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Whether you bring home an aquarium with a cat, or vice versa, this article contains everything you need to know to help them coexist peacefully.
You’ll learn five of the best ways to keep even the most picky felines out of your aquarium and away from your fish.
Whether you attribute it to the popularity of Finding Nemo or the proliferation of beautiful, accessible, and affordable products fresh water fishThere is no doubt that fish farming has become more and more popular as a hobby in recent decades.
This has increased the number of house cats cohabiting with aquariums, and increased the urgency of the age-old question: How do you keep a cat out of the aquarium?
1. Use tank cap or other cover to prevent access
This is perhaps the gold standard for aquarium inspection for cats: it’s straightforward, easy, inexpensive, and incredibly effective. Many aquariums come with a lid already, or you can fit your tank with a temporary cover of wire mesh or something similar, which will continue to allow light and air to enter the aquarium. This will prevent your cat from hitting or pulling your fish out of the tank, and it will also prevent your cat from drinking from the tank, which can be dangerous for them. The only problem with lids is that your cat may find it an ideal place to lie down, especially if your tub is warm and the lid is snug. This can stress your fish, so find a way to get your cat out of the tank completely.
2. Put the tank somewhere inaccessible
Unreachable is a tricky word with cats, given their willingness and ability to jump, climb, squeeze and fly seemingly to places that, by all accounts, would have been impossible for them to reach. You can set up your aquarium in a room your cat can’t reach, but this may not be possible given the size of the aquarium or your home. Placing the tank in a high place is also difficult, as it makes it difficult to see and maintain and also increases the likelihood of it falling and seriously injuring someone. However, there are still ways to position your pelvis to make it less accessible for your cat. Move furniture that your cat can use to jump onto the tank, and place as many of its sides up against the walls as possible.
3. Tuck anything hanging from the tank or table
With the amount of electrical add-ons—filters, air pumps, heaters, lights—required to maintain a fish tank, it’s no surprise that they are often sparkling with dangling wires and electrical wires. Some people also want to put a blanket or tablecloth under the tank to protect their table or catch leaks more easily. However, all of these baffling objects hanging above their heads can be very tempting to cats, who may try to catch or play with them. Unfortunately, even a kitten pulling sharp tension on a wire or mattress may be enough to send the tank to the ground – or over your cat. Twist up all of your wires and put them all on the table or stand, or connect them all to one power strip with a short wire that your cat can’t reach. You can tape the edges of the drop tablecloth to the bottom of the table, or simply choose a smaller cover that doesn’t hang over the edges in an area that entices cats.
4. Find other ways to fill your cat’s needs
Don’t try to mess with the aquarium just because your cat is mischievous or annoying; They engage in these behaviors to try to satisfy some kind of need or satisfy a desire. Most commonly, these are their natural predatory instincts, which tell them to attack and eat any small thing that moves quickly. If you can meet this need by distracting your cat with achievable “prey,” she will likely start leaving your aquarium alone. Small and mobile games independently are ideal for this. Your cat may also enjoy watching your fish swim because it motivates them to watch something move when they are alone at home most of the time. Create a space where they can stare out the window, or see if they’re interested in nature documentaries or purpose-built cat content on TV. If your cat likes to drink from the tank, it may be because the water is moving, or because it dryer. Cats tend to prefer flowing water, so a fountain-type water bowl may solve this problem, or increase the amount of water you give your cat.
5. Use inhibitions to train your cat
Contrary to popular wisdom, cats can actually be trained, and there are many obstacles you can use to form a negative association in their minds with the aquarium. Commercially available scrap mats, either the kind that use a small electrical pulse or those that provide an unpleasant spiky surface, can be placed to keep your cat away from the tank holder and the tank itself. For the budget conscious, you can also make your own DIY “mats” by laying down sheets of aluminum foil, which makes a crinkly sound that most cats hate, or by using double-sided tape or something else sticky; Cats hate the feeling of being stuck on their paws. Replacing them can be a pain, but in theory, once your cat has tried it a few times and got the unpleasant result (sound or stickiness), they will learn to leave the aquarium alone.
The last deterrent worth trying, and one that you might actually enjoy making your own, is the odor deterrent, which you can also get commercially or make your own. Citrus scents like lemon, lime, and orange are all irritating to cats and you should keep them away from the aquarium.
Aquariums are often a major attraction for other pets, especially cats, although it is possible for your cat to be curious about a new tank for only a day or two, or even to ignore it completely.
If they don’t, you will be well prepared to entertain your cat and defend your aquarium.
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