Cats and BPs

[BigKenjDogg]

So I just inherited a new cat. He's a pretty half Siamese short-haired, blue eyed young cat named Dontae. He's a very sweet cat with a great personality.

Here's what I'm worried about:

I will never have my ball python out while my cat is around, however, I'm kind of nervous about the whole situation. I know there's basically no chance that the two animals will meet face-to-face. I will not allow it and my BP's enclosure is very secure. He lives in a glass 40 gallon breeder taken so it is see through. So Munch (my BP) can see the young cat walking around.

I'm sure there are some of you who have a house with a BP and a cat in it. Is there anything I should worry about? Do to make it less stressful for both animals? Thanks.

[daniel1983]

Just keep the seperated. My kitten always trys to investigate when I am handling the bps in the 'snake closet'. I usually just give her a squirt with my misting bottle, and now she is not so nosy.

[new2BP]

the water bottle method works awsome. i was concerned about this when i first got my bp about 6 weeks ago. it wasnt long and my cat new it was not aloud near my snake cage.

[daniel1983]

My worst fear would be my female bp escaping....I would worry about her hurting the kitten...more than the kitten hurting her. If one of my snakes got out, and constricted and killed the pet cat......that would be the end of me keeping pet snakes

[tigerlily]

If you have a glass enclosure and a screen top, make sure the cat doesn't sit on top of the screen. You don't want to have to worry about the screen giving way under a 10 lb cat. (for future worries) A nice water bottle and some well aimed squirts should kill any curiousity your cat may have.

[frankykeno]

Our newly adopted 18 month old b.p. has the scars to prove that. Cats and screened lids aren't a great combination.

Having had cats that regularily hunted outside but learned to never hunt anything that lived inside here's some other ideas...none of them will hurt your cat...

1. Squirt guns are your friend. Keep a bunch filled and handy.

2. A can full of small rocks shaken at the vicinity of a prowling cat's butt works wonders on the more stuborn ones.

3. Loud, fast clap followed by a firm "BAD CAT!" anytime it approaches the area of the enclosure. One of my males didn't get this one but believe it or not imitating the sound of a cat growling got my point across to him.

4. Balloons tied on strings to the area the cat must climb if your snake is up on a stand. A few popped balloons are quite effective, though pls watch the kitty doesn't ingest any.

5. A favored toy throw in the opposite direction from the area to redirect their prowling instinct.

We've conditioned our cats (both passed now at ages 16 and 18) to leave all household pets alone as well as stay out of baby cribs, etc. Cats learn, they just don't like to listen LOL. Just be consistent and try a deterrent as soon as they even think about approaching the area (before they get into full hunt mode or their interest is really perking).

We had a hamster escape once. Our cats were so used to not being allowed to harrass the hamster they refused to use their litter box....guess what stupid critter was hiding in there! These were cats that regularily hunted but they figured out the rules of the house.

Please remember to praise your cat when it learns to avoid the snake's area. It will love you for that.

[Schlyne]

I could never mange to keep the cat trained to stay off the herp cages. Almost all of the herps live in my bedroom and all of the T's live in in the spare room. The cat is not allowed in either one of them. So I just keep everybody else other than the cat behind closed doors. I have had one of the snakes get looks and she went to the T room both times. (The bedroom doors are very close to each other).

[frankykeno]

Actually I had pretty well trained cats but then I had them both for a long, long time. I just refused to believe I couldn't train or condition them so I think they just gave up eventually and went along with me on certain issues like hunting other pets, climbing on my countertops or into baby furniture, letting me trim their claws back once winter came and they were not outside so much to wear them down, stuff like that.

Cats can learn, just not like dogs do. They don't have the "need to please" that most canines have...it's more of a "need to please myself" instinct LOL. With our cats and the dogs we've had over the years, I just conditioned them to completely believe I'm the most dominant critter in the house


~~Jo~~