Protecting Chins from Curious Cats

[kvatore]

Hey all, I've been scouring the internet for awhile now looking to see if there is some way to protect my chins from curious kitties. Right now I live in an environment where the two cats I own are very docile and show no interest in my chins. I may here in the next year or so find myself moving in with someone that has two wonderful cats, but also rather curious and playful. I'm worried about having them out in the living room for fear that they'll try and stick their paws in the cage. There is another room we can put them into, but then they would be rather isolated. I want to avoid that if possible.

If anyone has any ideas or experience with the matter please let me know. I do have some time to figure this out and I just want to make sure my chins still get love and attention.

Thanks!

 

[Amethyst]

Luckily all my cats ignore my chins, but I also have my chins in my computer room and close the door when I am not home of have gone to bed. Some people have used chicken wire or hardware cloth to prevent paws getting in, or specifically bought a critter nation instead of the FN since the bar spacing is smaller.

 

[Sandi]

I've seen cages wrapped in hardware cloth to keep curious cats from sticking their paws in the cage. I got this image from a user on the forum. Their FN cage is covered in hardware cloth from top to bottom and back, sides and front. It's a good set-up if you're worried about cats being around the chins.

 

[Godofgods]

for me personally, i think the risk is just to much. To many bad things could happen from a single simple accident. I wont take the risk. - I have my chins in there own room to protect them from dogs. And honestly i think the chins prefer it that way. A nice (more) quiet place just for them. Not much to disturb them. I do have my ferrets in the room as well, but it is truly impossible for them to reach the chins in there FN cage. Its high off the ground and the ferrets are small. And they cant jump like cat or anything. But i will say that when i let the ferrets out, my chins take extreme notice and are on high alert.

That being said...

For that picture; i saw that yellow insignia hanging in the center first and thought to myself 'what, is that supposed to be a star trek emblem?' thinking full well there is no way someone here was going to do that. THEN i saw the wood figure behind it! 0.0 That is pure amazing! Good job to whom ever made that and put it in the cage! :dance3:

 

[Airyn]

I lived in a one bedroom apartment and had the chins in the living room. Then I got a kitten. The kitten climbed the cages and the chins felt terrorized. The oldest male started biting, and drawing blood, fairly regularly. He was just defensive and angry all the time. The other three just hid and were clearly unhappy with a predator in their environment. After a few months, I moved and gave the chins their own room. I was really worried that they would feel isolated too, but it's been about a year and a half and they're beyond happy in there. As long as you have a steady routine and give them plenty of love and attention, they'll be fine. All four of mine are just as social as they were before I got the cat, if not moreso. I honestly think it's harder on us than on them.

 

[chrisbradley6]

i have my chins in a FN and a CR. My cats are mostly very well behaved so they dont bother them. One cat may try to gently paw at the cage from time to time (he follows me around so he only does it when im with the chins) but one stern look or call of his name and he stops. Be stern with your new curious cats and they will learn!

when i brought home my Basil and she was in her little cage at first, I built a barrier around her cage to protect her further. she was in a small guinea pig cage temporarily (quarentine). i built the barrier using wire storage cubes (these: http://www.amazon.com/Whitmor-6070-...TF8&qid=1417100557&sr=8-1&keywords=wire+cubes) and it worked great. it was annoying to move around every time i wanted to get into her cage though. but she is in the CN now which is perfect to prevent little cat paws!