Cats & Betta fish

[Fishybitty]

I have 5 cats. The one female only cares about actually checking the fish out. She got on the black plastic lid once. Luckily it was sturdy enough. I actually posted this photo on another thread

[registereduser]

I have 9 cats at the moment only one wants to get on the tanks and try to get at the fish. I might have to use heavy duty tape to keep him from tipping the filters. He's a pain in the butt but I love him! The rest of my felines are content to sit in front and watch the fish swim. The glass is full of kitty snot

[BettaPirate]

sorry for the big picture, but she just likes to watch him she has never played with the heaters or anything like that and the new tank i have only has a flat top but it is only a 2.5 gallon so it is too small for her to sit on anyway.

[Bluewind]

I have a friend who has a cat and the fish loves her cat and her cat loves the fish! It's enrichment for them both. They watch each other and play "follow my paw" (fyi, get a glass tank! It wont show scratches ). It's all so cute. She puts a book or something on the hood so Scarlet can't get in. I'm sure someone here has a more perminant alternative than that (maybe using sealent to add a door latch?), but her way works for her.

I remember when she moved the tank and Scarlet couldn't get to it. She pouted and the fish did too! She ended up going out and getting a kitty perch and putting it beside the tank and all was well with the world. You would have thought that she brought them food by how happy they got!
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[finnfinnfriend]

Originally Posted by bettacrazygirl86

If the glass lids are flat, it may not be a good idea. For one, the fish would need air, and two, the cat might try to sit on it. My cat used to climb onto the dresser I had a fish tank on, and he would sit on TOP of the tank hood, even though it wasn't flat. Then he'd stare at me until I noticed and made him get down. But, I think he thought he was monkey or something, because he climbed on everything to get attention.

All cats are different though, and I've known cats that don't even notice the fish, or do notice the fish and leave them alone. My brother has a tank on a not so sturdy stand, and he has three cats and a big dog, and none of them bother the fish.

I've had a glass top on my betta tank for the last 7 months and he can get air lol.

[finnfinnfriend]

Originally Posted by BettaPirate

sorry for the big picture, but she just likes to watch him she has never played with the heaters or anything like that and the new tank i have only has a flat top but it is only a 2.5 gallon so it is too small for her to sit on anyway.

Aww! I LOVE torties!

[chardzard]

i find young cat may be trouble when it come to fish but most older cat wont paw a betta out of a tank , i have seen young cat trying to hunt any thing even flies but they dont mess with my fish oh if u plan on giveing ur cat toys make sure it not a fish toy u dont want to give it any ideas j/k but cats love to clime flashing light can get them hyper

[ThePearlFish]

I actually was wondering about this too, because if I want a Dwarf Puffer Fish and his 5g would go on top of the kitchen counter most likely. I don't want my cats harassing it all the time.

I almost fully trained them not to sit on top of the Bearded Dragon Tank though, which is sturdier, but I still worry on occasion if I one day turned that one into a fish tank.

[Oldfishlady]

I am a cat nut and fish/Betta nut...lol....I have 29 cats and 18 aquariums (not counting the small tanks) All or most of my aquarium are open top-my cats use some of the tanks to drink from and love to sit on the big filters I have on my big tanks to drink and watch the fish. I have never had any problems with the cats catching any fish from the tanks and the fish follow them around. I think the cats might feed them...lol...When the cats drink from the tanks I think they might drop trapped kibble bits in the tank and now the fish associate the cats with food...lol....It funny watching all the fish gather at the top when a cat approaches-drinking and sticking its paws in the water-especially on the lower rack with a tank full of Betta juvies. I have watched the fish jump and hit them a few times and the cat runs away-wondering what just happened...lol....
The only problem I have had with cats and tanks-is the cats knocking a small tank over. This has only happened a couple of times.
On one they knocked over last year-I didn't find it until nearly 8 hours later and oddly enough the Betta was still alive and even went on the spawn a few weeks later. I don't normally name my fish since I have so many-but this guy was named "Lucky Hairy" since he was lucky and covered in cat hair....lol.....

[registereduser]

You really should write a book OFL