[i<3hedgies]

okay so im getting a hedgehog in less then 2 weeks and i have a cat...im just asking if its safe for them to be in the same rooms and if they will ever bond. Also if you have a hedgehog that has bonded with another pet like a dog, cat, ect. please tell me.

Thanks! :lol: :roll:

 

[Lilysmommy]

If you look through past posts, there's lots of them on hedgehogs/other animals, including cats.

A lot of people recommend not letting hedgehogs near cats, dogs, any other predator animals. There's no benefit to it to either animal, and plenty of dangers. A lot of times, the cat/dog/etc. is afraid of the hedgehog, but you never know. It's very easy for them to hurt the hedgehog just by pawing at it, or trying to play, much less if they're actively trying to attack it. Plus, people have mentioned that there's diseases/parasites that can pass from one animal to another, even if it doesn't hurt the original animal it came from. An introduction between a cat and hedgehog would just be a bad idea.

However...As long as you have a sturdy cage with a top on it, and the cat isn't harassing the hedgehog in its cage, it'd be fine if the cat was in the same room. I would try to keep the cat out of the hedgehog's room at night though, in case it would end up scaring the hedgehog and keeping it from coming out of its hideaway.

 

[hedgielover]

Despite the risks there are people that introduce their cat and hedgehog and allow them to have supervised time together. My Mom's cats are more interested in stealing Quigley's food out of the play pen then in him. I have to watch them and chase them away if they try to get his food. Quigley does not care about the cats being close to him but some hedgehogs might. It really depends on the cats and on the hedgehog. You need to make sure that the hedgehog cage is secure from the cats and little cat paws cannot get in. Even if the cat just wants to snatch some food out (yes they can do this with just their paw) it would not be good for the hedgehog. You want to know that your hedgehog is eating his food not the cat. Never let them be alone together without a secure closed top cage between them.

 

[Sashalynn]

My cats never bother Cyndaquil. But then again they grew up around other small animals. Tubby my female cat actually used to sleep in one of my guinea pig cages with one of my pigs lol. Both cats have been raised around gerbils so I figured if they can get along with gerbils they wouldn't care about the hedgie. I was right. First meeting Tubby was stalking Cyndaquil but as soon as Cyndaquil turned to her and started to walk her way she took off like a bolt of lightening. Biscuit has been sleeping with him. Tubby doesn't care anymore. From my experience with dogs/cats meeting smaller animals there usually isn't a problem if they grow up together or have a calm nature. My dog used to have a pet rat. When the rat died of natural causes she made me buy a new one lol. She took me to the rat cage at petsmart and wouldn't leave until I bought it for her. She even carried it to the car and from the car into the house.