Can alarms cause harm to a hamster?

[TheThirdFish]

Hello hi, I'm new here and have no idea what im doing, but for the last few moths I've started preparing for a hamster. I've made a cage (90 x 45 x 45) that is connected to another (40 x 25 or so + second level) via tubes. I have made and bought what's necessary*.

Now, before buying the actual hamster, I'm a bit scared that my cat will harm it, either by knocking the small cage over or other forces. If this proves to be a problem, I'll move the setup into my bedroom, that has a door** I can close. But because of me sleeping in there, I wake up by a set alarm.

So, basically, my question is; can the alarm stress out/scare/harm the hamster in any way?

* (toys, wheel, bedding, bottles, food, treats, hiding spots, bath sand, toilet, digging box) I am also planning for more diy things do do at a later date.
** ( I live in an apartment where the livingroom, where the cage is currently in, doesnt have a door. The only doors in the entire apartment are to the bathroom and my bedroom)

[souffle]

An alarm won't bother your hammy as long as it isn't sitting right on top of its cage. They soon get used to household noises such as TV and the vacuum.
You will not be able to leave your hamster unattended with the cat in the lounge though. Even if he cannot get at the hamster, having a prey animal mooching round the cage and maybe pawing at the roof or bars will stress the hamster out too. I'd go for keeping the set up in the bedroom where you know it can be safely locked up. Cats will definitely try and knock over the attached cage. The large unit does sound large enough as a stand alone though so at first I would just use that and see how hammy settles.
Having a ham in the bedroom can cause some noise issues remember when they wheel and scrabble around at night so be aware of this.

[Crystalroborovski]

I don't think the alarm would stress your hamster out. I use an alarm clock and it doesn't bother my hammies at all :)
As for the cat, it is best to generally keep your cat away from your hamster especially when you aren't around. I bought a glass reptile terrarium with a wire mesh locking lid for my hamster cage. I love it because there is no way my kitty could get to the hamsters, though I don't allow her in my bedroom when I'm not around to monitor her. For emergencies I keep a squirtbottle of water to spray her if she gets on top of the hamster cage and traumatized them, though I haven't had to use it (fingers crossed!).

[AprilPearl]

As others have said, it will be fine to keep your hamster in the same room as your alarm. What is not fine, is to have your cat in the same room! Trust me. I have two cats who have never been allowed anywhere near my hamsters (except in their dreams). But, if they did get into the same room I know they would not stop until they had opened that cage. It just isn't worth the risk.

[InkyPen]

My Syrian lives in the middle of my (tiny) flat, in the kitchen / lounge area, between the bedroom and loo. She hears *everything*, from cooking sounds to alarms to the shower, and even downstairs' loud building works. They get used to normal sounds pretty quickly, and she's a very calm hamster - she will only flinch if there's a very sudden sound that would make most humans jump.

They're more hardy than we give them credit for sometimes ;)

[Thin Lizzy]

Your alarm won't be a problem, it's important they get use to everyday noises.
All cats are hunters and given the chance they could do harm, even if the ham is in a cage, their claws can cause serious injury.
It's like AprilPearl says, hers aren't allowed in the same room.