# My cat. Eats algae.



## Rosewood (Apr 18, 2004)

I am a bigtime serious fish freak (no, seriously--I'm actually writing my own book) and own several aquariums and more fish than I could ever hope to count. I also seem to have a strange attraction to bottom feeders--I have no less than 8 bottom feeders in just one 30 gal. tank. In order to support all of these fish, I run through a lot of algae tablets. Well, I left a bag of them out once, and my kitty Rosewood apparently found a way to get into it--and ate every last one. It isn't like she doesn't get enough to eat; she has top-of-the-line cat food available to her 24/7 and I do my best to get her different varieties of it whenever possible. 

Why does my cat--my very PICKY cat, no less--like to eat algae?

Any ideas?

Anyone?


----------



## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

Cats do like to get a little bit of greens in their diet. One reason they go after houseplants. I suppose the same would apply to your algae. Just curious though, did this just happen today?


----------



## MarkT (Jan 17, 2005)

I wouldn't let him make a habit of eating the algae. Just get him some cat treats and let him have them. I can't say that there would be anything in the algae wafers that would harm him in the long run but, just to play it safe, I would keep them where he can't get to them.


----------



## Rosewood (Apr 18, 2004)

No; didn't just happen today--she eats my algae tabs any time she can get to them. I keep them in a drawer so she can't find them, but I have to be really, really careful not to leave the drawer open. 

She is a she, by the way.

edit: She won't eat cat treats. I've tried that.


----------



## BoscosMum (Apr 29, 2004)

Hmmmmm? Weird?


----------



## Lynda J (Sep 8, 2004)

I don't think algea will hurt your cat. I take Spirulena every day. It's bluegreen alga which is full of beta carotenoin. 
I have 5 fish tanks and they only require one alga eater per tank to keep mine clear. If you are needing that many bottom feeders in your tank to keep the alga under control something else is going on. One inch of fish body length per gallon of water. The only one of my tanks I have any trouble with is the one with the Firemouths. Seems there is always a yellow cast to the water no matter what I do, but it is clear.


----------



## emrldsky (Aug 31, 2004)

Lynda J said:


> I don't think algea will hurt your cat. I take Spirulena every day. It's bluegreen alga which is full of beta carotenoin.
> I have 5 fish tanks and they only require one alga eater per tank to keep mine clear. If you are needing that many bottom feeders in your tank to keep the alga under control something else is going on. One inch of fish body length per gallon of water. The only one of my tanks I have any trouble with is the one with the Firemouths. Seems there is always a yellow cast to the water no matter what I do, but it is clear.


I understood the # of bottom feeders was because she liked them, and needed the algae tablets to keep them fed. I don't know much about fish, so I could be wrong.


----------



## BoscosMum (Apr 29, 2004)

Yup....she likes the bottom feeders.
Me too...I dont know what it is about them.
I always had like 10 in my tanks.


----------

