# can a cat and a fish be friends?



## kellyedie (May 27, 2010)

i live in a small apartment and want a friend for my cat, i cant get another cat bc of the finances and limited space, sooo i was thinking maybe a fish, like a beta or goldfish. i wanted to know first though, if my cat would try to knock the glass bowl over or even if there is something on top of the bowl preventing her from reaching the fish, will she still try and get it? or will she enjoy looking at the fish as she does the birds at the birdfeeder?


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## librarychick (May 25, 2008)

Honestly...yeah your cat will likely try and knock it over. Also, if you want a bowl a goldfish is a no-no.

If you want a fish probably the best/safest way for everyone involved would be getting a cheap tank off craigslist/kijiji/garage sales ect. Bettas live much more happily in larger tanks, definitely no smaller than 5 gallons. They should have a heater and some cute decorations too.

As for goldfish you would need at least 10 gallons, a filter, decorations, gravel, ect. And that's minimal. 20 gallons would be better 'cause they are really messy fish.

I have a betta, he lives in a very large vase (5 gallons) in my bathroom. A kitty no-fly zone. We keep our house warm ('cause i get cold easily) so he doesn't need a heater, and I have live hornwart in there for him to swim around. He's a very happy fish.


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

Becky is right. A goldfish needs the largest tank you can give it. They are dirty, and in addition, a small tank stunts their growth. Goldfish prefer cooler water.

And she's right about the Betta, also. They're beautiful. I can't imagine any fish having a decent life in a bowl, though; I'm sorry.  Bettas do need a heater.  

Your cat would not become friends with fish. It might enjoy watching the movement, but if the fish could be reached, it would be goodbye, fish!


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## faithless (Dec 4, 2009)

But didn't Bush say "I believe Cat and Fish can coexist together peacfully"?


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## AmberD (Dec 29, 2003)

I do agree that no fish is meant to be in a bowl, unless it's a massive one. Bettas are amazing little fish who do thrive in largers spaces and tropical temperatures. My tank of choice tended to be the 2.5 gallon MiniBows, which offered a lot of space and were really pretty  









(the tank in the middle belonged to my beloved Psychedelic, hence the crazy decor  )

That was a long time ago, and my days of having 8 or so tanks of bettas are long behind me. My last betta was in a 5 gallon MiniBow, although I really don't think the 2.5g tanks, kept warm and clean, were insufficient.

As for the cat thing, the fish are grand entertainment to the cats, and if you get a big, bad fish that's full of itself, the cat can be grand entertainment for the fish as well :lol: 

















(the cat cannot knock over 2+ gallons of water, but a top is essential so paws cannot get in and fish cannot jump out!)


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## Vivid Dawn (May 31, 2010)

I wouldn't call it "friends", but yes, the cat would definitely have a bit of entertainment. A betta does need a decent sized tank (I always put mine in 5 gallon ones). Besides, the more room it'll have to swim around in, the more it WILL swim, and the more your cat will be entertained!
The lid is very important, both so the fish doesn't jump out and the cat can't get in. My ex-husband's cat would always drink the water (never bothered with the fish, though...)

Little tanks aren't too costly. I think it's about $10 for a 2 or 5 gallon (can't remember which) at Petsmart. As mentioned, classifieds are good. There's also Freecycle, for a free one! I gave some guy my old 10 gallon for free, but it did need quite a bit of cleaning (I let the water evaporate out, rather than draining, so there was lots of mineral deposit lines all over it)

If you got at least a 10 gallon, there are other options besides Bettas. You could get a small group of guppies (the best group would be 2 males and 4 females ... NOT with a Betta! I tried, and the guppies ganged up on the poor Betta and ate his tail off!). Maybe a small (half dozen) school of Neon tetras or some glofish/danios.


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