Cat vs. Hamster - - can they co-exist?

[TheLittleRoo]

My DD7 has been begging for a hamster for a while now. Someone was offering a male golden hamster with his full cage, ball, bedding, food, etc on Freecycle, so now he's ours.

I was/am concerned about how this will affect our beloved cat. He is perfectly litter box trained, and I don't want to jeopardize that. The hamster has been here less than 8 hours and my cat has just pooped outside of his litter box. As in, 4 inches away, quite on purpose.

How much time would you give the cat and the hamster to adjust to each other? The hamster is chirping when he sees the cat, and peed in his ball when he was out "walking" around in it. I can't afford to wait so long that the cat's litter box training goes out the window completely and new bad habits take over, but I can't throw the hamster out on his ear in less than a day. J/K - the original Freecycler told me a 5th grade science teacher wants him for her classroom if he doesn't work out for us.

The cat is 4 and has never known life with another animal in the house. The hamster is 1 and has also never known another animal around.

Any ideas what we're in for? Clearly, the cat trumps the hamster, I'm just wondering how much time to wait to see if they can reach a truce.

Thanks!

 

[themarquis]

sounds like a jealous cat! I had hamsters and cats growing up, and there were never any problems (except a couple times the hamsters got loose and there was some fear that the cats might have a little hammie meal! ).

Keep the hamster in a closed room (like your dd's room?) where the cat isn't allowed. Don't let the hamster roll around in its ball throughout the whole house -- just your DD's room.

 

[BillSears]

Yes they can exists. Will they depends on the cat and hamster.

Many years ago we had a cat and a hamster. The hamster got out of the cage and we thought the worst had happened, that the cat had eaten/killed the hampster. We eventually found both of them with the cat asleep and the hamster right next to him perfectly fine.

 

[Rora]

My cat and hamster co-existed.

However, we had to take some precautions to secure this existence. My cat used to jump ontop of Hamster's cage and paw at him. Then Hamster, who was a very clever and talentend hamster, got out of his cage (somehow managed to open the top hatch). Then drama would ensure. My cat never caught Hamster though.

Once we determined Hamster was an escape artist, we put a big heavy book ontop of his cage. The cat certainly didn't bother him then and Hamster couldn't get out.

It really depends on your cat, just make sure the cat's not around when you take the hamster out. Also, the cat will at first stare at the hamster in the cage but when the cat realizes he can't get to the hamster, he'll leave him alone.

Good luck!

 

[Buckalew11]

We have a cat and a hamster. Used to have a cat and a white dumbo rat. No problems with either.

The hamster peed in the ball because it was afraid of the cat. Instinct you know. He smelled danger. I would put him in the ball when the cat isn't in the room.

I'd be so ticked off if my cat acted like that and pooped away from the litter box on purpose. That is just a "snit".

 

[harleyquinn]

I'm sorry, but this thread is driving me nuts. I haven't read any of it, but the title...everytime I see it, I start hearing dramatic music and picture the animals coming out to a ring in little karate uniforms...

I can't be the only one...
Can I?

ETA: Oh and Michael Buffer's voice talking about the fight of the century....

 

[Rora]

I'm sorry, but this thread is driving me nuts. I haven't read any of it, but the title...everytime I see it, I start hearing dramatic music and picture the animals coming out to a ring in little karate uniforms...

I can't be the only one...
Can I?

ETA: Oh and Michael Buffer's voice talking about the fight of the century....

True.. the title does seem like the set up for a bad martial arts movie.

 

[flying_babyb]

Ok Let me tell you of my cat and hamster. When I brought home moe (hammy) the cat and hamster hated each other. We used to put moe in his ball in a seprate room, his cage was up high enough that the cat couldnt really see him. Gradually we put the cage lower and the cat started getting currious and would peer into the hammy cage. In about two months time they are best freinds. If the hammy chews out of his cage bosco (cat) will trap him in a corner and yowl till I come rescue hammy

 

[TheLittleRoo]

I'm sorry, but this thread is driving me nuts. I haven't read any of it, but the title...everytime I see it, I start hearing dramatic music and picture the animals coming out to a ring in little karate uniforms...

