help! my cat wants to eat Elvis!

[critterlover]

We're the proud owners of a cat and a guinea pig,
both rescues. We found our piggy which we named Elvis
(the resemblance is striking ) hiding under
a car in the parking lot of our apartment building
about 3 weeks ago. Actually, I had seen the assistant
managers trying to catch him the day before. I'd assumed
they'd caught him when I saw the water they'd put out
for him gone, but obviously not...So he had been out
there at least 24 hours without food. He is now a much
happier piggy, except for that our cat finds him a particularly
*fascinating* source of entertainment.

I've built him a 2-level C&C cage and give him hay
and pellets and veggies several times a day. Needless
to say he is very happy and active, except when the cat
is near. I have covered the cage with a sheet to
give him some privacy. But no matter how many times
I try to discourage the cat, she persists in sitting
on top his cage, sitting under his cage, and even
peaking under the sheets! Last night I was watching
him eat and suddenly this shadow of a cat's head appeared on
the sheet. He freaked out and panicked so much
he made a huge mess of his cage and he went up a hid
on the 2nd level.

Will he eventually realize the cat can't get him?
I don't want to leave the sheets on forever. Is there
any way I can keep my cat away from the cage?

 

[piggielover92]

This has some pictures of cages with tops on them..... https://www.guineapigcages.com/gallery/categories/533/ I have a cover on my cage. It works really well! Ours folds back in sections so we can easily pet and play with the pigs. I don't actully have any cats, the pigs are in the garage (don't worry we keep it warm in the winter and cool in the summer) and I am constantly worried that a neighborhood cat could slip in there when we are not looking or forget to shut a door. Hope this helps....

 

[critterlover]

I do have the cage totallly enclosed. So the cat can't really get to my piggy, but she keeps scaring him. Maybe he will just get used to it. I tried putting him down for floor time, but the cat just stood outside and meowed and meowed. I'm just worried about what happens at night when the two are alone. It's good that you took that precaution, even though you don't have cats yourself. We sometimes have cats coming in through the window of our apartment. Some people don't realize this can happen, but it can and does!

 

[piggielover92]

Oh, well that's good, at least the cat can't get at the pig. But, I am not sure what to do about the pig getting scared.... Where is your cage? Could you shut a door to keep the cat out?

 

[AngelsCavies]

When my big german shepard golden retriever mix walks into the room where my piggies are they all scatter all over the place for about a min and then they realize that its their sister Samantha. They will get used to it. It may take a while for some pigger and some adapt right away. I had all my piggies down for floor time and Samantha would lay down on the floor and let the piggies crawl all over her. Samantha thinks that the piggies are her puppies. Its so cute when she hears them wheek and she would run over and check on them.

 

[debg43]

We have a cat also & he delights in trying to eat the pig's hay & trying to get in the C&C house--solution--measure the top of your pig's house, then go to Home Depot & have them cut a piece of closet shelving to length--you may need 2 widths, just tie them together with cable ties. Home Depot won't cut it to width, just length, but it's worth the $32 to keep your cat out of the pig's house. Good lUck! Deb

 

[AngelsCavies]

I cant keep alfalfa cubes in the cage unles I close the door. Because my dog Samantha likes to eat them and makes the piggies mad. She only does that when We are not home.

 

[mncavylover]

That's so funny! How old are the pigs, though? Alfalfa is only good for them when they are 6 months and younger, really.

 

[critterlover]

The closet shelving is a awesome idea. Thanx. That would also solve another problem which is our cage top sags. The top of our cage is made out of cube material and it really sags everytime the cats sits on it.

Hey, I would love to see a picture of your dog cuddling your piggies. That would be sooo cute. Wouldn't it be cool to have a spy cam recording all the naughtiness between the pigs and the other pets when you're not home.

 

[mncavylover]

The closet shelving is cheap, too! It's great stuff, just not for my cage. I had a hard time cleaning it when the shelving was on, but that's because I had to reach underneath my upper level. Good luck with the top!