My Cats Own Fishtank

[Teej]

Hi all.. In another post of "why I am a bad owner" I put in there because I let my cats eat live fish out of their own fish tank... WEll, I got a lot of private reponces to that one with pople curious about how I did that and if the cats really enjoy hunting the fish.. Well, the realyl do.. Moe eats all his kill.. As shadow.. well.. likes to just play with them.. After he is done I then feed that carcass to the "big" tank.

I originally got Moe because I had a problem with these centipede type creatures in my apartment. The exterminator wasn;t even sure what there were.. He thought it was soem highbred.. mroe or less looked lie ka BIG centipede with the lkegs of daddylong leg spiders! Freaked me out (I lived right by Lake Miochigan in an OLD house turned apartment building). The lanrdlord gave me a can of Raid and told me that is how he woudl take care of the problem... So I went to the local humane society and there was Moe.. he was very intellegent.. and seemed to have a good sence of play.. which transl;ates into good hunting..

After 2 weeks those bugs were GONE... Which was cool. but I felt bad.. he could no longer hunt as he wsa an INSIDE cat. So I went to walmart and got a plastic fish bowl. I got him a dollars worth of feeder fish.. (one of which I still ahve to this day, is is 9 or 10 " long now). He ate MOST of them... and loved drinkig nthe water... a month or 2 later I upgraded to a 10 gallon tank, and was stocking the tank regularly... Then a year or 2 later that became ta 29 gallon tank... the 29 became a 45.. and the 45 a 75... I have since passed on my 10 gal tanks.. but now my 29 is used as the tank where the food for the otehr tanks live (guppies, snails, and plants). The 45 is now the Cats tank.. and the 75 is "daddys" tank. They oipen the lid on the 45 gallon.. I have now posted pics of their tank for all who are interested... I know there is lie ka lime/calcium buildup o nthe one side that does NOT want to come off.. anyt suggestions woudl be greatly appreciated. with them plopping their arms i nthe tank so often they get water runnign ddown the side. the pics are posted as follows :

http://photos.yahoo.com/udo78

The cats pics are in the "cats" folder
ALL the aquatium pics are posted on the Aquarium folder... the pics of the cats tank are labled "45 gal cat tank" or Cats 45 gal tank... There are a few pics of it. Everyone enjoy.. lol

 

[lyquidphyre]

If you are interested Aquarium Advice has a sister site for cats www.felineadvice.com if you ever have questions

How long has your kitty been doing this? You want to make sure he can digest and metabolise the fish properly because crystals could build up and cause complications later

I'm glad your cat has fun, tho =o)
Just need to make sure its not messing up his insides

 

[Teej]

He has been doing this since he was a kitten... and his vet knows he does this.. says he sees no issues as long as I don;t use any "wierd" chemicals i nthe tank.. I try to keep both of my tanks as natural as I can... but the 45 gets NO chemicals period.. so it does get a ltitle cloudy fro mtiem to time.. but that is ok.. and he doenst; eat fish everytime .. once or twice a month usually.. he is almost 4 now.. and prefers to eat his food out of a dish.. lol.. But hwne he is feeling spunky or playful and Shadow doesnt; want to play.. he goes to the fish.. lol

 

[lyquidphyre]

Well thats really cool then =o)

I know cats eat fish in the wild, but sometimes it can vary when you domesticate them how they handle certain things, but if its only done now and then in a chemical free tank, what more could a cat want!

 

[krap101]

a self cleaning litter box

 

[catwumman]

Luv, luv, luv the pictures of your cat babies. Your house sounds like a riot!

 

[dr_girlfriend]

thats funny. do you end up with fish carcasses all over your floor?

 

[megos1]

hahaha. thats a great story!

 

[Teej]

No... The ones Meo catches he eats.. and Shadow RARLEY if ever catches one.. maybe once or twice a year... lol.. and just jsut plays with it.. then sometiems moe eitehr eats it or I throw it into the big tank because the creatures in there will eat it

 

[Teej]

My cats have one step better than a self cleanign litterbox.. they use the toilet.. no litterbox period..

 

[dr_girlfriend]

omg, you really got them to do that? I read an article about training your cat to use the toilet, but never tried. How hard was it? God I wish mine would, I have 5 and it gets a bit yucky sometimes.

 

[jsoong]

I'd love to train my cat to do the same .... the litter box get stinky so quickly .... although now the weather is better, the cat will do her business outside - but that means harness & leash, etc. <she's an indoor cat - but thinks she's a dog - previous owner has dog >

My cat also would love to play with the fish .... but NO, she doesn't get to hunt my goldies! ..... she just gets to bat at them on the glass. She does love to drink the tank water ... I dunno, maybe the fishy taste appeals to her?

 

[catwumman]

My cat also goes outside on a leash. However, he uses the shower drain to pee.

 

[ScottVinVA]

Do you have a dry log for the turtles to get up on when they dont want to swim 24/7 ?

Also, how do they get along with the fish? Do they try to eat them?

 

[Teej]

I don;t have a "dry log"... but I do have a basking area.. You can buy them at most petstores.. IT is a floating "island. You affix the slide with suctioncups ot the side of your tank.. and hte floating island stays with the water level.. works great.. I actualyl have 2 in my tank.. if you look at the tank pics.. you can see a "yellow ramp" sticking into the water at the tiop of the tank.. that is what I am talking about.. And as far as fish go.. when I first pout the turtles in they went a little crazy eating all the fish.. but after a week or 2.. the calmed down.. I feed them regularly and now they only hunt if I forgot to feed them a few days..lol.. I give hten callen pink salmon, tuna, shrimp, hot dogs, lunch meat, etc.. they love all types of meat.. and I also give them some veggies... and whatever they dont; eat.. the otehr creatures in my tank do.. as you may or may no have seen.. I ahve frehswater lobsters in there as well

 

[Teej]

It was very simple to train them with the kit I used... I never seen these ktis anywarte else.. but it has everyhtign you need except for the cat litter you start them with.. if you are itnerested I can get one and send it to you..... worked out very well... jsut cover the cost of it and shipping..

 

[tracygh]

they use the toilet..

Now THIS I'd like to figure out
My cat and dog only use the toilet as a wet bar LOL
Your house sounds like an amusing place to be...great pics too

 

[Teej]

Thanks.,... I posted some more pics too.. they show the lobsters better... Justr did a 1/3 change one both my 45 an 75 tanks today.. And living in my house is alwaysi nteresting.. lol..