BPs and Cats

We were just wondering if anybody had any experience with a ball python and a cat. Would like to know you think its a good or bad thing? Should they not be around each other or is it ok?

uhm well earlyer today i had my big BP on the bed and let my cat check him out but my cat always attacks anything that moves so he went by him and just swated at his tail and the snake moved and the cat ran lol

IMO, I wouldn't risk it. My cat is pretty damn curious and has tried to attack my snakes on a number of occaisions, so I would never let him even check out my snake or even let him sniff my snake. Anything that looks stringy he will play with.

yea what she said and by the way what imo mean?

cats are predators that kill things smaller than them that move. most ball pythons are smaller than cats, and they move. You should not let your cats and snakes interact, ever. you're literally asking for trouble.

I have some snakes i dont even dare to handle when my cats are awake because they are completely reactive to my cats, they get very antsy and i've even been bitten by a ball python because one of my cats startled it (id' rather ME get bitten than the cat).

My cat went to bed with my BP laying on her...

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Originally Posted by Gordon21

yea what she said and by the way what imo mean?

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In my opinion :gj:

Like any introductions, common sense and supervision are required! I've let one of my cats "sniff" my baby ball (she was in my hand...quick movements can trigger a "prey drive" in a cat so I wanted to be sure that my ball was fairly immobile). My cat took one whiff, got a very offended look on his face and walked away in disgust. As my ball gets bigger, I'll worry less as balls (especially adults) don't seem to move fast enough to interest a cat...if anything, I'd worry about the tip of the tail which is string-like and tempting...but I'd really be surprised if any problems arise! But, again, I can't stress supervision enough! :)

My cat is fine as long as me and my mom are calm. She doesn't care. She'll stare intently at the snake, but never makes a move more than a curious sniff or touch with the paw. I trust her while I'm watching, but never if I took my attention off of the two.

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Originally Posted by GoBoilers

Like any introductions, common sense and supervision are required! I've let one of my cats "sniff" my baby ball (she was in my hand...quick movements can trigger a "prey drive" in a cat so I wanted to be sure that my ball was fairly immobile). My cat took one whiff, got a very offended look on his face and walked away in disgust. As my ball gets bigger, I'll worry less as balls (especially adults) don't seem to move fast enough to interest a cat...if anything, I'd worry about the tip of the tail which is string-like and tempting...but I'd really be surprised if any problems arise! But, again, I can't stress supervision enough! :)

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Ditto to all of the above! :gj: My younger cat will watch them if they're slithering fast enough, and will occasionally make a move towards swatting the tail (it totally is string-like). Aside from that I've never had an issue, and when I let them sniff the snakes it does seem to offend them... LOL. My dog is actually better with them, as he sees any small animals as his "herd" - and therefore needs to protect them at any cost. But with either the dog or cats, obviously supervision is highly recommended! I don't let my snakes wander without supervision anyway, so that's usually not a concern. :cool:

Cats are way too big for a ball python to eat.

funny story...the night i got my ball python...he was around my neck and the lower half of his body was hanging down my chest....well, my fat cat, phebo was sitting on the kitchen counter and he had just woke up from a nap. he was standing there waiting for his food and he started rubbing the top of his head on me...(you know how cats do) but it wasnt me..it was the snake. and he lifted his head up and started sniffing the snake and when he realized what he had just "pet" himself on he jumped about 3 feet in the air and fell off the counter. he did NOT land on his feet..by the way. *true story. lol.

My cat was curious, sniffed the snake - snake hissed - cat ran away and hasn't come anywhere near the snake since.

When I had my adult BP's, the cats were really interested in them, and I don't mean in a good way, so we were very careful.

Now that we have babies and they are in a different room away from the cats, only my spoiled brat Tuffy even knows we have them. He always watches me when I get them out, and he wants to see so bad. So finally I decided to let him sniff, since he's my cat and I trust him.

He got really close to the baby and smelled and smelled, then the baby flicked it's tongue out and touched Tuffy's nose, scared poor Tuff to death and he didn't want to sniff anymore. He still has to watch me handle them though, I guess he's making sure one of them doesn't eat his momma.

Gale

Many years ago, I had a ball pythons escape--it was relocated because we saw the cat, sitting crouched in the hallway, staring. Just huddled and staring. About 2 feet in front of the cat was the python, facing the cat, and staring back. They were both perfectly still. <lol>

No, there is no reason these two species should ever be allowed to interact--one or both is too likely to get hurt, or even killed.

I don't let my cats get close to my snakes. I also have to put my snakes on the ground in a tub to soak because my cat, dusty, knocked one off the counter a few months back. I WAS HORRIFIED AND MAD AS A HORNET! The snake wasn't very happy either, I might add!

The only snake/mammal introductions I've been willing to risk is with my dog. He did pretty well, considering Pits were bred to attack other animals, and I've seen him chase deer, coyotes, squirrels, and even the odd black bear. He listens pretty well too, so I had no worries. :P He just sniffed and stared at her. But he's got some pretty hefty paws, so I had to watch out for those.

i dont own a ball yet but i let my cat sniff my little corn snake and she never attack , i don't know why but my cut only attacks things that i don't own, so if she sees me handling somthing and she knows its mine she won't attack. cat's mainly attack to "teach their masters how to hunt" or so i heared. like my cat brings back to us any thing she catches just to show us. so once we have something in our hands there's no reason for here/him to hunt cause "we got the pray before them". Just my idea :) and i think a ball python can eat a cat if the cat aint fat and didnt grow alot like mine.

i keep a close eye on my cats when ever my bps are out, but my cats always seem to run away when they are out anyway.

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/9...stupid3kh1.jpg

http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/5...stupid2hw9.jpg
my wife had to hold her as she was trying to run away in those pics