Chins and cats?

[devonmariexoxo]

Okay, so I was assuming that chins and cats can live in the sane house because many members here have both. Then I was told that isn't the case. So...what's really the deal? My chin will be in my room and the door will be closed at all times. I will NEVER have a cat in my room at play time. And my cats are relatively well behaved, as far as cats go. So, will it be safe?

 

[Dragonflye]

I have a cat and a bunch of chins. The door to the chin room is closed at all times and I do have a barrier up at all times as well (paranoid much? ). The cat never interacts with the chins at all. Even a "good cat" could cause injury. As long as all of your family members are on board with the door being closed at all times, it shouldn't be an issue.

 

[devonmariexoxo]

Thank you!

 

[6Dusters]

I have three old cats and the chin room is open to them. My senior cat could care less and has no interest what so ever. The girl cats walk through on the way to the living room and don't care. But if a chin escapes me then they ( the girl cats ) are quick to want them and I have to put the cats away before I get to the jail breaker. Doesn't happen often but I don't trust the girls. My old cat just looks at them if they run into him or speed by his feet. I don't have to worry about him.

We did have a male kitty living with us for a few years that was a huge danger. He learned the broom would come after him if he even dared stop in the chin room. There is no doubt in my mind he would kill a chin instantly. He did jump into a chin playpen when I was sitting next to it one time. I almost had a heart attack leaping off the sofa to get him out. My chin Jack raced into his cage and came out like lightening and beat the snot out of the cat who leap from the playpen in a blink of an eye. Lots of black cat fur was laying in the playpen. This happened in seconds!

IMO I would think most dogs and cats have a high kill instinct. One of my girl cats likes to go outside and kill voles.

 

[devonmariexoxo]

The high kill instinct is what is making me probably keep the door closed, because I understand that cats like rodents and chinchillas are rodents. I have one cat that could be a problem, but he's the whole reason I keep my door closed anyway, because I don't allow him in my room as is. Haha.

 

[Jenn]

I am lucky because I have the world's most laziest cats ever...or the most passive. I had a hamster escape 3 times in the past - overnight once, and I was able to find him because the cats were just sitting there watching him. They just seemed to be amused by him. Does this make me trust them? NO! But, not all cats have that kill, kill, kill instinct and as long as you take the appropriate precautions, then yes, it is possible to have cats and chins in the same house. I have heard horror stories, however, of chins getting attacked and killed by cats. So it is always best to be overprotective just to be on the safe side.

 

[Kara315]

I have two cats and two chins. My chins are in my room, and my one cat Belle most of the time sleeps with me. Neither of my cats care for the chins, just ignore's them. Only time that Shadow comes in my room is to look out the window or rarely sleep during the day, if he's getting ready to leave the room and the chins make a loud noise, he bolts lol.
During the summer my door is usually always completely closed to keep it cool in there. During the cooler months, they don't really care for them, shadow is hardly ever in there unless once in a blue moon the window is open, and belle sleeps in there everynight during the cooler months and doesn't care for them.
So neither has been a problem, once before one of them got out and was running around, belle was in the room on the floor both just watched him run around. I guess i'm just lucky lol.
But my door is closed like most for playtime, but other then that, my cats could care less about them.

 

[melbur10]

I am lucky because I have the world's most laziest cats ever...or the most passive. I had a hamster escape 3 times in the past - overnight once, and I was able to find him because the cats were just sitting there watching him. They just seemed to be amused by him. Does this make me trust them? NO! But, not all cats have that kill, kill, kill instinct and as long as you take the appropriate precautions, then yes, it is possible to have cats and chins in the same house. I have heard horror stories, however, of chins getting attacked and killed by cats. So it is always best to be overprotective just to be on the safe side.

I stupidly forgot to close the cage top to my hammys cage and luckily my cat didn't go after him. With hammy she's been in the same room as he played and she got scolded if she even moved a muscle .. Do I trust her no, but I'm not sure my cat knows if she wants to kill some thing I'm sure if she did it even once and got the taste of blood she would be different but right now she knows only 'play' not 'eat' but play can be just as dangerouse for her toy at eat...

