[nepenthes]

My rats seem a little skittish around me since I got a kitten (found a stray one)

Could it just be the new cat smell they are scared off, i did see if they were scared of the kitten, and they were. I wasnt taunting them with her, but since then they have been really skittish.



I haven't forced them to come out so... i just want my ratties to love me again!

 

[zimmyzam]

XP My older cat doesn't give a flying poo about the rats, but the younger boy is the one who killed the hamster. He was having too much fun watching the rats in my room, so whenever he got too close, I'd "gently tap" his face or "scoot" him out of the room (it didn't hurt him, not even close, but it seemed to surprise him a whole lot, heh). The rats don't seem to know that they SHOULD be scared of rats, which is weird. But combining the factors that I've trained my cat (and also had my hand on him while this happened) and my rats being fearless (or just stupid), we've got a pic of them eskimo kissing. Mom's idea, not mine.

In other words, they can learn to live together (even grudgingly).

Maybe not a good idea, but perhaps, if the kitten doesn't pose a threat... Maybe the kitten could spend alot of time in the same room as the cage, and perhaps your ratties will get used to her? Somebody else's ideas might be better.

Or, of course, you could just cuddle with them till they go back to normal.

 

[nepenthes]

Im going to spend time with them

It probably doesn't help i was sick for like a week befor we found the kitten too, i didn't hold them much... But i did when I could

shes not interested in messing with them, they are just scared to death of her.

 

[Katherose]

you might change clothes if you interact with the kitten before you interact with the rats. the cat's smell will cling to your clothes and could still frighten them.

 

[[x]RaeLovesRats[x]]

Rats have such good smell it wouldn't help much.
Our rats are kept in my room, upstairs, and all the cats are in the living room/conservatory, so they are kept well away. Mikey would (no doubt) want to eat them, Connie would like them to play with and kill in the progress, and Jasper isn't into those thought he makes mistakes like that.. :roll:
Basically I wouldn't put them in the smell room, in fact, I would do the other extreme, because, I've seen waaaay too many battered mice - and even rabbits - brought home by the cats (namely Mikey); and I'd be worried that something would happen.

 

[nepenthes]

Im NOT worried about the rats getting hurt...

what im worried about is the rats not liking me any more... they will let me pet them but thats about it... they don't want to be picked up.

 

[Katherose]

Rats have such good smell it wouldn't help much.

From personal experience, I would have to disagree with you. It would help. Especially if the OP had a hoodie or something that was just for the rats. Let them mark it up and know that that hoodie is part of their home. When I go to my in-law's house, their cats rub against me and sit in my lap and I pet them--getting their hair and smell all over me. I change clothes before I interact with my rats because they freak out if I try to hold them with cat smell all over me. As soon as I put on my "rat hoodie" though, they are climbing all over me and generally having a blast.

 

[nepenthes]

They have gotten more friendly towards me... they arent as playfull but are sitting with me on the computer chair.

Just that initial eww cat smell!