The Ship Model Forum

My building table is in my finished basement, it's a nice space, TV, washroom, etc.... but no door. How does one keep the cats from wrecking your builds? My thinking is to build on a tray so parts can't be flung off the table, and putting the WIP (work in progress) build under a cover when not in use. I like the cats, so no poisons, pellet guns or soju.... we just need boundaries.

I've read that aluminium foil on the tabletop helps scare cats/keeps them away. Could experiment with just a stripe along the edge or, if that doesn't suffice, a tented sheet you can put over the bench when you're not working.

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De quoi s'agit-il?

Foil sounds good, although a strip of package tape left stick side up makes the message a little clearer and the trespassing experience a little more memorable for the kitty.

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-- Scott

Exchange the cat for a dog ?

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Eberhard

Former chairman Arbeitskreis historischer Schiffbau e.V. (German Association for Shipbuilding History)

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Put the model away for a few weeks and make, or have made, a door for the room, which can thus be closed; excluding the cat.

Stop liking the cats.

A roll top desk is your best bet.

Or make a simple cover out of cardboard or plastic, just make it angled so they can't sleep on top. A hinge at the top of the back so you don't have to find a place to store it. A small hook and chain or string attached to the wall to keep it up. Side pieces can be attached to desk or cover, your choice, I prefer desk. A front piece about 3-6" tall attached to the cover to keep it from getting too close to things on the bench. If you don't already have a back wall on your bench, nows a good time to add one. A piece of 1/4-3/8 plywood or peg board and you can mount trays, shelves or tools on it, about 2 feet tall. Mount 2 hinges on the top edge and voila! You could even use a piece of clear acrylic if you want to lovingly gaze at your unfinished projects without opening it. You can get Home Depot to cut pieces for you if you don't have the tools. Lots of brackets and stuff for mounting.

Still, a boot or broom helps keep them away. Water bottles as well. Destructive little terrors. It's like they delight in torturing you. The more I chase them away, the more they keep coming back for snuggles. Bah!

If you want simple, just put everything into a tote when you're not working on it.

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Darren (Admiral Hawk)
In the not so tropical climate of the Great White North.

After observing many comments, I think that modelers are always accompanied by a cat.

The solution is very simple. Cats love kits too.
Put the kit box next to you on the floor and your cat will be there in no time.




And beware of anyone who wants to take it off.

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On workbench:
Uss Missouri 1/350 Tamiya
Russian SSBN Borei Class - K-550 Alexander Nevskiy




My Galery:
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"After observing many comments, I think that modelers are always accompanied by a cat." - Certainly not !

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Eberhard

Former chairman Arbeitskreis historischer Schiffbau e.V. (German Association for Shipbuilding History)

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For some reason cats love boxes, and anything square. I think it's got something to do with the boundaries.

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Martin

"Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday." John Wayne

Ship Model Gallery

How about a very big dog?

Can see it now…….85lb dog chasing a 15lb cat through my hobby area