But then you'd have to put in a lion to keep out the dog, an elephant to keep out the lion, a mouse to keep out the elephant, a cat to keep out the mouse and you're back where you started...

Thanks for the ideas! I too have four cats and have thought about this issue myself, while I wait for my Estonia to complete its leisurely sail across the Atlantic. At least one of the cats liked to sit on top of my old upright while I played and this is the one I suspect may have a keen interest in investigating the interior of a grand! Maybe a few "bad" (but not harmful) experiences may change his mind, if he tries anything!

Get one of those Chinese screens that are several feet high...I've seen some that are done somewhat open in design - so as to not interefere with the music - but would interfere with a cat trying to get to the piano.

The Shakey Can of Doom (SCoD) does not work on my dog. To the contrary - it just spurs her on to new heights of exhuberant naughtiness. And she loves to freak out the cats with it.

A cat's first introduction to the SCoD generally comes along with a liberal dosage of "No! NO! NO!!! MAMA SAID NO!!!", so the cats get the point.

Even a Bengal should figure out that it's a cease and desist order. ;o)

I have only told one person about the SCoD who could not get it to work, she told me. She was the "now, honeyyyyy, don't do that....no, no, no sweetie" type (so am I, generally, but not when I want to correct bad behavior). When I was visiting her house and the aforementioned "impervious" cat jumped up to get inside the box with the freshly delivered pizza, I very quietly picked up the SCoD and snuck up on him and launched a surprise attack...he vaulted several feet in the air and went several directions at once.

One strong correction is worth several hundred feeble attempts. =)

Kugelis - you'll have to let me know what issues arise with your inquisitive one

Hmmm, a Chinese screen. Kluurs, that gives me a different train of ideas....or maybe one of those Middle Eastern ones with the wood filligree. There's a thought, if I could get it close enough to the piano body to make the logistics difficult for the cat.

The shakey can might be worth a try as well. It (or some variant thereof) has been discussed for years as a standard piece of training equipment, although I can see where a dog might be more pleased than perturbed (new toy! New toy!! Woof!).
Will let you know, Prodigal, if my Bengal 'gets it.' I don't think Bengals as a breed are particularly dense, I just think this one isn't the sharpest knife in the block. Big, sweet, handsome and dumb.

Think I'll do without the whole elephant in the piano thing, Mikewu99. Besides, where would I find a mouse? They seem to avoid my house for some reason. I've never paid attention to whether the elephants stay away.

I might have missed a response, but did you consider Mikhailoh's string cover suggestion? It doesn't stop the cat getting in, but limits the damage if it does.

I'd keep the cat out when playing, but that's not the answer you wanted, is it .

Depending on the size of your room, you may find you are not always playing with the lid up. Another thought.

Well, this has actually happened to me on more than one occasion. Really gets me going, too. The cat, sadly, doesn't seem to care how mad I get.

What an educational thread! We are already deciding how many SCoD we need at our house. I think they will work rather well.

We have cats who are scared to go outside because I have done the extreme "NO, NO, NO, MOMMA SAYS NOOO!" at an earsplitting level just a few times. They must have good recall.

I was going to suggest a large piano shawl to cover the opening, but then I pictured the ones I have seen, and they usually have fringe. That's nothing but a cat magnet. So scrap that idea.

The SCoD seems the best option, and we will be making several. Ours may be afraid to go outside, but indoors they think they own the place.

Well, I am desperate enough to try the can thing recommended by Mikhailoh. I have a stubborn, obstinate cat that really allows me, as a special favor, to feed and care for her. She doesn't get inside my grand, but does leap on top of it. In order to protect the finish, I have it covered with a --shudder, shudder, shawl. Hate the thing, but it does protect the lid from minute scratches. I rush to get it off the piano when anyone is coming, but really have not come up with anything better to keep her off the lid.
She is very obstinate, and independent and decided to let me know that she is in charge of where she chooses to sit. So, as soon as she found out I considered the piano "off limits," she immediately challenged me.
So,off to the store to get a soda can, and hopefully to establish that it is I who make the rules. Gaby tu

In my house the lid cover will likely be a saddle blanket or serape - a shawl just WOULDN'T go with my pueblo/southwest/rustic decor. Of course neither does a shiny, black grand piano but that's beside the point. Of course I have an actual quilted piano cover that I bought - which arrived what looks like twelve weeks ahead of the piano - but I may only need that on the days the cleaning lady comes, to convince her to leave the piano alone (por favor, no limpia aqui'!). Unfortunately serapes also have fringe - the saddle blanket has a tassel at each corner but it isn't a complete row of cat-attracting fringe.

Currawong, no doubt I will often play with the lid down, as I said in earlier posts, but on occasion will need it up. The cat that is the most obstinate (similar to the one gabytu describes) is not the one who is all over the piano when I'm playing, but the one who IS right in the thick of it is a slow learner and seems to just tune me out most of the time unless I'm ripping up raw meat for him (or trying to play the piano).

All four of mine are indoors-only, but not for lack of trying to get out. Except the fat, arthritic, toofless calico, who does get backyard priviledges because she couldn't get over the wall if she wanted to (nor onto/into the piano). As a five-year veteran of volunteering at my local animal shelter, I'm too aware of how many cats become coyote food around here and I'm not willing to take that chance....although the mountain lions and coyotes need to eat, too. They can eat someone else's cat.

I don't think loud noises is a way to teach a cat anything.

I have two cats and each of them had two major butt spankings after each of them jumped up on the piano.

I have had the piano now for three years and the cats stay away from the piano. I have NEVER ever spanked my cats before...there was no need...but just a few times for the piano training.

Cats can be trained people... at least my cats can.

