Hi there, I was wondering if anyone on here keeps rats and cats in the same house and how they handle it all? We have a cat, but I've always really loved ratties!

I was planning on building my own biiiig wire cage (1/2" wire spacing) with wooden levels etc. so no bumblefoot.

I just don't know if it will be practical to have them in the same household as wee Indy. The house is big enough to leave the cat elsewhere and just take the rats out in one room for their time out the cage.. but what if someone forgets and opens the door and the cat gets in?? Should I just make sure there's places to hide that the cat can't get at so they can pelt under there while i take kitty out the room? (something U shaped so paws can't get in lol)

What do you all think?

I'm planning to wait until SSPCA has some for rehoming

Ohh also, should I just wait until I move out to prevent stress? Although then the cat wouldn't be an issue since he's my brother's technically... It could be quite a while though, I'd like them before then tbh.

I had my Cat's for 6 year's before i got my first Rat's.
The Cat's were completley fine with them. A bit curious at first but after that it was all ok.
Spose it depends on the Cat, just dont leave them alone.

If the cat saw them he'd go mental to get them, i know that for a fact, he goes for absolutely anything that moves.

4 cats and 19 rats here (amoung many other furry family members), I have no doubt that the cats would have a go at the rats if they could but their cage is very secure and when they are free ranging its in a room whith no cats (obviously), tbh though the cats soon realised that they couldnt get in to the rats and they are actually a bit scared of them, the rats love the cats coming closer and find them very interesting to watch. So basically as long as your cage is very secure and not able to be pulled over by a leaping cat, and you have a room you can free range without cat spectators then I cant see a problem.

__________________


gsds (Henrick and Bella), the cats (Syd, Lilly, Elvis and Dizzy), the gerbils (Honey, Lisa, crusty, Millhouse, Flanders, Bart and Homer), the rats (Valentine, Flower, Petal, Blossom, Koda, Cava, George), the mice (Minnie, Pop, Seudag, Caraid, Silver, Trouble, Athena, Pandora, Aphrodite, Meep, and Springtime)

Only 2 rats now but did have 8 at one point, 3 cats no real problems as we deal with each of them accordingly.

it all depends on the rats AND the cats.. not just the cats.

cats may or may not be interested in them, they are sometimes intelligent enough to know that they aren't for eating and can be safely left in the room with the rats. other cats aren't that 'intelligent' and will attempt to eat the rats through the bars adn should never be left alone with the rats.. you'll just have to wait and see which it is and act accordingly.

on the other hand you also need to take note of how the rats react, if they carry doing whatever then they are fine to be left alone with a non-aggresive moggie, however if they freeze, start freaking out, or hide once the know the cat is there, you should never leave the cat in the room with them or if possible, never let the cat in at all. even if it's just one rat reacting, don't let the cats in the room alone (at all) as it's not fair on the rat that's scared.

however having them in the same house, no problem, you just need to make sure everyone knows the rules, why they are there and that personal heavy body trauma will ensue if they don't follow them.

hope that helps

__________________
This is not a game of 'who the fek are you'.

Not a single gram of fek shall be given today.

Hmm I suppose I could just get some sort of cat proof pen in case someone does open the door...

I'll start building the cage once i've sorted my student funding out then

Don't have rats but do have mice (44 ) and the cat tries to bat their cages to see them run! For the most part they don't bother one another, although the mice think the cat's whiskers make a great addition to their bedding Have you checked with the SSPCA about rats? Glasgow and the Lanarkshire one had some in not that long ago and they don't always add all the small pets to their website

__________________

Run free my beautiful rainbow babies. I love you.

I just want to point out that wooden anything and rats is not the best combination...unless your plan on treating the wood so that it becomes non-absorbent, but that doesn't stop them chewing the shelves and peeing on it then. You're best off saving up for a decent cage with plastic base and plastic shelves, it won't give them bumblefoot.

So many people I know thought it was a good idea to build a big beautiful homemade cage out of wood and end up having to throw it out after a couple of months because of the stink that takes hold - not to mention the fact that softwoods contain toxic phenols which are extremely bad for rats to inhale.

__________________
http://kaedianmori.tumblr.com/ <--- NSFW





RIP - Marsh, Hugo, Mako, Rufus, Seamus, Lavender, BigBoy, Tetley and Fitch <3

I'll be using a plastic base, and I was just meaning about some of the fully wire cages that you see... I'm going to treat the wood and will probably have some fleecy stuff over the wood anyway, can wash and rotate a few. It won't be a wooden frame or anything, pretty basic lots of floor space and a few levels. If I can find some cheap plastic shelves to use then I'll use them, just haven't really seen any about that would work.

Yes I've been checking the SSPCA websites regularly lol! Will go down there and have a look once i've built the cage

People say there are so many to rehome etc. but never when you're looking for some lol!

I'll post photos once i've built it and you can all tell me what you think of it before I go and get ratties

you could always plasticote the wood so that it's waterproof, there's animal (for animal read child) friendly versions that aren't as toxic if they do chew it.

as long as teh cage is off the ground (on a chest of drawers, table or something) and the cats can't sit next to it or jump on top of it easily then you shouldn't have to worry about the cats getting a nose job (my rats bite any cat nose that gets too close).

as i said, it all depends on how they all react, if no reaction then you don't need to do anything. as i said not all react.

__________________
This is not a game of 'who the fek are you'.

Not a single gram of fek shall be given today.