If you don't like cats. You just don't enjoy life.
I own 2 cats and a dog.... just for the negative people out there.
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Chip gave up on trains and is now into Maui Pot. Kids these days. Don
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I'll never know if it's a problem; no animals allowed in train room, nor drinks, or anything else that would add to the many tasks of keeping it "ship shape".
Every time I play with my trains .... there is a dog and a beer there. 
Not a cat, they're scary ....
Like the sign in my vets office says, "No Outfit is Complete Without Cat Hair".
I guess that goes for model train outfits also.
Tom
As others have pointed out, cats each have their own reactions to trains. When I was growing up, our cats would often chase the Marx trains around the floor setup. But in recent years, our last one was kind of a "scaredy cat". He would sit and watch the G-gauge ten-wheeler under the Christmas tree as it approached him, but turn to the side as it passed in front of him. When it passed, he would watch the observation car receding again. He would do it lap after lap. I wish I had a picture.
I think this thread is one of the most fun I've ever seen here. I love these pictures!
Many years ago I lost all my strung power lines on an HO layout to a cat.
Modeling power pole electric wires are impractical and always seem to get in the way when you least expect it.
Never again, cats or wires.
Never met a train I didn't like, cats that's another story. Cats is the only musical that I left at intermission and didn't return.
Art
Originally Posted by Chugman:
Never met a train I didn't like, cats that's another story. Cats is the only musical that I left at intermission and didn't return.
But what if they combined "Cats" with "Starlight Express"?
Mitch
Had the exact same thing happen on my old HO layout. Looked like a tornado went through. 
Originally Posted by SIRT:
Many years ago I lost all my strung power lines on an HO layout to a cat.
Modeling power pole electric wires are impractical and always seem to get in the way when you least expect it.
Never again, cats or wires.
-Eric Siegel
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A cat in the cut
Originally Posted by ericstrains.com:
Waitaminnit! This is a Norfolk Southern layout! What's Chessie doing there?
Mitch
No cat hair on the layout. Sylvester makes an occasional inspection, but prefers to lie on the floor. He got me into a little trouble about a year ago, though, and, with your kind indulgence, here is what I posted then:
November 16, 2013 6:38 PM
Sylvester took a stroll through downtown Caprock, Texas, and, while he was out, he made a check of the Santa Fe yard. The Brotherhood of Railway Clerks Local Chairman, Rat Face Walker, submitted claims for a days' pay for each of the three clerks on duty. Trainmaster Robert Currie checked the facts with Uncle Bob, the Yardmaster, and declined the claims, based on the fact that Sylvester did not actually make a written list of cars that was used to switch a train.
Originally Posted by c.sam:
Bathing a cat is easy - Pick them up gently cooing and chucking all the way to the bathroom. You have added one squirt of your favorite pet shampoo to the water in the toilet bowl prior to getting the cat.
In one deft motion you plop the cat into the bowl with one hand and close the lid with the other as quickly as possible, careful to avoid catching the cat's tail..
Flush the toilet several times ignoring the happy sounds the cat will be making as they enjoy their bath! Allow the tank to fill completely before the final flush. This is called a 'power rinse'.
Have someone open the door to the outside and stand back as you open the toilet lid.
Viola - a clean cat (and toilet bowl!) 
Originally Posted by c.sam:
Bathing a cat is easy - Pick them up gently cooing and chucking all the way to the bathroom. You have added one squirt of your favorite pet shampoo to the water in the toilet bowl prior to getting the cat.
In one deft motion you plop the cat into the bowl with one hand and close the lid with the other as quickly as possible, careful to avoid catching the cat's tail..
Flush the toilet several times ignoring the happy sounds the cat will be making as they enjoy their bath! Allow the tank to fill completely before the final flush. This is called a 'power rinse'.
Have someone open the door to the outside and stand back as you open the toilet lid.
Viola - a clean cat (and toilet bowl!)
c.sam, I do not find your post even mildly amusing. With all the cruelty that animals suffer at the hands of humans, I don't find references to putting a cat in the toilet and then flushing funny.
My wife and I have volunteered at our local Humane Society. We have seen the results of animal cruelty. One of our cats had been the victim of animal cruelty. When we adopted her she had a dislocated hip and a hole in her trachea.
Sam-I think someone is taking you seriously!!!! I don't think that the ASPCA would sanction the refered to bathing method but it was seemingly tendered in a humorous manner and mostly taken as such. I enjoyed it and told it to my cat but he either didn't get or didn't appreciate it.
Originally Posted by c.sam:
Bathing a cat is easy - Pick them up gently cooing and chucking all the way to the bathroom. You have added one squirt of your favorite pet shampoo to the water in the toilet bowl prior to getting the cat.
In one deft motion you plop the cat into the bowl with one hand and close the lid with the other as quickly as possible, careful to avoid catching the cat's tail..
Flush the toilet several times ignoring the happy sounds the cat will be making as they enjoy their bath! Allow the tank to fill completely before the final flush. This is called a 'power rinse'.