 

[kerri101]

I have 2 cats and a Chin ....the doors are open in rooms BUT I covered my chin cage in wire I was worried cats would swipe paws somehow even though the cage is high up with no rooms for the cats to sit near it the wire stops cats poking through the bars and germs with cats to chin transmission like if the bars was open a cat could lick my chin Im super paranoid
.....both my cats are pretty old and lazy but still they are cats and predators......playtime is never never with chins and cats even the most well mannered cat one swipe would be deadly and not even worth the risk......
but its been almost a full year now and cats and chin are adjusted well I think

 

[DaddyslilDimwit]

I have 3 chin cages and my cat has access to all 3. I have never had an issue, mostly my cat ignores them, which is fine by me.

 

[chinlover89]

My cats never bother my chin they just ignore him as if he doesn't exist. He on the other hand tries to chase them through his cage as they walk by. I think they might be afraid of him like they are of our cockatiel. He is top dog in our house. Neither our dogs or cats mess with him and his cage is always open and he tends to jump on the floor.( we then have to pick him up because the poor thing doesnt know how to fly.)

 

[Dreamlite]

I have chins and a cat. I keep the door to the chin room closed in the summer to keep the ac cooler in their room. In the winter I leave the top of the dutch door open. My cat doesn't jump to save her life. I would never feel safe knowing a cat was in the chin room, no matter how tame she is.

 

[RAWRSAIDTHEFISH]

i have 3 cats, and 7 chinchillas.
and my cats 90% of the time ignore them!
the one is terrified of them, one is indifferent, and the other LOVES them, she will only sleep on top of their cages! one time when she had a vet visit (overnight) she wouldnt sleep! ggot home, climbed the 6 feet up to the top, and fell asleep instantly!
also when one of mine got out, she protected him until i woke up and found him, took him to the vet, and eveyone was good!
it truly depends on your cats and chinchillas, so just do your own digression, my chins live happily in my living room

 

[~@Pokemon@~]

I got one cat, Cali who sleeps in my room, she is a skilled rodent killer who on more than one occation brought me a dead mouse and my sister's hamster who escaped one night. She is able to sneak into my room if i dont close it all the way. She will usually either:

1.Stares at them
2.Follows them around
3.Or pokes them

Though if they notice her and hop towards her she runs away to hide, other than that she will ignore them. They appear to be to big for her to eat, same as the guinea pig and rabbit.

 

[tunes]

While it seems that every cat owner on this forum has a perfect cat that would never go after prey, those of you who deliberately allow your cats to have access to your chin room, chins, cages, playrooms, etc. seem to be forgetting that cats carry a disease that could easily wipe out your herd or your singleton. Even if your cat swatted at a chin out of curiosity, with absolutely no intention of hurting them, one poke with that claw could be the end of the chin.

I just don't understand why every time this question comes up, people are so eager to rush in and tell everyone what great cats they have, how they allow them everywhere the chins are, and how it's all peachy keen. It's not. We all are quick to jump on the bandwagon and tell people not to let their chins near their rabbits, which carry a disease that could kill their chins. Sound familiar? We also tell folks not to let their chins play with their guinea pigs. Neither of these are predators with long, spiked claws and wonderfully pointy teeth that can do serious damage. Why is it that, apparently, it's okay for the cats but not the buns or the GP's? Or snakes for that matter, which has also been brought up in the past.

I 100%, without a shadow of a doubt, trust Alanna my rottie to never, ever, ever in her wildest nightmares deliberately hurt an animal (or a child for that matter) - not ever. If I covered a chin with gravy and set it on the floor in front of her, she would lick it clean and try to cuddle it. But I still will not allow her in the chin room. If she sneaks in behind me, she is told immediately to leave. One loose chin, one big foot stomping down, and that's the end of the chin. No thanks. It's not worth it so I can pat myself on the back and tell everybody what a great dog I have. <shrugs>

 

[Sandi]

1.Stares at them
2.Follows them around
3.Or pokes them

All of this equals to "stalker", which can and will stress out your chin. Heck, it would stress me out if anyone did this to me.

 

[Claire D]

Cat = predator.
Chinchilla = prey.

Apart from everything Peggy has said in her post (which I wholeheartedly agree with BTW) how about looking at the situation from the chinchilla's perspective (as Sandi has already alluded to above)......

If I am a prey animal, having a predator anywhere near me is going to cause my heart to pound at 100 miles per hour - honestly, how can anyone suggest it is not stressful for the chinchilla? It is an instinctive response, regardless of how laid back the predator appears to be or the chin appears to be.

It's unfair on both animals.