Model Train Journal

All:

Trouble's real name is Maggie. She's a 1.5 year old British short-hair (a rescue) we adopted last week. It's not where she's sitting that's the problem. It's that she jumps down a hillside, pulling out trees as she goes.

I'm not sure what we are going to do about this. The top of the basement steps are open (no door). There's just a railing and a column. We are considering a number of options:

• Chemical deterrent - moth balls or something else that smells bad that will prevent her from climbing on the layout
• Adding a folding (accordion) door to the top of the stairs (I really don't want to go that route). It won't look very good, cost some $$$, and it would have to be removable (at some time in the future), I think.

The photos tell the story.
https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0B53qWtHGCKdbH

Any suggestions?

Thank you!

George

I'm a dog guy, so I've got nothing, but I will ask if her cat-box is in the basement? If not, I'd hang a door at the top of the steps and ban her.

Buy a wok?

Rufus T. Firefly wrote:Buy a wok?

Shouldn't you be out playing...in traffic?

She's a cat. Do as she says and she'll let you live.

G3750 wrote:

Rufus T. Firefly wrote:Buy a wok?

Shouldn't you be out playing...in traffic?

Nah! That's no fun. The only good cat is a stir fried cat!

The trouble with moth balls is you’re going to have to smell them too. I’ve verbally scolded my cat Annie for trying to jump up in my designated modeling area. It seems to work, although she’s defiant at times so I scold her again and put her down and tell her no. Verbal scolding usually does the trick. Maybe you need some Maggie time before you work on your pike, or I should say she needs some George time. Annie usually just wants my attention, after I give it to her she’s off in most cases.

George

Is there enough wall adjacent the opening for a pocket door, or one of the barn-style rolling doors that are current designer favourites? That becomes a sale feature rather than something needing taken back to original one day to sell.

If not, a simple wood frame and wire-cloth screen door is an easy build, light, and latched with a screw-eye and hook. Very simple to remove without a trace and make on a budget.

There are a number of ways to keep her off the layout. They don't like anything that disturbs their paws. This can be anything from sticky paper to the plastic bed of nails that you can spread out on outer edge of they layout, kind of like a drop cloth.

A squirt gun loaded with water can be used if you are in the area and she approaches to hop on the layout. Our fist cat only took a few shots of water to the face to stay away from whatever we were targeting. Second cat actually listened to the sound of water sloshing around in the gun. He was a little harder to break the habit. I found I had to fill the toy to 100% capacity to overcome his "listening" skills (man do they have great hearing).

Alternate method would be to give her something to climb up on instead of the layout. Like a cat tree. Once she realizes the layout table isn't that interesting she will probably leave it alone.

You could try a spring tension child barricade at ground level with a spring tension "curtain" made of fleece to block the rest of the "door". They don't like to "leap" into the unknown.

Accordion doors are crap. I don't have a picture of the entrance at either end of the stairs but Sarge's suggestion about a hanging sliding barn door may be the most effective and easiest to install solution provided there is enough wall space to cover the door when it's open.

chuck wrote:.......... Sarge's suggestion about a hanging sliding barn door may be the most effective and easiest to install solution provided there is enough wall space to cover the door when it's open.

Hardware for these is relatively cheap and easy to install.

You can clearly see why a wok would be the easiest and most cost effective fix

Rufus T. Firefly wrote:

chuck wrote:.......... Sarge's suggestion about a hanging sliding barn door may be the most effective and easiest to install solution provided there is enough wall space to cover the door when it's open.

Hardware for these is relatively cheap and easy to install.

Unfortunately, a sliding barn door won't fit in the allotted space. But a bi-fold (not accordion) door might. We're looking at a bunch of options, including the behavior modifications ones.

A door solves several additional problems including heat escaping from the basement (it's cold down there even in summer) and would prevent the smaller grandchildren from getting into difficulties.

George

chuck wrote:There are a number of ways to keep her off the layout. They don't like anything that disturbs their paws. This can be anything from sticky paper to the plastic bed of nails that you can spread out on outer edge of they layout, kind of like a drop cloth.

A squirt gun loaded with water can be used if you are in the area and she approaches to hop on the layout. Our fist cat only took a few shots of water to the face to stay away from whatever we were targeting. Second cat actually listened to the sound of water sloshing around in the gun. He was a little harder to break the habit. I found I had to fill the toy to 100% capacity to overcome his "listening" skills (man do they have great hearing).

Alternate method would be to give her something to climb up on instead of the layout. Like a cat tree. Once she realizes the layout table isn't that interesting she will probably leave it alone.

You could try a spring tension child barricade at ground level with a spring tension "curtain" made of fleece to block the rest of the "door". They don't like to "leap" into the unknown.

Accordion doors are crap. I don't have a picture of the entrance at either end of the stairs but Sarge's suggestion about a hanging sliding barn door may be the most effective and easiest to install solution provided there is enough wall space to cover the door when it's open.

Thanks Chuck! We are looking at a number of options.

George

Motion activated lasers a la Resident Evil

Rufus T. Firefly wrote:Motion activated lasers a la Resident Evil

Actually, maybe you could get started on a new trolley for "Traction Action", Rufus. Specs:

• Laser-targeting capability
• Variable power (from "stun" to "kill") plasma beam weapon
• Very loud siren / whistle / horn (as a humane alternative to the above)
• Clown livery - that's a sop to you.
• TMCC controlled (if we used DCS it would kill people indiscriminately (and ignore the cat) while claiming not to be on the track. )

I'll need it in the next 80 hours.

George