Kitten + Fish

[Sapphelah]

Hey guys, just a curiousity question...
As we all know cats and fish are natural predators. We have a 45g set up, pretty high up, I couldn't imagine a kitten getting in, but they can be pretty inventive.
We will soon be adding to our home a very young kitten (Quick story: Our fish lady at petco is going for her vet's degree, some lady brought in a litter of week old kittens, our fish lady has been nursing them and "mothering" them and soon as she weens them, we can have ours.)
I would assume, especially if taught from this young and tender of an age, she should be okay with the fish, and maybe even more amused by them than to see them as food.
However, has anyone had any issues with this sort of thing?
Thanks

 

[three-fingers]

I was under the impression that cats weren't really natural predators of fish, and most wildcats would have never seen a fish in it's life lol.

Your right, kittens are very curious, as long as you keep the tank completely covered (and preferably put a heavy object on the lid too), the tank should be fine.
I'd personally be more worried about the kitten falling in and not being able to get out in a 45g tank, as I've heard a couple of different stories of this happening (granted in one of them, an oscar dragged the kitten in ).

My families two adult cats have never really bothered with my tanks, but one of the neighbours younger cats always likes to sit on top watching the fish .

 

[Sapphelah]

When it comes time, I'll set a rock on the back, our tank is covered very well, so the falling shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Rhea]

I had similar worries before we got our kittens, and as long as the tank is closed it's fine. If I'm cleaning the tank and have to have it uncovered I make sure they're not left in the room with it alone.

Both cats enjoy watching the fish, so I think it gives them some entertainment.

 

[Sapphelah]

That's what I was thinking too, and quite honestly, the tank, on it's stand is about 5 feet tall...

 

[Lynda B]

My cat has adopted a chair in a room where there are 2 tanks. She seems to enjoy watching the movement in the tank, but she has a very low prey drive, so I don't worry about her even attempting to get the fish. She gets on the back of the recliner quite often and puts her face right up to the side of the betta sorority tank. And those silly girls swim right over to see what she is because of their highly inquisitive nature. I've really got to get it on film.

You can't teach a cat to leave a tank alone. You have to hope that your cat just does not develop an interest.

 

[The-Wolf]

Bagheera always 'helps' me with my water changes.
he even got in the tank once to help further

 

[merry78]

Hey, i have four cats that love to watch my tanks, and my only problem is that when they sit on the top, i worry about the glass lid breaking, so i just put a few spiky things on top so it's not seen as a bed.
When i have fish in buckets (for various reasons), they look into the buckets intently, but have never put a paw in.

 

[KhaosInc]

My old grumpy cat got interested in the tank once when I had the lid open.

She met a 20" giant gourami, and never went back.

New silly kitty I still have a wait and see response... she does seem interested in the turtles..

 

[K.J.]

Mine always enjoy looking at it. They'll bat at the fish, but as long as the tank is covered they'll be fine.

 

[dthoffsett]

I have 3 tanks (did have 5 set up at one point) and my cats don't even notice them anymore. Oh, occasionally they'll notice the movement and look, but they don't do more than a half-hearted swipe at the glass. They didn't even mess with the one I had set up 6 inches above the floor. And Mr. Bailey has a high prey drive, he'll attack just about anything that moves. They really like watching the water move through the Python's hose when I do water changes, they lay on the floor and stare at it, that is FAR more interesting than fish. Go figure.