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How on earth did my cat get inside my cage?!

metalheavy

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Okay, so I just recently got a new cat and unsurprisingly, she's interested in the pigs. I have two other cats as well, so my cage is covered and the lid is clipped in place with binder clips.

Well to my horror, I just found my new cat INSIDE of the cage. What's even more baffling is that I was watching tv in the same room (the cage is behind couch) and I didn't even hear anything (not even the pigs, who squeak at everything). The pigs were unharmed and unfazed, they weren't even hiding. I have no clue how the heck she got in there, but at least everything is okay. Obviously I never want her to get in there again.

Here are some pictures of my cage, I'll try to explain it as best I can and I hope you all gave give me some insight on how I can better catproof my cage. Please ignore the mess, it's cleaning day for their cage.
DSC00295.JPG
DSC00296.JPG
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1) Here's a shot of the entire cage. The lid is broken into two parts. One section is 2x4 (in the back) and stays on 24/7. I've clipped it in place using 4 large binder clips (2 on each side). The front part is clipped in place with 4 smaller binder clips for easier removal. There are two cage pieces inside the middle of the cage for support and it helps both lid pieces from sagging in. The back part is connected to the two middle pieces with cage connectors.

2) This is just a better shot of the lid so you can hopefully see how it is secured.

3) This shows where I've recently added some large binder clips to hold the front and back lids together and also where the front lid overlaps the middle connector of the back lid.

There's no way she could've crawled under the back lid, there's zero give. My best guess is that she somehow got between the overlap of the front and back lids (which is why I added clips to connect them), but there's only about an inch of space between them (where the back lid sags a bit) and the back lid is connected in the middle making it an even smaller amount of sag. She's not that small of a cat either, she's 9 months old and weights around 7 pounds.

Anyway, I know this post is tl;dr, but I could use some ideas on how to better catproof. I'm still dumbfounded. I would like an alternative to the new clips I added to connect the back and front lids, because they are going to be a huge pain seeing as the front the lid is meant for easy removal.

Lifting the cage off the floor isn't an option and neither is surrounding the cage with a makeshift fence because they could just get on the couch and jump over it.
 

pinky

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Since the base is on the outside, she probably pulled it back and got in underneath.
 

metalheavy

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Nah, definitely not, it's way too heavy with the weight of the lids. Also the cage is sitting on top of foam tiles and the weight of the cage pushes down into them a bit. I went and checked, just to be sure, and I had a hard time just getting my finger under the cage.
 

PrincessAngel

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It looks like there is a weak spot along the back wall to the right. Cats are good at getting themselves into tight spaces and I wouldn't be surprised if she got in that way. When I first made a C&C cage I had it completely enclosed but it was off the floor and my cat decided to sit on top of it, and well his fat butt fell through into the cage. After that I gave up on catproofing my cage. He was raised from 6 weeks old with guinea pigs, and after falling through the cage, never tried to get in the cage again.
 

Cavia Appia

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It looks to me like she could've pushed up the overhanging left corner at the front and slipped in that way.
 

metalheavy

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I think I figured it out, I took her over there to see if she would try to get in again. She crawled on top of the cage and the weight of her pushed down the lid a ton. I think she crawled up on the back lid, pushed it down with weight, and then crawled in through the gap between the two lids.

I also think you guys are right about the corners being weak spots, so I'm going to add some more clips to those areas. Thanks for the help everyone!
 

NarwhalsRock

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My kitten got in this evening, and she was playfully jumping up (claws sheathed!!) and pouncing on the pigs! They were freaking out, but weirdly enough, not hiding... The cage was in the other room, with the door open, but I still didn't notice... After grabbing her out by the scruff, and essentially tossing her out of the cage, I checked for injuries.Thank GOD there were no injuries! They were just a little rattled... Cats are really annoying like that. They can get into the tightest spaces!!! She might have gotten in through a grid with a bigger opening, which is usually covered...
 

Skippie

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Maybe the pigs and cat worked together to secretly sneak kitty in. Then, when you came along, they all acted surprised. In reality, they wanted to prove to you how intelligent they all really are while making you feel scatterbrained about how the whole event ever took place to begin in. Cats and guinea pigs do tend to get along, after all!
 