I can't be the only one...
Can I?

ETA: Oh and Michael Buffer's voice talking about the fight of the century....

Maybe I should edit the title to: Kung Fu Kitty vs. Hong Kong Hamster?

 

[Alyssa88]

Our blueberry hamster, named Killer (after killing and burrying her cage-mate) is really interested in our cat (Demitri). Demi stands near the cage and Killer comes up to greet him. She has escaped once and I found her in my shoe, with Demi hanging out nearby.

We make sure Demi is locked out of our living room when we leave, otherwise he might get her.

 

[Cool-Beans]

Not in this house, they wouldn't!

Neither could the cat and the parakeet. Tried it. Outcome of that:

Kitty: 1

Parakeet: 0

 

[auntie]

We've had both. God I'm glad those hamster days are over though. Hated the smell of the shavings and all that goes with it.
We kept the hamster cage tightly..closed. You can get a lock. Also, we've also kept in the kids room or in the basement..where we could close a door and not worry about kitty trying to get a little something extra to munch on.
While our cat didn't bother too much with the hamster, she really didn't care for the gerbil. I think the "tail" made all the difference.
Let's just say one afternoon I was in the living room when walking down the steps and across the room is the cat with the gerbil in her MOUTH!
Trying to catch the cat and not alert the kids who were all of 4 and 7 at the time was something!
Gerbil, sorry to say, went to gerbil heaven. My husband picked up another one on his way home from work.
Should have seen the kids look at it the following morning. Insisted he "looked" different. I made up some story about how they have suddent growth spurts and can change over night!

 

[Cool-Beans]

I made up some story about how they have suddent growth spurts and can change over night!

I told the little kids who visit here that the parakeet had grown up and went to live in the trees with the other birds.

The four year old told me he saw the parakeet out there, bless his little heart.

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

To answer the question, yes they can...often in the same space!

one inside the other.

heheheheheh

 

[clgwli]

They co-existed in our house. Though honestly after having several hamsters I will never do it again. I think they are smelly and noisy creatures. They are now banned from the house. We're still good with the cats though

We never did lose a hamster to cats though. They stayed in their cages and would even come out with the ball. The cats enjoyed that too

 

[sunnyday123]

Not in my house they couldn't.

But don't tell DD that. She thinks he had a rare, infectious disease and now lives at the vet office in seclusion.

 

[TheLittleRoo]

I told the little kids who visit here that the parakeet had grown up and went to live in the trees with the other birds.

The four year old told me he saw the parakeet out there, bless his little heart.

Too funny. Reminds me of when my then 4 y/o son was walking with me down the street, and stopped to ask me, "Mommy, do birds and animals go to heaven when they die?" Thinking about our cat, I said "Sure they do, honey". He didn't miss a beat when he pointed to a dead bird laying on the sidewalk and said "No they don't, 'cause that one's laying right there".

I don't know how long this guy's gonna last in this house. The cat continues the Hamster Watch 2009 The hamster's quaking in his boots. My daughter is trying to feed it every thing under the sun. My 4 y/o wants to let him out.

 

[Tigger2252]

The couldn't coexist at our house. Neither could the bird. Cat got them both.

 

[KerriSue]

BOTTOM LINE: Dont do it!!!!!

Hamsters smell to high heaven and they never sleep when you want to sleep.

I swear my DSs hamster knew how to aim her pee outside of the cage. Positively disgusting. I was so happy when we moved and the hamster couldnt fly across the atlantic!!!

 

[Tuffcookie]

How far away from the hamster cage is the cat doing his business? Is it possible the cat is too busy watching the hamster that he doesn't want to leave to go to the litterbox?
As for the hamster peeing in the ball. That is easy enough to understand. He is probably scared to death of the cat. Those balls are plastic and absorb the urine odor. It is hard to get the odor out. He may continue to do this in the ball because of the remaining odor even after the ball is cleaned. You might have to go out and get a new ball. Limit the time he spends in the ball and keep the cat away when he's in it!

Good luck. I have had both cats and hamsters and it can work!

TC