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Old 01-28-2014, 07:19 AM   #1
luxbear
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Question Cats and hams

Maybe this is a silly question, but can cats and hamsters co-exist peacefully in the same house? I'm considering adopting a cat. My Robo's tank will undoubtedly require more barriers.
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Old 01-28-2014, 07:23 AM   #2
chinesehammy
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Default Re: Cats and hams

I think it probably depends on the nature of the cat and if they are used to hunting. A aquariam or zoozone would probably be best.
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Old 01-28-2014, 07:26 AM   #3
luxbear
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Default Re: Cats and hams

Yeah my ham is currently in a glass tank with a mesh cover. It would definitely need a sturdier cover. I also lounge a lot with my ham out of the tank, so I just don't know if it's a good idea.

I've heard these amazing stories though of cats and hams getting along just fine, so I figured I'd ask!
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Old 01-28-2014, 07:55 AM   #4
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Default Re: Cats and hams

I don't have a cat, but maybe somebody who has cats and hamsters could comment. I have heard of cats harassing small animals though.
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Old 01-28-2014, 08:22 AM   #5
a_small_pineapple
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Default Re: Cats and hams

Personally, I wouldn't take the risk... it's not nice to think about but my cousins robos were caught by their cats. They had escaped from their cage.

If you do get the kitty, make sure they're always kept apart... with closed doors between the hams and the cat, it only takes a second for something bad to happen and a cats instinct is going to tell it to catch the rodent.
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Old 01-28-2014, 10:34 AM   #6
Grey
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Default Re: Cats and hams

I have two cats and they are not allowed in my room (where Tribble, my Syrian female is kept) unless I'm in there, and if I am in there, they are not allowed too near the cage. We've established some form of "agreement" where they can sit at the door or on my bed, away from the cage, and watch. The moment they get too close they are scooted out of the room. If I find I need to leave the room for any reason they are scooted off my bed unless someone else is upstairs and can keep watch.

Odd as it may sound, they both seem to have learned that, as long as they are sat on their behinds by my door, they can stay. If they get too close, I stand up, they sit back down and behave. Of course, if Tribble is out in her playpen I do not let the cats in, the door is shut completely. If I find I need (or want to) take Tribble downstairs to the living room or bathroom in future it'll be the same thing. I also make sure the cats do not scent anything near the cage so as to reduce stress through smell.

Our cats have also been encouraged to spend more time outside, especially our larger, more curious male cat, so whenever they are outside my bedroom door is left open. Whenever they are inside and I'm not in my room the door is shut and the window opened a fraction. In the summer it's my plan to either do the same or simply ensure the cats are out more often (which, if I recall correctly, they usually are in the summer anyway).

If yours is going to be a housecat, you'll need to consider how you'll separate him or her from your hamster in the summer, when temperatures are up and air flow needs to be high.

As long as you can provide a barrier between the cage/tank and the cat it should be fine. Accidents can and do happen, unfortunately, but with a plan in place to keep the cats and cage/tank separate you might be surprised to find that they can exist in the same house, but not directly co-exist (ie. out and about at the same time).
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Old 01-28-2014, 11:07 AM   #7
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Default Re: Cats and hams

Quote:
Originally Posted by luxbear View Post
Yeah my ham is currently in a glass tank with a mesh cover. It would definitely need a sturdier cover. I also lounge a lot with my ham out of the tank, so I just don't know if it's a good idea.

I've heard these amazing stories though of cats and hams getting along just fine, so I figured I'd ask!
If you do get a cat, you'd need to keep the hamsters and the cat separate. And you can't let the hamster free roam or in their playpen if the cat is around.

I don't want to scare you but I do want you a reality check. It takes seconds for a cat to attack and often the first thing a cat would do would be to break the back of it's prey. It's a natural instinct but this would mean having to put the hamster down.

A lot of members here have cats but they are very disciplined about keeping the hamster and cat separate and making sure the hamster is not stressed. So it's not impossible to own both but it does require adjusting to a new situation.
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Old 01-28-2014, 11:14 AM   #8
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Default Re: Cats and hams

I would keep the cat of the room the hamster was in
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Old 01-28-2014, 01:05 PM   #9
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Default Re: Cats and hams

I have a cat and a hammy. Tabitha is always shut out of spare room where hanster lives. I never let her follow me in unless I can see bubbles safely in cage. Just use common sense.
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Old 01-28-2014, 02:38 PM   #10
manders31
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Default Re: Cats and hams

I have two cats and never had a problem with my first hamster. His cage was kept in a high place that they could not get too and he was never unsupervised during play time.

I think it helps that I also have a bird and when my cats have tried to bother him he has bitten them, hard. They have kind of learned that other pets are off limits and if they don't defend themselves then mommy will.

My current hamster seems to be afraid of the cats (normal) where as my first one seemed indifferent so just for his personal comfort I will probably have his play time supervised and in a different room.
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