Rat Forum banner
1 - 17 of 17 Posts

· Registered
Joined
·
114 Posts
Discussion Starter · #1 ·
My daughter has fallen in love with my rats. She would love to get a pair of rats, but she has a male cat about 3 years old. Does anyone here have cats too?? We are wondering if her cat would just spend all day trying to get at the rats if she were to get some. We dont want the rats to be tormented all day. Her cat is very large and strong.... so we are not so sure. Is there a way to socialize the cat to rats? Thanks friends.. cindy :?
 

· Registered
Joined
·
418 Posts
We have 8 (+2 kittens right now) cats and only 2 bother my rat. So I just keep them locked out of my room. I know some rats will attack a cat that is sticking it's paw in the cage. The only sucess with socializing cats to rats I've ever had was from a very young age, so I wouldn't recomend trying at his age (though he also might be past his really playful age and not care about the rats). Good luck!
 

· Registered
Joined
·
236 Posts
My cats were curious till Zero attacked them, heh. So now they just watch from a distance.
 

· Registered
Joined
·
15 Posts
when i lived with my parents we had four cats along with my rats. I remember the day i brought them home my cat punkin jumped up on the table and was sniffing them. Matilda grabbed her hair and tried to bite her where punkin promptly fell of the desk and never bothered them again. I'm guessing she told the other cats as well since they never bothered them either. hehe it made me laugh.
 

· Registered
Joined
·
197 Posts
Omg how ironic.. i just video taped my rat climbing all over my ((big)) male cat King Tut.. im atually ganna post it within a couple days. In the video you can tell the cat has no interest in TempleTon and totally ignores him (('Tuts sleepin in the video but IS aware TempleTon is there)).. im not afraid of 'Tut being around my rats alone cuz hes like so cool about my rats. Plus 'Tut doesnt kill small animals.. he just catches them, brings them home unharmed and releases them in the house, lol. anyway i wouldnt mind the cat.. just dont attempt what i do at home.
 

· Registered
Joined
·
56 Posts
My cat who hunts ALOT and brings in all sorts, birds mice etc has never bothered with my rats, i think he knows the consequnces if he ever did! my dog on the other hand gets way too over exicited when they are out but I think it completely depends on the animal. although she was never bothered until her nose was bit by a rat!
 

· Registered
Joined
·
798 Posts
lol... this sounds too much like a confidence booster. Don't let all of these stories about how cats get along with rats mislead you into thinking that a cat will automatically ignore your rats because their natural instinct as a predetor tells them exactly the opposite... not only that but if a cat does get a hold of a rat (as we all know that rats are quite capable escape artists) it pretty much has no chance. Don't quote me on this but if I'm not mistaken a cat has so much bacteria under its claws that one scratch could cause death due to infection alone. Just be weary, as long as you're sure that you can provide a safe haven for rats away from the cat, then all the power to you... I have a kitten that sits ontop of my rats cage just waiting for an oppurtunity, right now i'm guessing its more curious than anything judging by his size but you wont see me letting my rats out while the cat is lurking around...
 

· Registered
Joined
·
114 Posts
Discussion Starter · #10 ·
Hmm .. yeah I have my doubts about having the rats around her cat. I think in the long run it would be a pain. She has a very small apartment so she would have to keep them locked in her bedroom. Not sure if this is a great idea. I think I will try to convince her to just enjoy my rats. Maybe I will let her be my rat sitter when I am away. Thanks all.. cindy
 

· Registered
Joined
·
162 Posts
Yeah, I have a cat, and while I love her to pieces, I'm going to have to lock her out of my room when I get my rats. She is a farm cat and it's more in her instincts to kill small creatures. I think that if there is room for the cat and the rats to live seperate lives then it will be ok, but if they have to come into contact with each other then it could become a problem, unless they are introduced quite young.

Emy
 

· Registered
Joined
·
197 Posts
ok ive got it.. the video of my cat and TempleTon...

Ok so you se how my cat ignores him?!! oh and the big black thing is my cat, lol
my cat only flinches once and thats not to harm TempleTon it was cause TempleTon desided to stuff his nose in Kings ear ((King is my cat)).

Also heres a pic of King and TempleTon together...


((Ive got a whole bunch more pics to post.. im just not posting them till tomarrow (on a new thread) cause theres to many to post right now.))
 

· Registered
Joined
·
197 Posts
I know my cats like awsome... although he has a thing for birds so i have to keep an eye on him when hes around my 'tiel but hes cool with my ratties. and thank you for complimenting TempleTon!
 

· Registered
Joined
·
124 Posts
A total of 6 cats have been near my rats. two completely ignored them, another ignored them but would get spooked and hiss if a rat jumped on their bars of the cage to get near him. One was a mostly outside cat, who ofcourse tried to get too close to my rat. And then my cat lays near the cages and watches them, like his own little tv or something.
Cats usually don't care or will only watch.
 
1 - 17 of 17 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top