each one.