Jasper the cat loves fish. Most cats do, but they consider fish a delightful snack. Not Jasper, though. His fish love isn’t about his tummy. It’s because he appreciates the serenity he feels as he watches them swim and flit through their aquarium. And his tank isn’t just one he gazes at from afar. His mom ensured this special kitty could be fully immersed in a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree view. And Jasper gets to keep his paws dry the whole time.
This remarkable fish tank has a hollow acrylic cube rising from its bottom, allowing Jasper to slip beneath the aquarium and poke his head into the cube for an ultimate fish gazing experience.
Cat Love & Creative Thinking
Melissa Krieger has had fish tanks her whole life, and as she told Bored Panda, “I love watching my fish.”
So do her cats.
And their love of fish gazing inspired a conversation between Melissa and tank expert Jason of Aquatics and Exotics in Cincinnati, Ohio. Jason has been cleaning Melissa’s tanks for fifteen years, and over that time, a friendship has formed. And during one of his two-week maintenance visits, Melissa and Jason watched as her cats enjoyed the tank, and Melissa had a thought.
Melissa explained, “I said, ‘Wouldn’t it be fun to have one of those pop-up areas, like in a children’s zoo, inside the tank for the cats?’ Jason said, ‘I can do that!’ He did some drawings and pricing, I said yes, and he built it!”
“We have had a tank in the same spot since our house was built 15 years ago. I have 4 cats and a chair next to the tank. They would all sit and watch fish from time to time.”
Melissa knew her cats, Siamese brother and sister Jasper and Willow, and two Russian Blues, Indigo and Cobalt, would find the viewing cube fascinating. But as things go with felines, it was about a month before any of the kitties would try it out. Melissa remained patient, sharing, “We did not want to force anything but soon cat curiosity took over and Jasper was the first to do it.”
@jasperthecatfish
From Jasper’s point of view
First Cat In
Melissa wasn’t surprised her “little stinker” was first to give the tank a look. She described her boy as a “curious” cat who loves a box.
“Any box, any size,” said Melissa. “I just walked in the house and he is sitting in a little plastic box you store leftovers in. It was on my kitchen counter and there he is. Just looking at me like ‘what?’”
Since Jasper has such a penchant for boxes, it makes sense this silly Siamese was the first to try the inverted box that let him get up close and purrsonal with the fishies!
And here’s something fun to know. Some of Melissa’s fish are older than three-year-old Jasper. So, the scaled ones are used to the cats, and the parrotfish even enjoy saying hello when the kitties come calling.
Sister Willow likes to have her time in the tank, too, but Jasper doesn’t much like sharing!
But just because he doesn’t want to take turns with the tank doesn’t mean Jasper isn’t the best brother ever. In fact, one of Melissa’s favorite things about her blue-eyed boy is the way he cares about his kitty siblings.
“They all cuddle together and it’s so cute. A big kitty pile of coziness.”
You can catch Jasper and his dreamy aquarium experience on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook.
H/T: www.upworthy.com
Feature Image: @jasperthecatfish/TikTok