How do those of you who have cats as indoor pets keep them off your lay outs? I have a Main Coon Cat when he lays down on the layout it looks like an earthquake has hit the layout. He won’t get up there unless I’m not at home, I’m on my computer doing internet courses, or not paying attention to the layout.
An old trick that I have used is to set several mouse traps on the layout and COVER them with newspaper. When the cat jumps up on the table, he will set off the traps. The newspaper will prevent him from getting hurt and the noise that the traps makes against the newspaper will scare the cat off the table.
THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION
Train the Cat to run the trains. [:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]
great!
You have now met who’s really in charge of how you’re layout’s run. Here’s the CEO of my floor layout
Unfortunately, just as I pulled out the camera, it startled him, and caused him to drop to CAB-1. As a result, I wasn’t able to depict him at work[:)][:)][:)][:)]
Our three cats love to sit on the layout and watch the trains go by. I’ve taken to changing this behavior because they are so curious they knock down trees, and swat at cars. So I squirt them with a little water bottle… They leave, looking hurt.
Your cat is trying to tell you something. He wants to get involved in the hobby. Build him his own layout in N scale or something.
You could always have a hart to hart talk with him
I tried letting my cats operate my layout but they always want to run different trains than I do. [:D]
Seriously, I love my cats (ergo, my user name) but I protect my layout from them just like I do my furniture. I had one cat that chewed the tops of all of my signals and telephone poles! Fortunately that was before I switched back to O gauge. The other cats don’t chew on things but they do knock them over. So, if I’m not in the train room they’re not either. And if they’re in there with me and I see “that look” (cat owners, you all know it) that one is about to jump on the layout, a firm “no” usually works. If not, out they go for the rest of that session.
I see this as not really a problem with a permanent solution, and I’ve learned to live with it. They’re worth it.
My layout is on the attic, which is reached when climbing a ladder. All 3 cats in the house simply are too big and fat to climb it. And one of them is a giant maine coon who is scared of anything making strange noises or anything bigger than a peanut…
The only time they dared to interfear was when I drove the slotracecars with a friend. Even our 2 doggies enjoyed the cars.
The 0-gauge only scares; it’s too big for a mouse…
THis is Baby Girl, and she loves trains. If she is asleep on the third floor an di start the trains she tears doen the steps to get a good seat. Unfortunally my 14 year old son isn’t as interested. In fact her favorite spot is where one runs abover her and another runs in front of her. Here she is inspecting the tunnel. Bill
Bill,
I couldn’t help but laugh when I saw your picture. I’m quite sure that when I get around to building my layout, Tony, pictured above, will have to give everything, including the tunnels, a full inspection before I am allowed to run trains on the layout. I picked up an O gauge styrofoam tunnel somwhere along the line, and Tony has already shown a great interest in it the few times that I’ve had it set up.
We have two males who have always been inside since they were little guys. My trainroom is the extra bedroom downstairs and I simply keep the door shut, either when I’m running trains or not. This helps keep the dust level down also.
Tony Sincius
these pictures are so well framed!
Tunnel Cat is good too!
[#ditto]
Credit goes to Buckeye for the pic I posted. It’s his cat I beleive.
But I love it.
tom
Spanky, remember that photo is of the wild cat that was seen in Central Ohio this summer. [:D][:D][:D][:D]
I made a stupid remark this summer about the peace and calm of Central Ohio. It was then pointed out to me that I lived in a place where a sniper was taking shots at cars on the freeway and a wild cat was on the loose. I guess we all can’t be like Cleveland. [;)]
Speaking of pets, my bostsn terrier refused to budge, even as my ACL SD-18 blew it’s horn and sped down the tracks.It nudged her leg. Now, she is one CAUTIOUS “assistant engineer” STOP, LOOk, & LISTEN!
this thread is cute. BB the beagle, for some reason, likes chewing on metal Lionel ties that I replaced with homemade wooden ones. Just glad she can’t jump high to the layout like some of the felines on this page.
The newspaper mouse trap idea, btw Tom, is very interesting and creative. If that isn’t enough to scare your purr ball off the layout, a bear trap should do the trick