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At this point, should I just let the rat bite the cat?

3K views 17 replies 11 participants last post by  vegansarawr 
#1 ·
My two cats are discovering that we now have a pet rat in the household.

So far, one of the cats got nipped when she decided to poke her paw at the rat. No broken skin or anything, but it shocked her enough that she quickly left and found a high perch to observe the rat. But now the memory has faded, and she's interested in the rat again.

The other cat is also interested, and has the worse habit of laying down by the rat.

The rat, by the way, tends not to like other furred creatures. He's bit another cat a few times, and I've seen him sneak up on another cat just to bite her tail.

At this point, with the rat's territorial nature regarding other furred creatures, and the cats' curiosity, I can't see how the two species are going to mix without someone getting nipped.

So far, I've kept the rat in his cage (a large ferret cage), except for a few supervised explorations with me in the room, and some unsupervised explorations with the cats locked out of the room. But sooner or later the cats and the rat will mix. And I think someone's going to get nipped.
 
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#2 ·
As long as no big damage is done, I wouldn't see harm in it, especially if it's just the rat giving a simple nip and not the other way around. I've let my cat jump on the dogs' backs, with no claws out or anything, she just jumps on them and nips their ears to scare them when they give her a hard time and try to chase her, so I would probably let the rat sneak up on the cat, too.
 
#3 ·
They will eventually learn to avoid each other or get along. The two in my pic didn't get along when they first met and I know my other cat Jib would get his toes nipped quite often as he had the lovely habit of laying on top of the rat cage. Rats tend to give a warning nip before biting to break skin (which is what it sounds like your rat is doing).
This thread title made me laugh, I just pictured walking in on Jib laying on top of the rat cage and Hoodwink sneaking up on Jib's tail. It's like "you know they don't like you yet, learn from the first nip".
 
#4 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by das_nut View Post

So far, I've kept the rat in his cage (a large ferret cage), except for a few supervised explorations with me in the room, and some unsupervised explorations with the cats locked out of the room. But sooner or later the cats and the rat will mix. And I think someone's going to get nipped.
Forgive me, because I've never kept rats or cats, but why can't you just continue with this? Why will the cats and rat mix eventually? Can you not continue to keep the rats in their cage, unless the cats are shut out the room and you're there to make sure they're okay? That's the only thing I'd have considered anyway, you can't predict non-human animals, so it seems like the safest and kindest option to me.
 
#6 ·
I've had cats at the same time as I was also keeping (NOT all at the same time) a hamster, several gerbils, and at least one rabbit. These were all adoptees from local shelters; I'm fond of cats, but knew that other animals needed homes as well.

The hamster and gerbils got out-of-the-cage time, but only in a room with the door securely closed. In fact, I normally kept the door to the "rodent room" closed even if they were in their cages. My rabbits and cats have had access to each other at times, but so far it's worked out okay. They basically stay out of each others' way. I've heard that cats and rabbits can be friends, but this has never happened with any of mine.

I only had one cat who really appeared to want to harm my rodents (he was the reason for my closed-door policy!!), but considering how much larger a cat is than a rat, and that you can't be absolutely certain that the cats' predatory instincts won't surface some day (particularly in response to the rat's nip), I'd try to continue to keep them apart- for the cats' welfare as well as the rat's.
 
#8 ·
I only have a dog in the house and I just don't let them be together since they are different species and don't "speak" the same language. Since the rat is agressive towards the cat it doesn't seem like a good idea to let them mix at all because the cat is bigger and stronger and can turn on the rat in a split second and you won't be able to do anything about it.

I did notice that you said "rat" as in single rat. Is there a specific reason this rat is alone? Rats need to be kept in at least pairs to be happy and healthy unless they are rat agressive and even then steps should be taken before making them live alone.

Have you checked out the goosemoose forums? It's a great place for any and all rat related questions.
http://www.goosemoose.com/rfc/
 
#9 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by TamSmith View Post

I only have a dog in the house and I just don't let them be together since they are different species and don't "speak" the same language. Since the rat is agressive towards the cat it doesn't seem like a good idea to let them mix at all because the cat is bigger and stronger and can turn on the rat in a split second and you won't be able to do anything about it.
agreed
what if the cat doesn't decide to just run away when bitten and fights back? could have a serious accident on your hands. id just keep them separate.
 
#10 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by TamSmith View Post

I did notice that you said "rat" as in single rat. Is there a specific reason this rat is alone? Rats need to be kept in at least pairs to be happy and healthy unless they are rat agressive and even then steps should be taken before making them live alone.
With females yes, however it is never a good idea to mix adult male rats, they are too territorial and are likely to go for one another. I have heard several stories of males being introduced to each other as adults, being fine for a few months then one will just kill/attack the other.
 
#11 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by das_nut View Post

My two cats are discovering that we now have a pet rat in the household.

So far, one of the cats got nipped when she decided to poke her paw at the rat. No broken skin or anything, but it shocked her enough that she quickly left and found a high perch to observe the rat. But now the memory has faded, and she's interested in the rat again.

The other cat is also interested, and has the worse habit of laying down by the rat.

The rat, by the way, tends not to like other furred creatures. He's bit another cat a few times, and I've seen him sneak up on another cat just to bite her tail.

At this point, with the rat's territorial nature regarding other furred creatures, and the cats' curiosity, I can't see how the two species are going to mix without someone getting nipped.