Spanking isn't something I would do to a cat (or dog). I'll hope that the shake can, a couple of really really strong hisses or total disinterest on their part keeps them out. In all likelihood the hiss will be most effective since it's what they naturally understand. In the meantime I'll continue thinking about my cage since clearly there isn't such a thing available on the market.

To control our dog's barking at the door (yes, I know this is about cats) we invested in a sonic bark collar. When worn by the animal and she barks, the collar emits a really irritating, high-pitched squeak Pickles just hates. She WILL NOT make a noise when she's wearing the collar.

My point: these collars come pretty small and lighweight: http://www.americas-pet-store.com/details/prodid/100.html
and are adjustable for sensitivity. Why not try applying this to the cat? If worn (by the cat, I know what you were all thinking!) while you practice, and it is set to the proper sensitivity, it might provide enough deterrent to keep kitty away and out of/off the new piano! And no carpentry needed. Just a thought.

There you go - the invisible fence around the piano... Cat goes near the fence - zap!!

Well, we could just electrify the strings...

I didn't make the above post too clear: the sensitivity on the collar would need to be set so that the sound of the piano would set it off if kitty ventured too close.

I don't have cats or dogs (just fish and kids). I just wish someone would change the title of this thread. It messes with my mind every time I see it.

Wouldn't that make it into an electric piano, though? I've heard of the training collar for cats and there are some websites that tout the 'invisible fence' for cats, I found them when I was searching for 'cat enclosure' 'cat restraint' and other things, none of which, by the way, included a kitty straitjacket (which typing 'cat restraint' made me think of just now).

I started the thread....is there a way for me to change its title? I'll look at the "move topic" button and see what that does.

We keep our cat indoors at night, but it's not to protect him from the wildlife, it's to protect the wildlife from him.

Well, if Don Gilmore's tuning system takes off, maybe he can add in the circuitry for an "electonic fence." Tune the piano and chase the cats away all with one button!

How about a pie tin full of marbles for a cat (or dog) who gets on top of a (closed) piano? Put a shawl on the piano, and a pie tin of marbles on top of the shawl. If the cat, in leaping up, dislodges the pie tin, the marbles will ATTACK him or her, and they will never try it again.

Dear Rank,
What? You've never heard of the "Shaky Can of Doom"?

Check out some prior posts in this thread for a humorous lesson on building cat training devices. My favorite is the SCoD.

"add in the circuitry for an "electonic fence." Tune the piano and chase the cats away all with one button!"

Now, there's efficiency at work.

Rank Piano Amateur - I'm not concerned about the cats getting on the closed piano. They'll be welcome up there if they really want to be there. It's getting inside the open piano that is the concern. I sure don't want to be chasing marbles all around the inside of my piano .....although there are worse things one might have to chase. Happily, I've seen no evidence of need for an exterminator in my house, but the thought gives me the creeps. Say, I've read that glue is a component of piano parts - I know that roaches like to eat glue. Anyone ever have trouble with cockroaches inside their piano? YUCK! We could start a new thread.....

HHHhhhmmm... you don't yet know for sure whether the cat will actually want to get into the piano while you're playing it? A wait-and-see approach seems obvious here.

Then, if it does prove to be a temptation, wouldn't the easiest and most logical solution be to simply shut the cat in another room whilst you play?

So, to summarise:

[1] It seems like no-one knows of a device specifically designed for your purpose. That's not to say it doesn't exist, but it's looking unlikely.

[2] Will the cat want to get inside the piano? You know your cat . Try it and see.

[3] If it does, you can:
(a) try disciplinary/training measures (see SCoD)
(b) lock the cat out (or yourself in) (not favoured by you)
(c) try a string cover for the inside. This should protect the innards to some extent, but it may just seem like an invitation to the cat.

Shutting the cats out of the room is not an option, so I think the device will have to be a custom job if cat seems determined to get in the piano. I can envision something that would actually look pretty nice. Who knows, maybe the niche market will allow me to retire young and spend all my time at home playing the piano.

To edit a post - including the title of a thread you have started - click on the edit button (sheet of paper with pencil). That will allow you to change the title of the thread.

Regards,

If you leave the lid up they will probably try to get on top of the sloping outside surface and slide down....are they declawed???? You will wish you had shut the lid...I have had cats and grand pianos for years.... best to keep the piano closed and keep a blanket or cover on the lid. Cats will barf on top of the blanket rather than your nice finish.... :p Also this cuts down on hair balls on the sound board. We once rebuilt a Steinway that had become a litter-box...don't even think about that job!!!

Three pages and no one has yet submitted the foolproof 100% guaranteed way to prevent the cat from leaping into the piano:

Get Rid of the Cat

+++++++++++++++++

If anyone asks I would be pleased to post the instructions for giving a pill to a cat.

The voltage is way too low.

How about an ultrasonic CatScram?

http://www.odordestroyer.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=CatRepellents

If you like, I can turbocharge it for you!

Don A. Gilmore
Kansas City

Msks - yeah, they might try to climb but I won't "leave" the lid up, although I may want it up while playing. I really think they'd only try this if the top were covered with fabric or something. Mojo might try to jump up there, though. He's more of a jumper. My cats are not declawed, except for the one who came that way from the shelter. Once I learned that declawing is not a removal of claws but rather is actually an amputation of their toes, I could never do that. I'm not really too concerned about the aesthetics of the finish....but hairballs on the soundboard would NOT be cool. I doubt anyone would use the piano as a litterbox. For one thing, it will only be open when I am playing it. For another, none of the cats ever seems to consider using anything other than the litter boxes, of which there are three in the house. But the hairballs and cat barf....well it's a force to be reckoned with!