Have someone open the door to the outside and stand back as you open the toilet lid.
Viola - a clean cat (and toilet bowl!)
Really? Please enlighten us to the meaning behind your post.
Was this just an attempt at humor mixed with poor judgement?
Or do you feel that this is acceptable?
Either way, I found your post repulsive. It doesn't matter whether you like cats or not, animal abuse is disgusting and in no way is it humorous.
You tell 'em!
Mitch
Originally Posted by J Daddy:
I like cats, but when their bladder goes nuts its time to say good bye.
Wow, thanks for defining the term "unconditional love".
Originally Posted by J Daddy:
I like cats, but when their bladder goes nuts its time to say good bye.
And when you get old I hope they feel the same about you
Originally Posted by scale rail:
Chip gave up on trains and is now into Maui Pot. Kids these days. Don
My wife and I just love this picture thanks for sharing
On a more serious note, strangely just after this thread took off, my cat, Rails, developed a blockage of his urinary tract and was at the vet all weekend fighting for his life. He is home now, locked in a bathroom, on medication, and trying to see if he can function normally again. He is only 4 years old, so if the problem persists, surgery may be an option, but we will have to wait and see.
We are concerned for him.
Originally Posted by tontee:
Sam-I think someone is taking you seriously!!!! I don't think that the ASPCA would sanction the refered to bathing method but it was seemingly tendered in a humorous manner and mostly taken as such. I enjoyed it and told it to my cat but he either didn't get or didn't appreciate it.
what do you guys expect posting this on a railroad forum? i have asked the owners/moderaters repeatedy to delete this thread,but i think they have eased off on the deletes because of so many former members going to that "other " forum.-Jim
phillman,
Prayers out for you cat, Rails. I have had tom cats in the past with the same type problem. Vet had to empty their bladder with a syringe, then on medication. Most had this problem by ingesting some clay type kitty litter. It would not digest and wound up causing a urinary tract blockage. We changed to the corn based litter, organic, and it does digest, removing the threat of blockage in the cats. Hope this is useful information. Best wishes for Rails speedy recovery.
Jesse
Jim,
What do you think a forum is for? The exchange of ideas and information... right?
Discussions can run a gauntlet of topics, association of pets and relatives to model railroading being one. Open expression of information is what this is all about.
Boy O Boy!!
I hope Rails gets better, it's tough to have a pet sick.
As to the original question of OP, Tux's hair gets everywhere, but seemingly doesn't cause any problems on the layout. She doesn't get up there for long periods of time though, only to get to me usually.
I am sorry that some of you have found this thread offensive or off topic. As if it hasn't happened before. I'm also sure that C.Sam had only humorous intentions with his post as that is an old and long running joke. I hope all enjoy the day, their trains, and their pets!
jim, we have had pet threads before. dogs, cats other critters. take it easy and just don't read this thread if it bothers you. don
Our all-white cat, Noel, used to explore the layout but never when I was around. The only way I could discern she had been up there walking its streets was seeing tufts of her fur at the ends of utility poles and at the ends of tree branches. I simply used an inside-out strip of masking-tape to remove the tufts and smiled. (Lord only knows what may still be festooning itself from the roofs of my tunnels!)
Oh well, gotta luv dem kitties!
FrankM.
There is one additional benefit to being owned by a cat. This weekend I was running my newly purchased Atlas Jersey Central GP-9. The loco had been on the layout for all of 2 minutes when for some reason it picked a switch where nothing picks a switch, rolled on its side and began a free fall to the floor. Only someone who has lived and interacted with cats could move as quickly as I did, catching the loco mere inches from a cold hard outcome. And no details were damaged. Try that dog owners.
Originally Posted by necrails:
There is one additional benefit to being owned by a cat. This weekend I was running my newly purchased Atlas Jersey Central GP-9. The loco had been on the layout for all of 2 minutes when for some reason it picked a switch where nothing picks a switch, rolled on its side and began a free fall to the floor. Only someone who has lived and interacted with cats could move as quickly as I did, catching the loco mere inches from a cold hard outcome. And no details were damaged. Try that dog owners.
cat-like reflexes!!!!!
George
Originally Posted by necrails:
There is one additional benefit to being owned by a cat. This weekend I was running my newly purchased Atlas Jersey Central GP-9. The loco had been on the layout for all of 2 minutes when for some reason it picked a switch where nothing picks a switch, rolled on its side and began a free fall to the floor. ...
I thought you were going to say the loco landed on the cat, which would have made to story a bit more dramatic, though your gymnastics were a pretty good mental picture as well (!)
I hear dog owners are pretty good at catching Frisbees though. Or would that be people owned by dogs?
Cats are also self cleaning, they don't need laundering as described earlier. Very low maintenance creatures.
More pictures of cats and trains please?
No running trains here at our house means no train pictures with cats/dogs/birds... yet
From a couple of years ago, here is one of our cats observing the Rudolph train from a safe distance.
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