6. You think a cat might be eating your fish.
This is actually a fairly unlikely scenario. In real life, cats aren't as interested in fish as they are in cartoons. Even if you do happen to have the occasional rogue feline fish fan, it's unlikely it'll actually be able to catch any fish. Their limbs aren't very long, so the water level will need to be high for them to be able to reach the fish, plus it'll have to be a very slow-witted fish that allows itself to get caught by Felix. If you live in the US, it's possible that racoons might also be trying to eat your fish - in which case follow the guidelines below.
If you are annoyed by a cat taking an interest in your pond, there are a couple of things you can do. If it's your cat, keep it indoors. If it's your neighbour's cat, ask them to keep it indoors. Alternatively, grow some cover for your fish such as water lilies. The cat will soon lose interest if it can't actually see any fish. You could consider lowering the water level slightly to make it harder for the cat to reach the fish. And if you're concerned about potential cat attacks when building the pond, make sure you give it nice steep sides.
You could also build a fence to keep animals out, though unless it's very high and sturdy they may be able to climb it. If you're desperate you might consider a low-voltage electric animal-proof fence, though many people have issues with these for fears of animal cruelty. Though if you're prize goldfish is under threat you may not care too much.
Finally, consider buying a decoy floating alligator head. These can be fun for humans but very scary for anything else! |
