The best thing you can do to make your hamster’s cage cat-proof is by placing it out of the cat’s sight. Moreover, you should try aquariums or plastic cages for your hamster instead of conventional wired cages. Placing your hamster’s cage high in a cupboard will also keep the cat from disturbing the hamster.
You might be well aware that hamsters belong to the rodent family. Cats and any kind of rodents don’t have very good relationships in the wild. Cat’s instinctively see hamsters and other rodents as their prey. Similarly, for hamsters, cats are a life threat.
No matter how much you tame your cat or your hamster, you can’t guarantee that they won’t forget their nature. It is why you should take adequate measures to keep both of these pets separate.
Things You Can Do To Cat-Proof Your Hamster Cage
If you have finally decided to keep your hamster with a cat in one household, you must ensure the hamster’s safety by following the tips mentioned below:
Use Plastic Cages
Using a plastic cage as your pet’s home could take the safety of your hamster to a whole new level. Typical wire cages are a good option only when the hamster is the only pet in your home.
When hamsters share the same household with cats, wire cages brutally fail.
Cats have big claws, which they can use to grip on the wired cage pretty easily. If you have owned cats previously, you can understand that cats are pretty curious animals. If the hamster grabs the attention of your cat, it will try its best to bring the poor soul out.
Another point that makes wire cages unsuitable is that they are lightweight as well. If placed on higher ground, the cat can make the wire cage fall without much effort. Therefore, it is recommended to stay away from wire cages for your hamster in this case.
Plastic cages, on the other hand, don’t have such loopholes. Bodies of most plastic are enclosed from 3 sides. The ideal choice in this regard is to buy a plastic cage with a mesh top. It will not only maximize the safety of your hamster but also ensure proper ventilation.
If you can afford to buy an aquarium as a cage for your hamster, nothing can be better than that. Aquariums are usually too heavy for a cat to move. Moreover, as aquariums are totally enclosed, the cat won’t be able to stick its claws into it.
Place Cage At A High Place
Most houses have cupboards with a lot of sections. The top row of these cupboards is the best place to put a hamster cage. Ensure that the cage fits perfectly in the section and that no space is left for the cat to disturb.
Don’t have a perfectly sized cupboard section? Nothing to worry about because you can fill the spaces using anything literally. My advice is to put hamster food on the sides of the cage to fill empty space. By doing this, accessing your hamster’s food will also be easy.
If you don’t have a cupboard in your home, you can go for high shelves as well. It is only viable if the cat doesn’t spend much time in the room with this shelf. Cats love climbing high grounds such as the top of the doors, shelves, and other objects with good height.
Hence, if you place the hamster’s cage on a high shelf of the room where the cat lives,
you are risking your hamster’s life.
Another thing that you should make sure of is that the cat can’t access the cage. The cat shouldn’t be able to sit around the cage of your hamster. Even if the cat doesn’t attack the hamster, its presence can scare the hamster to death.
Place Cage In A Different Room
Most of the cats like to spend their time around their owner. Contrarily, hamsters enjoy solitude. These contrasting traits of both these animals will help you own both at once. Place the hamster cage in a separate room where cats don’t usually visit.
The more the hamster stays out of the cat’s sight, the more comfortable and safe he will be. Try to keep the door closed when you are not in the room to avoid any kind of mishap.
Avoid Cages With Tubes Or External Accessories
Undoubtedly, cages with tubes and lots of accessories keep your hamster entertained all the time. But, in this case, such cages can be lethal for the hamsters. If a cat is determined to get the hamster, it will break the tubes without any hesitation. The same is the case with external accessories.
These accessories are merely hooked and come off effortlessly. Hence, it is best for you to buy a hamster cage without any vulnerable extensions.
The health of your hamster depends upon the entertainment and exercise he gets. Accessories and toys contribute a lot to keeping your hamster in good shape. Therefore, we don’t suggest minimizing the number of accessories. Instead, you should buy a bigger cage that can fit multiple accessories within it.
Understanding Hamsters And Cats
Acknowledging the needs, nature, and personality of your hamster will help you deal with them better.
Here is some information that will help you keep your hamster safe from the cat:
Nature Of Hamsters
Just like all other rodents, hamsters live their lives as prey animals in the wild. It is in their instincts to fear predators like eagles, cats, and snakes. In Wilderness, hamsters spend most of their lives hiding from these predators.
As the domestication of hamsters started a few years ago, fear of these predators is still found in these furballs. Therefore, even the sight of cats can terrify your pet hamster. Constant terror and stress will destroy the health of your hamster.
They are not used to living with even their own kind. Hamsters like to spend most of their lives alone. Due to these reasons, it is suggested to give privacy and space to your hamster according to their needs.
Nature Of Cats
Most of us are well aware of the typical behavior of cats. Usually, cats are very curious and active animals. Naturally, cats are predators and prey on every animal smaller than them. Killing is one of the basic instincts of these animals. That is why even pet cats have the tendency to attack small animals just for fun.
It is why you have to be very careful when keeping a cat and any small animal in the same household.
FAQs
The following questions will help you keep your hamster safe from your cat in a better way:
Yes, they can live with hamsters in the same household but that requires some special arrangements. Don’t make the mistake of opening the hamster’s cage in the presence of the cat. Moreover, tame both of the pets accordingly for best results.
Absolutely not! You should never forget that hamsters are prey animals and cats are predators by nature. Anytime instincts of the cats can kick in and they can attack the hamster.
Cat Proofing Hamster’s Cage Summed Up
A cat and a hamster are an odd pair to own at once. One is prey, and the other one is the predator. On that account, you have to be very vigilant to take care of both pets suitably. For this purpose, you can take some effective measures to keep the hamster safe from the cat.
You can start by buying a plastic cage or an aquarium for your hamster as a cage. Additionally, placing the hamster’s cage away from the cat’s approach can minimize the risks. Lastly, understanding the nature and personalities of your pets will help you to be a better pet owner.