CritterSlave

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I had a momma ca who used to break into my cage and try to nurse my pigs...never hurt them just seemed to think they were kitten. My dog doesnt care much about the pigs but he will do anything to eat some hay and piggie poop
 

asnnbrg

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omw, I don't trust my cat at all. [MENTION=16881]Skippie[/MENTION], do cats and piggies really generally get along, or is that mostly your experience? I have two cats. One is mostly just curious, as far as I can tell, but I really suspect the other one has evil designs. She's never actively done anything (although I've caught her with her paw in there twice and had to extend mesh netting around the outside of the cage to stop her badness), but I worry she will. The funny thing is, the piggies don't seem to mind HER at all. In fact, one of them bumped noses with her (pre-netting) and startled the cat, lol.
 

Skippie

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Because they are so curious about one another, maybe you could take this opportunity to instead work towards the cats and pigs having a positive relationship. If they are wanting to know each other, why keep them seperate? I have four cats and believe me, they get along. None of the four cats were young kittens when they were first exposed to the pigs. One cat had been an indoor-only cat since he was 8 wks old and always owned by me, another was about 6 years old when she first met guinea pigs and had previously been extremely abused. The other cat was about one year old when I brought him in from being a stray. The fourth and newest is a foster who was an adult stray. Anyways, some cats won't have much interest at all in the guinea pigs. One of mine is like that. However, most are curious about them and the pigs are curious about the cats. The trick is really to allow them to be together, say in the couch for example, and see how they interact. Allow the kitty to play gently, groom, roll over, etc as they check out the pigs. If kitty starts trying to really play (play too rough), then put kitty on the ground. Just like with dogs, its about positive reinforcement and repitition. If kitty wants to play with the pig, then kitty has to be gentle. Many cats will actually be very "motherly" to the pigs. You should remember, however, that guinea pigs can get too fiesty with cats too. The guinea pigs should not be allowed to bite or nibble on the cats and if so, they should be taken out of the situation. Again, its about positive reinforcement. Reward for the "good" behavior rather than punish for the bad. My cats play, cuddle, kiss, and even sleep with the guinea pigs. Believe me, I trust my cats alone with the pigs any day over a stranger alone with them. Many people do not realize that different species of animals do tend to get along and even thrive together.
 

asnnbrg

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So patting/batting -- like what she did with her paw -- would you consider that aggressive or playful? This older cat of mine (she will be 12 next month) was taken in as a stray when she was a young kitten. She got out once and brought me back a *shudder* squirrel, so I know she can hunt. Granted, this happened many years ago, but if she had the skills then, I'm confident she still has them now, kwim? The other cat is shy and timid, and I'm not at all worried about her with the piggies. I'd let her check them out without fear, but she tends to be off doing her own thing most of the time. The guinea pigs are definitely curious about the cats -- constantly sniffing the air when the cats are about, and then the one time, Leah bumped Pi's nose, which was pretty funny, in fact.

If there's a pm function here, I'd love to learn more about how I can ensure my cat is not a danger to my pigs. I love them all very much, and I don't want to risk anyone's well-being.
 

Skippie

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omw, I don't trust my cat at all. @Skippie , do cats and piggies really generally get along, or is that mostly your experience? I have two cats. One is mostly just curious, as far as I can tell, but I really suspect the other one has evil designs. She's never actively done anything (although I've caught her with her paw in there twice and had to extend mesh netting around the outside of the cage to stop her badness), but I worry she will. The funny thing is, the piggies don't seem to mind HER at all. In fact, one of them bumped noses with her (pre-netting) and startled the cat, lol.
[MENTION=24807]asnnbrg[/MENTION]
My 3 cats and foster cat get along great with the guinea pigs. Every foster cat I have had also has gotten along great with one another. They really are family to each other. When my guinea pig recently was very, very sick, it was actually my cat who soothed him, slept with him, and groomed in. The most amazing thing even happened...he began crying out for her instead of veggies! That being said, I also knew many, many other people who have also had wonderful experiences with cats and guinea pigs. Like I said in my other post on this thread, they tend to actually really WANT to be with one another and thrive together. I think a lot of the time a person will assume the cat will do harm and misinterprets the curiousity with something negative. After all, all living beings tend to be curious about things they are interested in but it doesn't mean curiousity is bad. Guinea pigs are very social and they like to be a part of the whole family, which includes the cats. With all my rescue work and personal experience, I actually have yet to see a cat hurt a guinea pig.
 

asnnbrg

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@asnnbrg
My 3 cats and foster cat get along great with the guinea pigs. Every foster cat I have had also has gotten along great with one another. They really are family to each other. When my guinea pig recently was very, very sick, it was actually my cat who soothed him, slept with him, and groomed in. The most amazing thing even happened...he began crying out for her instead of veggies! That being said, I also knew many, many other people who have also had wonderful experiences with cats and guinea pigs. Like I said in my other post on this thread, they tend to actually really WANT to be with one another and thrive together. I think a lot of the time a person will assume the cat will do harm and misinterprets the curiousity with something negative. After all, all living beings tend to be curious about things they are interested in but it doesn't mean curiousity is bad. Guinea pigs are very social and they like to be a part of the whole family, which includes the cats. With all my rescue work and personal experience, I actually have yet to see a cat hurt a guinea pig.