So far, I've kept the rat in his cage (a large ferret cage), except for a few supervised explorations with me in the room, and some unsupervised explorations with the cats locked out of the room. But sooner or later the cats and the rat will mix. And I think someone's going to get nipped.
The only question I have for you Das is why keep a rat as a pet?

Personally I hate rats, they destroy everything, and I have a hard enough time keeping the wild ones out, never mind bringing one in as a pet. If it was me, I would let the cats have it to play with, but that's me. Our cat thinks it's a good thing to leave her new rat kills on the door step so we can see what a good job she has done.

Since you seem to be set on this experiment, good luck, but I think you are crazy...... well even crazier than normal.
 
#12 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by vegansarawr View Post

With females yes, however it is never a good idea to mix adult male rats, they are too territorial and are likely to go for one another. I have heard several stories of males being introduced to each other as adults, being fine for a few months then one will just kill/attack the other.
This is simply not true. If you do proper introductions and take the right steps (steps you take introducing even female rats) males can live happily together. I have 2 males living together right now who are inseparable (currently cuddling in a hammock) and my friend has 3 living together who have been together for the last 3 years. If you check out the forum I recommended you will also see tons of people with males living together. If we were talking about mice, I would agree but rats NEED to be kept with other, rats male or female. (Just make sure if you have males AND females, someone is fixed haha)
 
#13 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by havocjohn View Post

The only question I have for you Das is why keep a rat as a pet?

Personally I hate rats, they destroy everything, and I have a hard enough time keeping the wild ones out, never mind bringing one in as a pet. If it was me, I would let the cats have it to play with, but that's me. Our cat thinks it's a good thing to leave her new rat kills on the door step so we can see what a good job she has done.

Since you seem to be set on this experiment, good luck, but I think you are crazy...... well even crazier than normal.
Domesticated rats are very different from wild rats. In some places they are even a completely different species. The wild rats around my house could not breed with my pet rats because they are not the same species.

Rats make absolutely wonderful pets. They are loving, smart, and clean. All of my rats are litter box trained. They all know my voice and their names and get excited when I come home every day. My rats have never destroyed anything in my house because they are my pets and I take proper precautions before letting them out of their cage.

I'm surprised to see someone suggest killing a PET rat on a veg*n forum. That would be incredibly cruel. I wouldn't suggest letting your dog eat your cat.
 
#14 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by TamSmith View Post

Domesticated rats are very different from wild rats. In some places they are even a completely different species. The wild rats around my house could not breed with my pet rats because they are not the same species.

Rats make absolutely wonderful pets. They are loving, smart, and clean. All of my rats are litter box trained. They all know my voice and their names and get excited when I come home every day. My rats have never destroyed anything in my house because they are my pets and I take proper precautions before letting them out of their cage.

I'm surprised to see someone suggest killing a PET rat on a veg*n forum. That would be incredibly cruel. I wouldn't suggest letting your dog eat your cat.
I hate rats. Sure you can claim they are a different species, and they are different as pets, and that's great, more power to you. People find beauty in a lot of things, I will never understand finding it in rats, too each their own.

As to the cat and dog; cat's the boss of the house, she don't take any guff from any of the dogs.

As to my comments, probably should have sent them to das in private but didn't think about it, I find his new adventure to be very humerous.
 
#15 ·
You don't like rats and that's fine. I get it. But they are still an animal. I HATE chickens, but I don't kill them or suggest people who keep them kill them (it's actually the opposite of what I'm going for haha)

Not trying to bully you or anything. Just trying to make a connection. Rats are often thought of a lesser life form and it doesn't matter if they are killed or bred inhumanly.
 
#16 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by TamSmith View Post

You don't like rats and that's fine. I get it. But they are still an animal. I HATE chickens, but I don't kill them or suggest people who keep them kill them (it's actually the opposite of what I'm going for haha)

Not trying to bully you or anything. Just trying to make a connection. Rats are often thought of a lesser life form and it doesn't matter if they are killed or bred inhumanly.
Ahh, you think just cause someone is a vegaterian that means they should have some moral issue with killing something.... I don't fit that mold sorry.

The connection is I have known das for about 6 yrs now through a couple of forums and find this new adventrue of hsi to be rather humerous, as I said earlier I probably sohould have sent him a pm but didn't think about it.

I gto no problems with rats as long as they stay out of my house and live in the woods or the fields, I don't wnat the in my house uninvited or otherwise.
 
#17 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by TamSmith View Post

I'm surprised to see someone suggest killing a PET rat on a veg*n forum. That would be incredibly cruel. I wouldn't suggest letting your dog eat your cat.
Some people are vegetarians for ethical reasons and do it out of concern for animals, and some do it for health reasons, animal welfare is usual not a factor for them.
 
#18 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by TamSmith View Post

This is simply not true. If you do proper introductions and take the right steps (steps you take introducing even female rats) males can live happily together. I have 2 males living together right now who are inseparable (currently cuddling in a hammock) and my friend has 3 living together who have been together for the last 3 years. If you check out the forum I recommended you will also see tons of people with males living together. If we were talking about mice, I would agree but rats NEED to be kept with other, rats male or female. (Just make sure if you have males AND females, someone is fixed haha)
It really depends on the rat. Even with proper steps taken males can be too territorial and scrap it out.
 
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