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Will my new lodger destroy my beloved Proxima plus and what can I do?

MossMan

MossMan

Member
Joined
24 Oct 2015
Messages
114
Location
Croydon
Hi,

its been ages since i have posted on here, but I'm hoping some of you might be able to put my mind at ease or at least offer some advice.

I still have my proxima plus 250 tank and loving my rainbow blues, but I am going to be getting some lodgers in about a months time and they will be bringing a cat along with them.

I've never lived with cats before, so its going to be an adventure for me, but...... should I be worried about the proxima getting treated as a scratching post (though the owner is bringing a scratching tree and assures me my furniture is safe), and should I be worried about the cat climbing ontop of the aquarium and going for a swim?

I am definitely going to make a lid and was thinking perspex, but heard it can bend with a bit of heat - so now thinking ply and coating it perhaps. I use LED lights - can anyone confirm if perspex will indeed bend - they dont feel very hot, but I dont fancy wasting £40 on a 1000mm x 500 x 5mm sheet just to have it melt on me!

If the lodgers move in and out again in three months (there is no guarantee they will enjoy living here and stay longer) then I would be gutted if the aquarium was damaged, and I would find it hard to deduct damages from their deposit since I opened the door to them and let them bring their fuzzy friend.

So - I guess its a long winded way of me asking if any of you have cats and how do they get along with the fish, and whats the deal with lids/scratching posts - will a cats claw scratch glass if it tries to go for a climb on top of the nice warm lights etc etc. Is there some sort of catproofing I can do to the cabinet so its impossible to scratch? Or am I just being over protective of my aquarium and getting my pants in a twist over nothing?

All help appreciated. The aquariums looking quite good - when I get a mo tomorrow eve I'll post a pic up so those who followed my thread can see how its looking these days!!

Many thanks
Richard
 
Hi
Fear not man.I have 4 cats full-time (and few litters of kittens some newborns and some wild to tame form cat protection over the coarse of the year) and a dog and 3 tanks running with no problem.
Its good to get the tank covered apart from that all will be good.
Only one of mine sleep on top of my covered tanks if they have way up there they may do.Not a scratch on stands or glass whatsoever.I get an odd jump to try to catch some fish from one too but its norhing to worry about.
Where cat scratches is very individual to the animal.Most of mine use the scratch post always but I always tell them how good they are when they do .Only one likes scratching on leather and yes my seaters are a mess.Good job she is qute.lmfao


Regards Konsa
 
My cat just likes to drink from my tank, he's not the slightest bit interested in the fish. Glass is pretty hard, about a 6-7 on Moh's scale of hardness, and a cats claws aren't anywhere near hard enough to scratch it; probably not that much harder than finger nails, around 2.5-3 on Moh's scale. I'd be more worried about my soft furnishings and carpets :eek:

The only bugbear I have is that the furry little bar steward goes in to the garden takes dump buries it in the mud and then washes his paws in my tank. Then he tries to dry them by flicking the water away. Consequently, the walls adjacent to the tank get covered in water and mud and probably $h*t as well, and then it gets trailed throughout the house :meh:

I keep my study door closed (that's where the tank is) to keep him out, but someone usually goes in there to pilfer my stationary and inevitably leaves the door open; and being the consummate opportunist he's In Like Flint, and I have yet another mess to clear up...pets and kids who'd have them :rolleyes:
 
My cat doesn’t show any interest in the tank. Back in the day with a closed lid they found themselves sitting on top but never been tempted to take a leap of faith into an open top.....think they have a sixth sense. Nor have they ever used the cabinets as scratch posts....rub their delightful little faces on an edge often, but nothing a damp cloth doesn’t fix :) Much like Tim, and Konsa, soft furnishings and carpets are fair game :mad:
 
Tim Harrison said:
The only bugbear I have is that the furry little bar steward goes in to the garden takes dump buries it in the mud and then washes his paws in my tank. Then he tries to dry them by flicking the water away. Consequently, the walls adjacent to the tank get covered in water and mud and probably $h*t as well, and then it gets trailed throughout the house :meh:
Click to expand...
:eek::eek::eek:

For the OP, I reckon install a movement activated camera near the tank. Then you can monitor the movements of the Kit-Kat.
 
I have had cats for more years than I can remember. The odd paw might go into the water or even sit on the light. We had one cat that would sit at the end of the tank and watch the fish.

Never a problem.

Keith:wave::wave:
 
cat-hug.gif


Keith
 
MossMan said:
bringing a cat along
Click to expand...
In my experience the cat will ignore the fish and the tank or it will be a nine day wonder. Cat in a new environment: more concerns about scratching furniture (our re-homer ignored her scratching post which came with her) but liked the door posts (not a problem, very old house & they are bare& grainy wood ) but chairs are still a problem started to spray with strong floral scented sprays yuck. Litter tray may also be cause for concern if the cat is stressed. Pheromone vaporizers work, expensive but worth it. Shop around prices vary enormously. Good luck and remember, cats need servants.
 
Brilliant! Thanks all for replying - that puts my mind at rest! Really really pleased with the responses. I am sure he will sit up on top, so I am going to build a DIY lid out or perspex similar to what I currently have, but hopefully a lot stronger. see pic below of existing lid arrangement.

The house, well, other than the aquariums, I dont really have much of an attachment to the furnishings and fittings. Bottom stair seems to have been a favourite cat scratching location of a previous owner by the looks of it. That would be ace if that was all that got attention.

I'm going to enjoy getting to know the new lodgers and their cat - especially now I know to fear not - the proxima is safe! :)

Here are few pics of my proxima - not quite as well planted as when in its better years, but still I'm enjoying it.

The make shift lid - this was put together to limit evaporation as my lounge suffers a bit of damp in the winter - but the plastic corrugated card and coathanger/cellotape will be replaced with 5mm perspex which I will edge with aluminium u profile (I think it called that) on all sides. I've actually been quite proud of my DIY lid efforts - but in this shot its looking quite tired! ha.
Lid.jpg
Then we have the tank shots:
FTS.jpg
Fts2.jpg
fish.jpg


Thanks everyone for your help!
Kind regards
Richard
 
I don't think my cats even bothered looking at them before. The fish food however, that's a different story! The pig always tries running of with the bag of dried black worms.

Cheers

Conor
 
Well that's just brilliant! Haha

I'll be sure to add a pic post the moving in!

That's very much.
Rich
 
Just to mess with your confidence :twisted:

I have a cat who might be depicted as
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Demon

But then I’d also never apply the words your prospective lodgers used ;)

I don’t think it’s at all out of line (or unusual) to expect that any cat related damage should be paid out by the owners
 
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