This $15 Tack Keeps the Cats From Breaking Everything I Own (Including My Dishes)

My cat Lowli is a sweet old lady with only two teeth; she spends most of her days lazing around the apartment and begging for anything that seems relatively edible. Our peaceful life of two was upended when I moved in with my sister and her two young and incredibly rowdy cats Chicken and Tuna; now, things are constantly being pushed off of shelves, knocked over, and broken. Not even the flowers I got for Valentine’s Day lasted the night.

This chaotic energy took a turn in my favor when I finally got the one thing the cats can’t beat: museum wax.

Quakehold Museum Wax 2-Ounce 2 Pack

I had initially bought museum wax to lock down Lowli’s automatic feeder because she realized she could navigate the timer if she knocked it over, knocking a few pieces of kibble loose in the process. Once I switched her off the automatic feeder, I largely forgot about the tin; it stayed in the box of miscellaneous items that moved cities with me over the last year.

When I moved in with my sister and her cats, I was so unaccustomed to having to care for glasses, bowls, and vases left unattended. Even a quick trip to the bathroom was almost immediately followed by a crash, and I became a regular at my local antique store, where I would replace broken items.

During the moving process, I unearthed my tin of museum wax, and it all clicked: This was the solution. I set it on the TV console (where it has been knocked over countless times) and started using it to lock down glasses and bowls that would normally be broken the second I turned away.

We haven’t lost a fragile item in months.

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How It Works

The actual use is really simple: Just take a glob of the wax, smear it on the bottom of the item you want to stick down, and that’s it! What makes it so easy is the removal—you can stick it to any surface (I’ve personally tried wood, laminate, and stone) and simply slide the piece off and clear away any residue with a dull knife or just your hands and a little patience.

It doesn’t leave any residue, and—best of all, in my opinion—it’s completely clear. This means any residue that might be left behind isn’t immediately visible, and you can use it for delicate decor resting on glass shelves without worrying about the aesthetic.