I think my kitten ate the fish

My daughter took the lid off the little tank. It's one of those little 1 gallon betta tanks that fit in a corner. Her father saw Dora the kitten playing by it and moved her. but mr fishy isn't in it. So I have looked all around to see if she flicked him on the floor, but I didn't see him, I think she ate him. I am so mad at Dora for getting him and mad at Celeste, I told her to leave it alone last night. I know it's just a fish, but I couldn't imagine being flicked out of my home and eaten while I was flopping and gasping for air. She wants a new one but I don't think we should just go and buy a new one to "replace" it, wouldn't that just teach her that they are dispossable, get rid of some thing, or let it die and just get a replacer?
I thought about getting rid of the cat too, but how can you be mad at a cat for eating a fish? That's what they do, so I am just mad at myself now, because I didn't make sure she put the lid back on and now our little fishy is gone, we have had him 2 years at christmas.

I'm sorry to hear about your fish I would be very upset too but you are right that's what cats do...it's in their nature.

I wouldn't get a replacement though, even if some people think "it's just a fish" (I love bettas and when my red betta Bob died I cried for days) it's still a living creature and needs to be treated with respect and care. Maybe she will learn from this expeirence.

Oh what a shame, but you are right - cats like fish !

Please dont feel bad its very hard to keep your attention on everything that goes one. Hopefully little fishy went on its was to the Bridge quickly.

I wouldn't get another fish either, children do hafta learn a lesson sometimes. And I wouldn't be mad at the cat either, it is just their nature.

I am sorry about the little fishy too.

The kitten is such a terror too! She is a DSH and she isn't at all like the ragdolls, I can imagine she could be the active aquivulant of a siamese or bangle, I haven't had such a nutty cat for a long time if I ever have! She is into every thing! Her mom is supposedly a papered ragdoll, and came from a cattery, she came into the shelter while I worked there, and they didn't tell me who brought her in, since I do have a ragdoll cattery myself, not that I asked. All the kittens were grey or black long hairs, but this scrwany little short haired black thing, I fostered them all and found homes for them, but just couldn't part with her, so we kept her, she is half ragdoll, but you couldn't tell at all except once in a while she is calm and will let you hold her like the others do, on her back. The others even looked like ragdolls, (other then the color) but not her, she has real short sleek hair and is going to be little and long. She knows I am mad at her, she keeps trying to climb up my leg under my pant leg, and under my blancket, she likes to curl up under the covers and sleep with you. She is being such a little dork right now, trying to get me to give her attention, I can't help but laugh at the little turkey.

Awww - it's only natural for a kitty to do that! I remember the time that my old cat, Whiskers, whose been gone for 6 years, ate my son's hamster (and left the head as a present in his doorway)! How he managed to open the cage and get the hamster out is still beyond me, but we were all traumatized by the event, particularly my son!

Hmm...now you're making me rethink things.

I would like to get a fish tank...make it CAT-TV, but I don't want to have to replace the fish all the time.

I'm truely sorry to hear for your loss.

What a shame! I probably wouldn't replace the fish either...just to make a point. Kitties will be kitties, you know.

A long time ago, we looked outside, and Melvin (our golden retriever) went running by us with a sparrow in his mouth (alive), and it's little feet were kicking! Melvin looked like he was smoking a cigar!!! We got him to open his mouth, and the bird miraculously flew away uninjured...kind of funny.

Not to take sides in this.....but (isn't there always a "but").....Bettas are notorious jumpers.

If the cover was left off the betta could have jumped out of the tank and of course, that would have made him fair game for the cat.

Do you really think that refusing to get another fish is going to teach your daughter a lesson......or do you think that if you sat down and had a nice long talk with her and explained that because of her inattention, this is the result......and now we will have to wait a few weeks (or months) before we consider getting another one, because you will need to tell me how you need to take care of the fish to make sure this doesn't happen again?

I love bettas.....I had a beautiful dark blue top with bluish red velvet underbelly and someone at work put something in the tank that should not have been put there, and Phillipe died. I know it is hard, I am going through the same thing. I know it is different circumstances but I am replacing the fish as soon as I can.

Hugs and kittykisses from KittenKiya's Clan.