That's incredibly comforting. I'll have to research some ways to introduce them to one another.
 

Skippie

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So patting/batting -- like what she did with her paw -- would you consider that aggressive or playful?
[MENTION=24807]asnnbrg[/MENTION]...The patting/batting is not agressive. That is a playful action and something they tend to do when they are curious. If they were being aggressive, you would have growling, hears back on the head, spitting, etc. I have had cats with my guinea pigs who have also hunted in the past. If they were a stray previously, then they HAD to hunt to survive which, obviously, is natural for them. However, as a cat becomes accumstomed to being inside, they learn that the hunting is not needed and instead they play with toys, cat condos, etc. They also seem to realize that other animals in the house belong to the family. A cat, like a dog, wants its owners to be pleased with him/her. Also, cats do tend to like playing with other animals and even using their maternal instincts with them. Any cat (except declawed...which are very limited) CAN hunt, but it does not mean they WILL hunt.(just like us!) Animals and people tend to form a family unit like we do. They have a resect for each other and even care for one another. Unfortunatly, many times, animals do not get the chance to discover other animals because we keep them apart. Because both your guinea pigs and cats are curious about one another, I personally would recommend working towards allowing them to get to know each other. It can even be very beneficial if one of the animal dies in the future by allowing the other animals to have another animal for comfort. If you decide to help them create a positive relationship, they will really start to look to you to learn whats appropriate. It's like teaching a toddler right and wrong. You help kitty to decide when they are too rough and you help decide if the guinea pig is too fiesty. With my current foster cat, it took just a few weeks until I was completely comfortable allowing them to be together.
There is a PM function on here, feel free to PM me. I have had a wide variety of animals all of my life and worked in rescue so I feel very passionatly that animals should be able to love one another just as we can love them all too. I know how beneficial it can be for everyone.
 

Rhinos_mom

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cats are extremely flexible and basically anything they can fit their shoulders in, they can get into. I have pretty large cats, but the cat i'm petting now, (i dont have a ruler i'm just guessing) has maybe 4 inch wide shoulder blades, think about it, that's not a lot, i mean she's about 10lbs....
 

lifesvr7

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The closetmaid type wire shelving will have less give than the grids since it is all one piece. Its also easier to remove without all the moving parts. You can have it cut to any size to fit your cage. You can still use zip ties or binder clips to "lock" it in place.

While I have found that most of my animals will get along if introduced properly, you should never unconditionally trust them to be alone without close supervision. Therefore, you still want to make the top secure so they can not get in to hang out when you are not around. If kitty gets sacred because he is "trapped" he could end up hurting the piggies without even meaning to as he panics and tries to get out. If he doesn't hurt them, he could also accidentally damage the cage enough trying to get out that you could come home to a trapped cat and loose piggies :O
 

mufasa

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I would never completely trust cats and guinea pigs together because you never know what will bring out the prey instinct. All it takes is one little slip.

With that said, I do keep my pigs in an uncovered swimming pool most of the day while I work. We have four cats, but I'm in the room with them 99 percent of the time. One of the cats is a nurturer who raised two rescue kittens. When Borat was sick, we'd still put him in the pool occasionally and Stitch would jump in and try to lay with him.

My cat Farquaad could care less, other than being jealous during lap time. Mufasa actually plucked out one of his whiskers when he tried to horn his way in during laptime. SheiKra is the main one I worry about because he's a killer, but so far he's been good with the pigs. Every now and then he bats them in the butt from outside the pool before I can shag him away, but they're not all that phased by it. He jumped in once and he and Quinn were bonding nose to nose when I chased him out. Quinn actually seems to like cats, or at least be endlessly curious about them, while Amy (who lived with a huge husky at her former home) could care less.

At least we don't have to worry about our feral cat because he hides 99.9 percent of the time.

Good luck with the cat proofing!
 

TigerzGirl

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I have always had good experience with my cats and pigs~ The one will occasionally watch them through the bars curiously, but when my piggy Oreo runs up to say hi the cat takes off! :D
Other one is more interested in the hay- I've caught him in the cage before just munching on bits of hay. Funny, but not good since he always pukes it up later :/ but cage is uncovered on the floor and I've never had problems.
 
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