Hamster safety regarding a new cat!

[gnj4eva_2009]

my 2 cats sit there and watch the hamsters moving around in the hammie unit at night but as soon as we look at them they clear off as they know theyre in trouble if not.

[Hammie]

My dog goes a bit crazy for the hamster especially if he is in his ball - he chases it around if he can but I usually either shut him out or give him a bone to try and distract him.

When he's in his cage he only bothers him if he is visible (i.e. travelling through tubes) but he can't reach him, and I don't think the Ham is scared (he rolled straight into the dog last night in his ball)

[lo-lee-ta]

Wow! Thank you for all of your replies, i knew i'd get some good advice on here! Ok, i'm going to buy a book case to load all of the hamster housing onto and hopefully the new kitty won't see him/ try to eat as much

I'll shoo him away from the cage and shout his name where he goes near to deter him! Thank you so much for all of your advice! xxx

[Cheeky]

Originally Posted by chavers

Every instinct I have is screaming NO! at the moment, but from what you guys are saying it sounds quite do-able as long as you are sensible. A guy at work taught his cat not to hurt the hamster and he says eventually they were best friends, and the cat used to gently carry the hamster up the stairs in its mouth!!!

I hate to be the voice of dissent, but I think if the hamster can be moved, it should be moved, at least for the first month you have the cat. Especially if the cat is not as domesticated toward humans, it will have more predatory instincts. I have had cats all my life until the last 2 years so I have seen how determined some of them can be. You need time to assess how the cat truly behaves before deciding if it will be okay in the same room as the hamster.

I have a friend whose cat actually managed to leap from a chest of drawers onto a shelf where she had her hamster cage, then knock the cage off the shelf to get at the hamster. Sadly, the hamster was eaten.

If it's truly impossible to move the ham, then obviously you have to take your chances. but if it's a matter of some inconvenience and that's it, move him for a month, decide if it's safe and then move him back if it is. Just my opinion

[catz4m8z]

I think I would want to restrict access to the cat too. Even a very socialable cat would find a Hammie irrestible when young and 9mths is still a kitten really. If you cant, make sure every part of the cage is very secure so the cat cant break it and maybe get a secure lock on the door (just so you dont accidently leave the door open).
I have lost a Hamster this way before. Either I didnt shut the door properly or he broke out but in the morning all they had left was his nose on the kitchen floor. Hamsters just dont seem to have enough fear of cats and dogs.
Inigo lives in my back bedroom (off limits to cats and dogs) and I had to buy a small electric heater on a timer for the room coz it is cold and damp if not heated. My mice are downstairs in a very dear glass tank with metal lid. Even that is placed where the cats cant sit on it and everyone is banned from the room overnight.

[Hope]

Just the nose?! Poor little ham

[catz4m8z]

I know. Poor little boy wasnt even that old and sadly most people's reaction to that story is to laugh!
Ive learnt my lesson though, and now there is no unsupervised access to any of my little fluffies.

[lo-lee-ta]

Originally Posted by Fiz

I hate to be the voice of dissent, but I think if the hamster can be moved, it should be moved, at least for the first month you have the cat. Especially if the cat is not as domesticated toward humans, it will have more predatory instincts. I have had cats all my life until the last 2 years so I have seen how determined some of them can be. You need time to assess how the cat truly behaves before deciding if it will be okay in the same room as the hamster.

I have a friend whose cat actually managed to leap from a chest of drawers onto a shelf where she had her hamster cage, then knock the cage off the shelf to get at the hamster. Sadly, the hamster was eaten.

If it's truly impossible to move the ham, then obviously you have to take your chances. but if it's a matter of some inconvenience and that's it, move him for a month, decide if it's safe and then move him back if it is. Just my opinion

Hello! Gosh, thats awful, i guess you can't even rely on the safety of moving the cage off the ground either then? I can definately move him to my room, its not incovineince, just the fact that my room is freezing and the only place he would fit would be next to the window. The window is right above a radiator tho, shall i move him there? Thanks for your advice and sorry to hear about your friends hamster. xx

[lo-lee-ta]

Originally Posted by catz4m8z

I think I would want to restrict access to the cat too. Even a very socialable cat would find a Hammie irrestible when young and 9mths is still a kitten really. If you cant, make sure every part of the cage is very secure so the cat cant break it and maybe get a secure lock on the door (just so you dont accidently leave the door open).
I have lost a Hamster this way before. Either I didnt shut the door properly or he broke out but in the morning all they had left was his nose on the kitchen floor. Hamsters just dont seem to have enough fear of cats and dogs.
Inigo lives in my back bedroom (off limits to cats and dogs) and I had to buy a small electric heater on a timer for the room coz it is cold and damp if not heated. My mice are downstairs in a very dear glass tank with metal lid. Even that is placed where the cats cant sit on it and everyone is banned from the room overnight.

Thats horrible! Im so sorry to hear about your hamster and annoyed that people's response is laughter
You're right, i think i'm just going to be reeeeeeally careful and never leave them alone in the room together. The door to the living room is very heavy and the cat wouldnt be able to open it so i'll make sure he's locked out at night Thanks xxxx

[fluffymunchkins]

Originally Posted by lo-lee-ta

Hello! Gosh, thats awful, i guess you can't even rely on the safety of moving the cage off the ground either then? I can definately move him to my room, its not incovineince, just the fact that my room is freezing and the only place he would fit would be next to the window. The window is right above a radiator tho, shall i move him there? Thanks for your advice and sorry to hear about your friends hamster. xx

I would defintely not put them above or next to the radiator, this will cause extreme heat and cause death in hammies
I would say that its better for them to be cold them really hot. But if provided with lots of bedding and nesting material, they should be fine