Originally Posted by KittenKiya

Not to take sides in this.....but (isn't there always a "but").....Bettas are notorious jumpers.

If the cover was left off the betta could have jumped out of the tank and of course, that would have made him fair game for the cat.

Do you really think that refusing to get another fish is going to teach your daughter a lesson......or do you think that if you sat down and had a nice long talk with her and explained that because of her inattention, this is the result......and now we will have to wait a few weeks (or months) before we consider getting another one, because you will need to tell me how you need to take care of the fish to make sure this doesn't happen again?

I love bettas.....I had a beautiful dark blue top with bluish red velvet underbelly and someone at work put something in the tank that should not have been put there, and Phillipe died. I know it is hard, I am going through the same thing. I know it is different circumstances but I am replacing the fish as soon as I can.

Hugs and kittykisses from KittenKiya's Clan.

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You know, I think you're right! I once had a betta, who jumped out of his little glass globe bowl...I always caught it in time, and scooped him back in there, but I have heard that this is true!

I feel so stupid, I didn't even want to admit this, but figured I should.
I just saw the kitten messing around by the tank and thouht I saw some thing in it. I don't know where he had been, but he is in there now, I didn't see him this morning, and thought for sure Dora got him. He had been hiding I guess, I know the cat didn't put him back, nor did he jump back in. I feel so stupid to post that my cat ate him, and he was just hiding. I was looking at the tank and between his little shark and his golf ball is a little hollow spot, I think he moved them around to make a spot to hide in, do they make "nests to hide in"? He is red and his rocks are red, and I hate to admitt but the water isn't the cleanest right now, so with the golf ball, shark, red rocks and the little plants he has, he can hide with out being seen. I have him up so he can't be reached by cats our celeste. Now I hope I can remember to feed him now that he is way up on top of the fridge. I didn't want to admitt what an idiot I am, but felt bad you thought he was eaten when he wasn't Sorry.

Originally Posted by LokisMum

Awww - it's only natural for a kitty to do that! I remember the time that my old cat, Whiskers, whose been gone for 6 years, ate my son's hamster (and left the head as a present in his doorway)! How he managed to open the cage and get the hamster out is still beyond me, but we were all traumatized by the event, particularly my son!

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That is rather awful but I do have to admit I giggled because I was thinking of the Godfather when I read that.

Well, I'm glad the fish was found!!

I'm glad it all worked out and the fishy is safe and sound

Her feet were all wet and DH looked and said he wasn't there, so I looked didn't see him and was looking on the floor for him so I could put him back if he was alive, I didn't really look in the tank, he said the fish wasn't there, and her feet were wet, we assumed she ate him since I couldn't find him on the floor. I know better then to listen to dh about any thing, I should have known he can't see his hat on the bed, he weren't going to see a hinding fish I should have looked better myself.

Where do you have your fishy located at in your house? Mine sit on a small shelf up on my bedroom wall- they're completly out of reach of the kitties up there and there is also enough room for their tanks. This is what my set up looks like. Also- the top can be secured if it's in a different location by weighing it down a bit- just make sure there's enough venelation if you do that. It might not be a bad idea to find a cute shelf to put your fish on out of the reach of your daughter and the kitties

Phantom


-you might be able to see the shelf a little better in this one- it's a triple layer shelf one of my family members built a while back- it's not huge- but it's solid enough to support the weight of the fish and also it's up high enough so they can't be reached by my girls. Maybe you could go to your local hardware store or walmart and find a similar shelf to put your betta on

Mr. Magoo and his luscious mermaid ladies

Those are some very beautiful Beta's. Mine did a Kamakazi over the christmas holidays and ended up covered with fur and dried out on the floor. HE was getting old but whar a way to go. I will keep the lid on tight from now on.

I'm glad the fishy is okay Now you would have felt bad if you got rid of the cat eh?

Glad to hear it was a false alarm! I think it would be a good idea anyway to have a talk with your daughter about the dangers in leaving the lid off the tank! Anyway thank goodness that everything is ok

Oh man you just gave me my daily laugh!!!! I'm sorry, I probably shouldn't, but to be so cranky at your daughter and the cat then realise the fish was there all along...

I hope you gave the kitten an extra cuddle for blaming her