A cat can be called a tender and affable creature, but in any of them sleeps a predator, who each time wakes up, noticing the potential prey.
And what should the owner, who has not only a cat in one apartment but also a small hamster do? It is possible to keep them together, but here you cannot do without a competent approach.
Do cats eat hamsters?
A small animal can give birth to the excitement in a cat, but it is unlikely that your fluffy pet can eat it; it will only play with him. The hamster may suffer from her clinging claws or sharp teeth. There will be no cat representative; she will strangle him and play with him like a soccer ball.
Good hunters are made of street cats because this is their main way of feeding. And even if a cat has lived at home for a long time, it has perfectly preserved all street instincts. Such an animal can eat a domestic rodent at any time.
Will a kitten and a young hamster live together?
Imagine the situation: you have a cage with a hamster at home, and you bring a little kitten to the apartment. At the first moment, the rodent will be of genuine interest to the kitten. It can sit by the cage for hours, watching the hamster behavior, but it won’t be taken seriously.
As she grows older, the kitten will get more and more used to the hamster and will gradually stop paying attention to it. The smell of the rodent and its presence surrounded the cat from the very first minute of settlement in your apartment. But it is better not to leave the animals alone!
The first aid to a hamster, if the cat bit it
If your cat and hamster have “argued” with each other, and the hamster was bitten by a mustached pet, immediately treat the wound with an antiseptic, it will prevent the process of infection. Then, take the pet to the veterinarian: it is better not to self-medicate because it is unknown what consequences it may have.
After such a situation, you should try to create the most relaxed conditions. The stress obtained by the hamster may turn into a regular concern in the future. Eliminate any contact between cat and rodent.
WARNING: The opposite situations also happen: a hamster may bite the cat. You should not be afraid that the representative of the cat will catch some infection from him. All rodent diseases are absolutely not dangerous for other pets.
The hamster, seemingly a nice and harmless rodent, can still bite. And there are several reasons for this:
- the instinct of self-preservation (most often it works in females during pregnancy);
- the beast has felt pain;
- getting into a new environment;
- sudden sharp sounds.
How to make friends with a cat and a hamster?
The Internet is full of stories about the friendship of different animals: iguana and dog, goat, and tiger. All this seems incredible, but the decisive factor is to bring them together at the youngest age possible. Although the friendship in the animal world is an amazing phenomenon. One can never say with absolute precision whether two animals will become friends or irreconcilable enemies.
The most defenseless version of dating will happen when your kitten is not older than two months. At such a young age, cats are quite defenseless: a small kitten will not be able to hurt a rodent when he decides to play with it, and in the future, your kittens can even become good friends. But here you should consider the character and temperament of all animals: not every cat can become a good friend for a hamster.
NOTE! You can teach the cat not to touch the rodent by giving it a slight click on the nose every time it begins to behave aggressively towards the hamster. Sooner or later, your cat will learn its lesson and stop responding to the animal.
Let the animals build their own relationship, but remember to keep an eye on the process. In the case of an adult cat, the chances of friendship with a hamster are significantly reduced. But it is still worth trying to bring them closer. To do this, take the cat in your arms and place it next to the hamster cage. Watch carefully how the cat will react to the rodent; don’t give it a chance to grab the hamster with its paw.
Gently pull the hamster out of the cage and gently move it closer and closer to the predator. There is a risk that the rodent will get scared and try to slip out of their hands. In this situation, cat instincts will work, so be very careful.
If the attempt to befriend the cats is not successful, do not be very upset. Adult cats and hamsters get along with each other in very rare cases.
How to protect the pets from each other?
Even if your animals are good friends, you should never forget about security measures. A cat is an unpredictable animal: instincts can take it up.
- It is necessary to feed your animals in different places. Do not allow a hamster to start eating from a cat’s cup.
- The hamster cage should be as far away from places where the cat likes to rest as possible. There is no need to provoke a conflict once again!
- Put the cage at a sufficient height: so that the cat could not get it. Otherwise, the cat can stick its paw through the bars and hurt the hamster very badly.
- The cage door must close securely so that the cat can’t open it on its own.
- Pay more attention to your cat: so that she doesn’t have jealous attacks. Feed her a delicious meal and show her love carefully.
- More often, arrange active games for the domestic predator, take it outside, direct all the energy into a peaceful direction.
- Do not scold the cat for its instincts, which it can not change. so you risk turning the cat against you.
- The hamster can’t stay in the cage all the time, it should run around the room, but only under supervision. The cat may attack it so quickly that you won’t even be able to blink an eye.
Will a Cat Eat a Hamster?
If your cat is hunting hamsters, it is important to know the causes of their attacks and how to prevent them. Some cats do not hunt hamsters. Other cats are skittish and do not bother to chase the rodents. Even if a cat does hunt a pound hog, the hamster will probably not survive its bite, and it may even develop an infection. It is best to visit the vet and disinfect the wounds.
One way to keep a hamster safe from your cat is to keep it in an exercise ball or cage. You can purchase one that is designed for hamsters with a secure lid. Before buying a hamster cage, you can check the lid to make sure it is secure. If it does not, try pulling on the lid and turning it upside down. Then close it. If it is not, take a step back and wait until it is safe to introduce the kitty to its new friend.
If you are curious whether cats eat hamsters, it is important to know their diet. Cats are omnivores, and they will consume hamsters in small quantities. It is a healthy habit to give a hamster extra food once you introduce it to your cat. Besides that, providing more food to your cat will decrease its chance of catching the hamster, but this won’t prevent them from eating your pet.
Hamsters aren’t considered pets by cats, so they’re not a good option for homes with cats. However, it is important to remember that hamsters are prey, and the cat will attack at the right time. If a cat is calm and relaxed, it’s best to introduce the hamster to a quiet room. Otherwise, the cat might become obsessed and decide to kill the rogue hamster, but it’s still better than nothing.
Cats and hamsters are not natural enemies, and it isn’t easy to prevent the cats from killing the hamsters. But there are precautions you should take to avoid your cat from killing the hamsters. Despite their apparent immunity, hamsters are natural prey for cats. If you have a cat, it will eat it if it sees that it’s a rodent.
Although some cats don’t actively hunt hamsters, some are wary of hamsters. Because of this, it’s best to secure a jar to contain your hamsters until you can reintroduce them. If your cat doesn’t like a jar, the hamster might end up eating a hamster. If you’re worried that your cat will eat a rat, it’s a good idea to introduce them to a different type of jar.
Some hamsters may be attracted to pungent smells. They’re not allergic to the odors of boiled eggs, but they do like the taste of boiled/scrambled eggs. And if you have a hamster, don’t leave your hamster alone with it unless you’re sure you want them to become friends. You can also keep them separate until they’ve become accustomed to each other.
If your cat chases a hamster, you should consider placing the hamster cage at a higher level than the cat’s reach. If you can’t do this, the hamster may fall off its cage and be caught by the cat. This can result in death for your hamster, so it’s important to keep the holder of the jar out of the reach of your cat.
It’s important to keep your hamster away from your cat. You must keep a cat away from the hamster when it’s out of its cage. The door should be secure. If your tiger catches the hamster, it might accidentally kill it. If this is the case, a pet should be placed in a room far enough away from a cat to avoid danger.
If your cat catches a hamster, you need to keep an eye on it. A cat may be attracted to the smell of your hamster, but he won’t be interested in it if he can’t recognize you. Having a hamster in a room where cats live is important for both the hamster and its owner. If a cat does catch the pigeon, it can kill a hen if it has to deal with its prey.
