How to keep a cat off the tank

[chibils]

I have a 60 gallon rimless tank sitting on a custom stand. It has a lip/rim around it, which I really like because it gives me a place to set food, test kits, towels, etc. while working on the tank, but my little turd of a cat has realized she can jump on the lip and then climb onto the top rim of the glass in the middle of the night. So far no issues but I often wake up to salty streaks on the glass in the morning. I've only caught her doing this one time. She now waits until we go to bed to play with the fish. I'd like to get a lid or mesh top for the tank but I fear that will only embolden her to climb on it and break it (leading to her falling in the tank and me losing a brand new $100 cover). I don't see any good outcome in that. Additionally, the tank is rimless and I accidentally chipped the glass in the corner. It's held for months without any progression or issues, but I worry about her walking on the unprotected glass rim.

If anyone has had any experience with this sort of situation, please let me know. Looking for any advice I can get. Finding some way to keep her off the stand seems to be the key but I'm not sure what all I can try.

Pictured: Turd walking on the chipped edge of the tank (visible under her front paws). Taken moments before she took a spray bottle shot to the face. The lip I mentioned on the stand is visible as well.

 

[meash20]

hahah, kitty just wants a close look.

 

[chaples55]

Put sticky tape along the lip of the stand. When she jumps up she'll get an unpleasant surprise. Keep this up until the habit is broken. May need "re-training" periodically. Could also try spike strips like these: https://a.co/d/gvSYpe2

I use big spike mats to keep my cats out of a few areas and they work great. Seems to break the habit for ~2-3 months before I have to place the mats again for a week or so.

 

[chibils]

Thanks @chaples55 ! Would you say those Amazon spikes are sharp enough to hurt my cat? I do want to discourage her but I don't want her to get hurt.

 

[chaples55]

I haven't used those specifically since I needed larger mats (I got these: https://a.co/d/jhBc4ss), but I would imagine it's fine. I've seen that style advertised specifically for cats. Your cat should jump back down the second she feels something unstable and won't put her full weight on the spikes

 

[chibils]

Thanks! I'll try that.

 

[qasimja]

my tank was open top for a long time til my cats started to try and jump up there for a snack then i had to make mesh tops lol luckily they didn't get any of my fish

 

[york1]

 

[project1004]

I have 4 cats and had same issues with cats trying to get on top of the tank. Good thing is the glass tops are able to hold their weights. My cats got use to the tank and now just watches it even though I completely removed the top now. Cats come first for me. Lol…. PS: my cats never walked on the edges of the tank like your cat though. Lol.

 

[chibils]

I have 4 cats and had same issues with cats trying to get on top of the tank. Good thing is the glass tops are able to hold their weights. My cats got use to the tank and now just watches it even though I completely removed the top now. Cats come first for me. Lol…. PS: my cats never walked on the edges of the tank like your cat though. Lol.

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Woah! What kind of glass lid is that? I'm amazed it holds their weight. Mine is only about 10 pounds but I worry with the plastic clips holding it on and the weakened edge of my tank that it wouldn't work.

 

[project1004]

It’s the lids that came with the tank. They seem flimsy but they do hold up even two cats. I seen two on top before. Get yourself a 3d printer or have someone print one that may hold it more firmly?

If you want, you can pick up your cat and get his feet wet in the tank. Do that few times and she might stop getting on the edges. But she probably just curious for sometime…. or she maybe out for a real hunt.


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[chibils]

It’s the lids that came with the tank. They seem flimsy but they do hold up even two cats. I seen two on top before. Get yourself a 3d printer or have someone print one that may hold it more firmly?

Dang, that's a bummer. A glass lid like that would be ideal I think.

If you want, you can pick up your cat and get his feet wet in the tank. Do that few times and she might stop getting on the edges. But she probably just curious for sometime…. or she maybe out for a real hunt.

Unfortunately she's been doing this for a few months. It seems to be happening more often lately. I don't know if her paws are slipping and that's where the streaks on the glass are coming from, or if she's hunting fish, or if she thinks she just found a huge fountain of running water, or what. But the fact that it's filled with unpalatable saltwater and the fish hide from her when she comes by don't seem to discourage her.

 

[project1004]

One way to discourage her is by removing the trim around the tank stand. I had to remove place for the cats to stand on initially. Easy access is not recommended.




I had to remove the tile piece that I’ve put to use as extra space to put fish food and test kit ect. Cats used it was their resting spots. So I moved it. You might want to try that spike strips on the tank stand part like mentioned. Not on the tank edge. Idk if that will work.

 

[chibils]

I'm definitely going to start with the spike strips. Removing the trim ledge would necessitate removing all the other trim on the stand since it's styled as columns. (Excuse the messy wiring, I haven't moved my ATO under the stand yet)

 

[enderg60]

pieces of tape, sticky side up around the stand ledge and tank edge.

Cat jumps up, sticks to tape, you get to watch them do the stanky leg. Win Win.

 

[Adam]

This Auto-Trigger Spray Bottle Pranks Friends, Keeps Cats Off Counters

Whether you just want to prank a friend today, or you're looking for a real solution to keep the cats off the counters or regularly mist the plants,

lifehacker.com

 

[chibils]

That may be a little overkill in this situation Adam, but I like the initiative!

 

[chaples55]

Meanwhile, one of my cats discovered a new spot... Not sure how I feel about this one lol

Surprisingly they aren't really interested in any of the aquariums, except for my freshwater planted tank which doubles as their water bowl . I imagine they accidentally slurp up an unsuspecting guppy fry from time to time...

 

[gill]

I'm just gonna say, my doggos have never gotten on top of my tank. Or shown any interest in it whatsoever. Just saying...

 

[Tadams3mx]

Aluminum foil around the ledge of the stand will also deter them