Hamster/cat advice please!

[peedoffbird]

My dd wants a Syrian hamster and we are trying to find a suitable cage. I've read that you shouldn't have a wire cage if you have a cat. Does anyone have experience of owning a hamster and a cat?

Would our cat be able to put a claw through the wire bars and hurt the hamster? There aren't many closed cages around and I have heard that they can smell and cause problems with the hamster due to lack of air circulation.

Any thoughts on this please and recommendations of cages that cost no more than £30 ish.

Many thanks.

[peedoffbird]

Anyone!?

[kellestar]

We had a wire cage for our hamster and 6 cats who were watchful of the hamster. Never had a problem. Cage was plastic bottomed with a high wire cage which had two plastic slot in shelves to climb on. My sisters cat was as wild as they come and would catch rabbit, squirrels, mice and rats but knew not to mess with hamster.

[FallenCaryatid]

There will come a moment when the cat and the hamster are free-range together, and there might be a foodchain in progress. Is she prepared for that?

[FallenCaryatid]

Sounds like a very stressful environment for any rodent TBH.

[Scouseandproud]

I've had cats and a hamster in a cage with wire parts.

The cats came off worse than the hamster! The silly things would sit on top of the cage (granted it afforded a great view of the lounge) and get their paws/tails nibbled. If the hamster stays in its cage then I don't really see a problem. The cage I had was £20 but could be added to, it was a habitrail.

[JuliaScurr]

Same as Scouse - cat has suffered humiliation of being bitten on nose by hamster

[Passmethecrisps]

I have had 5 different hamsters with both cats and a dog. I had 4 Russian hamsters and 1 Syrian. 2 of the Russians and the Syrian lived in a large plastic tank thing (not at the same time) which you could extend with sections. It was difficult to clean properly, expensive and bits would fall off under the weight ofthe Syrian hamster. Thankfully that was in a cat free period. When we got the cat I Sellotaped all of the loose bits on. Cat did wide-eyed hunting look whenever she saw hamster.

When I had my first hamsters they were in a very small tank. None of the three cats we had paid the slightest bit of attention. We had rabbits and guinea pigs as well and the cats seemed to 'known' that they were off limits. Not a gaurantee though.

The biggest issue I had with the tanks was cleaning. A simple rectangular one without all the pods and tubes would do the job. Hamsters have been known to squish through the bars of normal cages.

[peedoffbird]

Thanks everyone. Hopefully our cat won't be too much of a problem. Has never caught anything apart from a succession of frogs and not a mark on any of them! He was happy for us to return the frogs, totally unharmed, down the lane. I know this is no guarantee though and we would be very careful to keep a close eye on things. The hamster would be in a room that can't be accessed by the cat whilst we are all out.

Passme, did you have a tank that had no wires, ie a solid one? Are the cats able to get a claw through the wire?

Thanks.

[FallenCaryatid]

I'm very pleased to be wrong! Good luck OP.

[peedoffbird]

Thanks Fallen - I do hear your POV and I agree that it is important to make every effort to ensure that the hamster would not be upset by the cat.

[Passmethecrisps]

Both tanks were Perspex stuff with nothing to squeeze through.

I never allowed my cat and Syrian hamster in the same room together alone as cat brand new and semi-feral. It doesn't sound like yours is the clawing type. I know ours isn't now after 9 years of packet food!

If you really fancy a cage with bars keep it up high and just keep an eye on things for the first wee while. The cages have definite advantages - they smell better and are easier to clean.

I did read somewhere that the smell of a cat could cause a heart attack in hamsters. I don't know if mine were made of stronger stuff but not a chance were mine concerned. The Syrian particularly could scream like a banshee.

[BonkeySaysTeamGBAreTheMollocks]

Google Zoozone 2.

Its a tank style cage and a very good size for a Syrian.

Lots of hammy people recommend them :)

[alistron1]

We've had cats/hamsters for years and have always had wire cages with no issues. However, we have found that you do have to ''wire up' the cage doors because hamsters are clever and will work out how to push them open!!!